Hi,
I was wondering how long it after a possible concussion can a doctor find out if I had one. I was talking to my dad today about an accident when I was a kid. I was around 7 or 8 and I was running around the jungle gym when a 16 year old jumped off and landed on top of me. He knocked me out and all I remember is waking up to people crowded around me. The ambulance asked me if I wanted to go to the hospital and I said no. I have a memory problem so I was wondering if that may be because of it. I am now 19 going on 20. Is it too late to see if I got a concussion from it? I'm guessing that if a computer does show one it may not be because of that exact incident because it's been so long. I think it's a definitely a possibility that I got one though, what do you think? An answer would be great!

Hi Melanie,

I am sorry to hear that you had a concussion. I do think that you had one by the way.

I think that the word concussion means any injury caused by a trauma to the brain which results in any symptoms, however temporary, of altered brain functioning. This would include confusion, a feeling of brain fog, not being able to think properly, types of amnesia (e.g. post-traumatic) and certainly would include unconsciousness.

So, given that you were unconscious you did suffer a concussion, at least according to my understanding of the word.

None of the above means that the concussion is necessarily detectable, as you put it, "by a computer". The brain damage is often on a scale that cannot be detected by an MRI for example. It is not likely that if you had gone to hospital doctors would have used a machine of some description connected to a computer that gave the readout "concussion". So, from that point of view the fact, that it was 2 or 3 years ago does not alter the situation. You did have a concussion.

The question is: To what extent are your current memory problems due to it?

Do you have any other ongoing symptoms, such as nausea, headaches, dizziness, fatigue? If not, you may just have to deal with memory issues in the same way that someone who has not had a concussion would e.g. writing things down, making lists etc. There may be nothing that you can do specific to a concussion.

I sense that you may be thinking that if a doctor knew that you had had a concussion then he would give you some sort of concussion treatment and your memory problems would go away.

I am afraid that even when the doctors know that you have had a concussion they do not know what treatment to give you. In the end, most of us just have to cope with the symptoms. So, don't be worried that by not going to the hospital and being diagnosed with concussion that you are missing out on something. In truth, it probably would not have helped you.

You may never know whether your concussion had an effect on your memory. You could speak to a doctor about this for reassurance. In the end, you are probably going to have to see if you have memory limitations and, if you do, then work out a coping strategy. I am sure that there are people who could help you to do this, but I don't think that knowing the cause is going to help.

Best of luck.

Concussed Scientist

Happy to see you have come to be with us. Just let us know if we can be of any help. There are great and caring friends here to assist you. Our shoulders are here for support in many ways. Check into the following forum for some questions to be answered.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum92.html

Looking forward to seeing you around. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Darlene