Concussion and cognitive impairment
 

Hallo. About a year ago, I was in a bar and I fainted (syncope), fell backward and received a laceration to the scalp about 2 centimetres long on the back of my head due to a wooden step behind me. I was lifted from the ground by people in the bar and came around. I don't think I was unconscious for more than a minute or two. I remember everything until the moment of fainting, and then everything from a few minutes after. After the injury I repeated myself a few times asking what had happened and was generally confused. My memory of the time is a bit blurry, though I can remember a few minutes after the injury. I may have just been in shock.

A taxi was called and I went to the hospital. In the taxi, about ten minutes after the injury, I was fully lucid. A doctor saw me at the hospital, determined that I didn't have a skull fracture and fixed the laceration. He decided I was fluent and lucid enough to not send me for any scans. He asked me questions and did some tests - I don't remember what, exactly. I described that I had no retrograde amnesia (prior to injury) and only momentary anterograde amnesia (after the injury).

My question is: is it likely I suffered concussion or post-concussive syndrome? Because I fainted immediately before the injury (and in so doing caused the injury), it is impossible to distinguish the unconsciousness caused by syncope and any unconsciousness caused by concussion. Also, because I fainted I am not clear as to what happened: whether I fell backward and landed with my head on the lowest wooden step, or whether I crumpled to the ground and hit my head secondarily. The outcome of hitting my head full-whack is different to having fallen to the ground and scraped my head. Are lacerations common with blunt blows to the head?

I did not have any especially noticable symptoms that indicated concussion: I was not nauseous and did not have a splitting headache. I may have had a mild headache for everything going on, but it is not memorable.

In terms of post-concussive syndrome, I have not especially noticed cognitive impairment. My memory has always been poor, but I don't think I've noticed it getting worse. Would I be aware if my cognition is impaired relative to pre-injury? Would I realise that my memory, concentration or intelligence are less now than they were before the injury? My job depends on cognition and this is the main reason for my concern.

I have suffered some depression and anxiety in the last year, but I suffered both before the injury and there is no indication that this is the cause.

For some context: I have not had any other concussion (that I am aware of), and have done quite well at university in the year since (I am a neuroscience student).

I do seem to have some post-traumatic stress disorder relating to the injury. I think about the injury almost every day and I am concerned that it may have had lasting effect on my cognition.

So my essential question is, is it likely I was concussed (despite no nausea). If I was concussed, it was mild since my unconsciousness was momentarily and my amnesia is ten minutes at most. In this case, would any lasting cognitive impairment be expected? Would I notice cognitive impairment?

Any help, information or advice would be very much appreciated.

semi conscious or conscious
 

hello and welcome :grouphug:

this brain injury thing seems to have a very broad spectrum I had no memory for 30 minutes prior to injury I dont know how long I was unconscious, I can now 9 months later only remember snippets of the event medics tend to access people using the premis of unconscious semi conscious or conscious and the notion of lucidity I would describe my state as semi conscious on arrival at A&E by this I mean running on instinct I knew my name and address but didn't know were I was, could walk, but could not tell my left from right I thought I was in a town I has been days before, I did not feel sick ? in fact my brain was in shock and had shut down and in a catatonic state, it is our instinct to get up but ,I would say I was still unconscious for another three hours after my arrival at A&E, so I feel the time one is unconscious is irrelevant I only feel nauseous now my brain has recovered from the shock I think medic access on a thing called the Glasgow coma scale ? by reading this you might think I have no cognitive impairment.but this has taken me hours to write if it was not for the spell checker and ctrl C this would be gobbledygook ah! the spell checker got that one right :) I can read and understand but cannot hold a word in my mind my short term memory is shot unfortunately neurosurgeons cant insert a new ram stick :confused: so the computer is my aid memoir I think it depends on the persons intellectual development pre injury and the damage sites, I dont remember I have forgotten something, cause its not there.the PDSD and low mood you feel may be treated by neurophysiology I hope to see one at some point I can understand your fear of fainting could trigger PDSD and a blow to the head is never a good thing I am not a doctor so can only go on about how it is for me hope you get some answers here and good luck with your study's