Concussion Evaluation and Management

A concussion is the most common type of traumatic brain injury caused by a blow to the head or violent shaking of the head and body. Minor concussions may be hard to identify and can be treated by physical and physiological rest for a short period of time. More serious concussions, up to and including concussions resulting in a loss of consciousness, may require more serious management.

The same basic principle of concussion management applies to any concussion regardless of severity-- you, the patient, must rest both physically and mentally. This means if you’ve received a concussion while playing a contact sport, you should not only cease playing temporarily, you should also decrease any mental activity such as reading, playing video games, or anything else that could be highly mentally engaging. This allows your brain to rest and recover from the trauma. Some medications may be prescribed for headaches and nausea, but there is no medication for concussions specifically.

In cases of extreme brain trauma, brain surgery may be needed to help relieve the pressure on the brain from swelling, or to stop internal bleeding.