Advice please. 4 week post
 

Hi I am a 22 male and 4 weeks ago I suffered a minor head injury. I hit my head hard on a fence and received 10 stitches for a deep wound. I did not fall unconscious and suffered no initial concussion. So for the first week I carried on as normal and continued weightlifting and socialising. After about 10 days I started with headaches and tiredness. I went to my doctor and he wasn't concerned and said I just need to rest! So here I am now just over the 4 week mark with constant headaches. I'm worried I rushed back too soon and my symptoms won't go.

I would be grateful of any advice and I know 4 weeks doesn't seem long at all but I just didn't realise the injury would affect me for this long.

Only 10% of concussions result in loss of consciousness. There is a good chance that you may have suffered some sort of brain trauma and didn't realize it.

It's very common for symptoms to increase over the first two weeks. For example, my car accident was on a Tuesday. I was seen at an ER and was diagnosed with a concussion. On day 4 I followed up with my PCP, (it was a Friday). I told him I was fine and to write my return to work for the following Monday. By Sunday evening I had symptoms so bad I could barely get out of bed. Severe Vertigo, nausea, headache, etc.

My advice to you would be to stop and do nothing but rest. No weightlifting, no social events, etc. If you continue to do things despite your constant headache, you are only lengthening your rehab time and you are going to feel really crappy all the time.

I would also ask your PCP to refer you to a specialist with experience with TBI. Try not to just get a referral to a neurologist, but to a specialist who actually has experience with mild traumatic brain injury. The regular neurologist often does not have a good grasp of "mild" head injury symptoms and treatment.

I hope you start feeling better soon!

Lewis,

Rest is advised. A concussion specialist will not change that. Your brain needs low stress to recover. No drinking, etc and low levels of effort and stimulation for a few weeks.

log off after you read this.

Try sunglasses and even a blindfold. Don't even listen to music, just sit until the headaches go away, then slowly add activities. If the symptoms return, go back to doing nothing.

Unless its just pain from the stitches. Depends what you mean by headache ^^ I assume you mean more than soreness. I dunno. My brain's messed up too, why you listening to me :D

Sitke- I understand where you are coming from when you mention the disorientation. I feel the same way.

Like everyone has said, I guess we just need to rest rest rest until we can see a specialist or neurologist.

Hi just a quick update on my progress. Thankyou all for taking the time to read and respond to my concerns.

Since I last posted I have stopped exercising completely, stopped caffeine and alcohol and have not gone to any social events. Finding it really hard not doing the things that make me happy and saying no to friends but got to keep remembering that health is important. I'm losing muscle by not working out and its so frustrating as summer is soon (uk time). I've had good days and bad days but i think things are slowly improving. Still getting headaches but less severe ones and not napping so much in the afternoon when i get home.

I previously booked to go to a music festival in June and not sure if i'll go yet as im worried about my symptoms worsening. Thinking about taking some ear plugs but that's just an option. I'm going to decide nearer the time depending how i feel.

Once again thanks for the advice and wish you all a positive recovery.

Hi there,

It is hard to stop doing the things you love to do but from experience your healing can go backwards if you don't!

Rest, no loud music etc...my severe headaches actually lasted for months.

I also lifted weights which is my passion! had to completely stop and only just now started hiking again.

Look after yourself, take it really slow.

Well I've definitely taken steps back this week. I feel like I've got worse. The constant head pressure is driving me mad! Went to see my go again who gave me a leaflet on concussion:rolleyes: thank god I found this forum. Feel a bit at a loose end because I don't know what else I can be doing to help. I guess my anxiety is probably making the whole thing worse.

Be easier on yourself, anxiety is a concussion symptom.

Anxiety, and ruminating on negative things, ("my anxiety makes things worse"), is unfortunately a cognitive/emotional symptom of this crazy thing we live with.

Believe me, we all have and still go through times where we feel like we are at wits end and are unsure what to do next or what to try. That being said, there is hope. The more you experience what makes you get worse, (for me- too much screen time), the more your brain and spirit learn, (for me- Hey! turn the computer off now or you're going to be in bed for the next two days!).

Once you get comfortable with what makes you feel better and what makes you feel worse, you can make choices.

For me- Choices:
(1) If I stay on the computer longer, I may start to feel sick, but I really miss seeing my friends and family. My mom just emailed me, so I will read it and reply because potentially feeling sick will be worth it to me because I will have connected with her;

Or,(2) I'm just going to write a quick reply;

Or (3) I will respond tomorrow because I need to feel good for something I have going on tonight.

Ps. Sorry your doc doesn't get it, but we will ALWAYS be here for you :)