How to diagnose a concussion?

Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
Updated on September 06, 2024
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Concussion typically involves functional impairment of brain activities. His head CT showed no organic damage. The main clinical symptoms include transient consciousness disturbances and recent memory loss after the injury. Some patients may experience significant symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and insomnia, among other clinical symptoms. For concussion patients, the first step is to conduct a head CT to rule out intracranial organic injuries, followed by cerebrospinal fluid examination, and then an electroencephalogram test.

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Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
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Is a concussion scary?

Firstly, a concussion is the mildest form of brain injury, mainly characterized by transient consciousness disturbances, generally not lasting more than half an hour. The second characteristic is recent memory loss, with an inability to recall the circumstances of the injury. At the time of the injury, one may also experience pale complexion, blood pressure drop, and pupil constriction. After the injury, some patients may suffer from dizziness, headache, nausea, loss of appetite, tinnitus, lack of concentration, and memory decline, among other clinical symptoms. Patients with a concussion generally recover after 1-2 weeks of systematic treatment, and the majority of concussions are recoverable, so they are not as fearsome as believed.

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Written by Jiang Fang Shuai
Neurosurgery
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Is a concussion dangerous?

Concussion is not a severe brain injury and there is no need for excessive worry; symptomatic supportive treatment is usually sufficient. Typically, rest is advised, along with a light diet, regular living habits, and abstaining from smoking and alcohol. If necessary, treatment may include neuro-nutritive medications and drugs to improve microcirculation. Generally, symptoms should subside within one to two weeks. It is important to note that concussions occur after head trauma, and there is a certain likelihood of re-bleeding within the first three days following the trauma. After three days, the possibility of intracranial hemorrhage becomes very very low. Therefore, post-concussion there is still some risk, and it is necessary to closely monitor any changes in the condition, potentially requiring hospitalization for observation and treatment.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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Precursors of concussion

Concussions generally do not have precursors, as they occur immediately after the brain is injured and certain clinical symptoms manifest. There is no concept of a precursor with concussions. The clinical symptoms of a concussion primarily appear after a trauma and include headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, retrograde amnesia, and brief periods of unconsciousness. These symptoms must all be present to classify as related to a concussion. If symptoms are present and a head CT scan shows no significant bleeding, a concussion can generally be diagnosed. Therefore, there is no such thing as precursors, only related clinical manifestations.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Mild concussion symptoms

For patients with mild concussion, they often experience temporary loss of consciousness after suffering from violent blows, car accidents, falls from heights, and other accidental injuries, generally lasting no longer than 30 minutes. When patients regain consciousness, they may feel headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and have difficulty accurately recalling the incident, often referred to as retrograde amnesia. For such patients, cranial CT or MRI scans often show no significant positive signs, and it is suggested that no special treatment is necessary. Instead, patients should focus on rest, avoid overworking and exhaustion, and reduce excessive mental stimulation. The symptoms of most patients will gradually alleviate or even disappear within about two weeks.

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Written by Li Pei
Neurosurgery
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Is a concussion serious?

Concussion is the mildest form of traumatic brain injury. It occurs as a transient inhibition of brain function following head trauma, characterized by a brief period of confusion post-injury, usually not exceeding half an hour. Patients may also experience retrograde amnesia, unable to recall the incident of injury. Neurological examinations and head CT scans typically show no significant abnormalities, and results from lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid tests are normal. Most patients generally recover slowly after resting in bed for 1-2 weeks post-injury, without the need for special treatment. If symptoms such as headache or dizziness are prominent, some analgesics and sedatives or neurotrophic medications can be used for treatment, leading to gradual recovery. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)