Symptoms of concussions are wide and varied. Symptoms include:

• Loss of consciousness
• Severe headache or neck pain
• Difficulty speaking or understanding speech
• Seizures
• Weakness or numbness in your arms or legs
• Confusion
• Memory loss
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Headaches with sensitivity to light and sound
• Feeling tired

It’s important to take steps to prevent concussions and to seek medical attention if you suspect you or someone you know has a concussion.

• See a doctor immediately as they can evaluate your symptoms and help you manage your recovery.
• Take it easy and let your brain rest.
• Avoid physical activity, including sports, until you have fully recovered.
• Avoid activities that require a lot of concentration or mental effort.
• Your doctor will give you specific instructions on when it’s safe to return to physical activity.

• Athletes
• Children
• Senior Citizens
• People who have had a previous concussion

It is important to be seen at a registered concussion center to have the best possible outcome. One of the best practices for patients who are at high risk for concussion, such as athletes, is to have a cognitive assessment before the injury even occurs. This is called a baseline screening. This baseline screen is held on file in the event that someone suffers a concussion and another test can be administered. The post-injury test results are then compared to the baseline to assess the severity of the symptoms, direct treatment, and predict recovery. Without a baseline for an individual, the provider is forced to compare to a group of peers instead of the individual which is not as accurate.

If a person suffers a second concussion while still having symptoms from their initial concussion, a condition called second impact syndrome can occur, which will cause sudden and severe brain swelling. Although rare, this can become fatal.

It is not safe to continue to play sports while concussion symptoms are present. It is important to be cleared by a medical professional trained in concussion management before returning to sports.