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Continued concerns after concussion?

I had a concussion about 12 days ago and I still feel tired,somewhat dizzy after small hike up hill and looking up at trees makes me dizzy as well. I never had these problems b/f and am wondering what someone in the medical field has to say on this situation? I had a CT scan that was negitive.

Thanks and I look forward to hearing what y'all have to say and oh yeah hello!!!
John

Hello John

hopefully you have a good doctor monitoring you since the concussion? That is essential IMHO

Here is the link to our Forum for TBI and PCS
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forumdisplay.php?f=92

we have some threads here on Post Concussion Syndrome on other forums here, that may be of interest to you

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ad.php?t=14378

and here
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ad.php?t=14950
and
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ad.php?t=15571
and
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=636

all the best and I hope you make a quick and full recovery

Welcome, John! Hope you find some insight on one of the threads Chemar linked for you.
Hugs,

If it was a mild concussion your CT and MRI will most likely be negative, but that does not mean there are not short-term physical or chemical changes in your brain. Take it easy for the next few weeks, with no exercise or other physical exertion. Also, try to stay away from stressful situations (even loud and crowded places, and using the computer or watching tv may trigger your symptoms). It may even help to take a week off work if you can. This is the most important time in your recovery and if you do too much your symptoms may last alot longer than 2 weeks. I wish someone had told me this after my last concussion. I tried to push through the symptoms and it made it alot worse. I am still unable to exercise 5 months later and I still have dizziness some days, although I am slowly getting better. The majority of people recover in a 2-4 weeks, but 5-10% have symptoms lasting longer. If you rest, you will more than likely be back to normal soon. Once you feel symptom free, gradually go back to your normal activities, such as hiking. If you feel the symptoms again, back off for a week and then try again. Don't worry about it too much - this is not a permanent condition. Just take it easy.

Hi, please also realize that in some cases a concussion turns into a post concussion syndrome, and when that happens it means that it takes even
longer. Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches.

Come to the forum for this discussion.

Donna

just adding that we now have a forum specifically for TBI & PCS where members are beginning to build a really good support group as well as a valuable information database

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forumdisplay.php?f=92

Hi John and welcome to NeuroTalk. This is a great place for support.

I had a concussion as a child and several as an adult due to car accidents. The worst one took awhile to recover. I had severe constant headache and the dizziness you talk about. It lasted for quite some time. I went to physical therapy for it.

I see some links have been provided for you. And I found a bit of information that might be helpful as well.

Take care.

Quote:

Symptoms of a concussion may include:

* "seeing stars" and feeling dazed, dizzy, or lightheaded
* memory loss, such as trouble remembering things that happened right before and after the injury
* nausea or vomiting
* headaches
* blurred vision and sensitivity to light
* slurred speech or saying things that don't make sense
* difficulty concentrating, thinking, or making decisions
* difficulty with coordination or balance (such as being unable to catch a ball or other easy tasks)
* feeling anxious or irritable for no apparent reason
* feeling overly tired

Different Grades of Concussion

There are different grades of concussion:

* Someone with a grade 1 concussion can have some of the symptoms listed above, but with no loss of consciousness and with symptoms ending within 15 minutes.
* With a grade 2 concussion, there has been no loss of consciousness but the symptoms last longer than 15 minutes.
* In a grade 3 concussion, the person loses consciousness — even if it's just for a few seconds.

If a doctor suspects that someone may have a concussion, he or she will ask about the head injury — such as how it happened and when — and the symptoms. The doctor may ask what seem like silly questions — things like "Who are you?" or "Where are you?" or "What day is it?" and "Who is the president?" Doctors ask these questions to check the person's level of consciousness and memory and concentration abilities.

The doctor will perform a thorough examination of the nervous system, including testing balance, coordination of movement, and reflexes. The doctor may ask the patient to do some activity such as running in place for a few minutes to see how well the brain functions after a physical workout.

Sometimes a doctor may order a CT scan (a special brain X-ray) or an MRI (a special non-X-ray brain image) to rule out bleeding or other serious injury involving the brain.

If the concussion isn't serious enough to require hospitalization, the doctor will give instructions on what to do at home, like having someone wake the person up at least once during the night. If a person with a concussion cannot be easily awakened, becomes increasingly confused, or has other symptoms such as vomiting, it may mean there is a more severe problem that requires contacting the doctor again.

The doctor will probably recommend that someone with a concussion take acetaminophen or other aspirin-free medications for headaches. The person also will have to take things easy at school or work.
After a Concussion

After a concussion, the brain needs time to heal. It's really important to wait until all symptoms of a concussion have cleared up before returning to normal activities. The amount of time someone needs to recover depends on how long the symptoms last. Healthy teens can usually resume their normal activities within a few weeks, but each situation is different. A doctor will monitor the person closely to make sure everything's OK.

Someone who has had a concussion and has not recovered within a few months is said to have postconcussion syndrome. The person may have the same problems described earlier — such as poor memory, headaches, dizziness, and irritability — but these will last for longer periods of time and may even be permanent.

If someone has continuing problems after a concussion, the doctor may refer him or her to a rehabilitation specialist for additional help.

That last sentence, that's what I ended up doing after one of the car accidents. The headaches just wouldn't go away and I went to physical therapy for it.