I wouldn't play yet, under any circumstances. I would wait until you aren't having any symptoms before even considering any strenuous physical exertion, let alone one that could result in another head injury. You're young! Your brain is going to repair itself if you rest and take care of yourself. Did the doctor who released you to play know of your symptoms? I find it hard to believe that any conscientious doctor would release you to play! Take care of yourself and good luck!

They gave me a sheet with 5 steps and told me to follow it. The steps were rest-light aerobic exercise-drills-Contact drills-Full contact play. They also signed me up for a research clinic for concussions. I'm going to look for a concussion specialist to talk to in the near future.

I would definitely recommend seeing a specialist because they'll be able to more accurately assess your symptoms and make you feel a little more at home/comfortable with the possible rest/treatment your brain needs. i know it's a frustrating process - I too had my first concussion this year and needed desperately to get back to school and my sport (which I was on a scholarship to play at my college), and the last thing I wanted to hear was that I needed to rest/take the time my brain needs to heal. I cried for weeks about it, to be honest. But I soon found that whether I wanted to or not, rest was the only option to stop the pain. I think also you should listen to your body, what you said about screens is interesting and probably pertinent - if you get headaches when you look at screens, try to limit or shot down all computer/tv time if possible. If you require a computer for school, maybe try to explain to your teachers/professors what's going on and see if they can work with you. There are (hopefully) ways that you can still move on with your day-to-day life with modifications for now. I wish the very best for you

Its been nearly a full week of rest. The symptoms have gotten a bit better. But now I'm getting these weird tingling feelings in my head. Its been a full month since the concussion how much longer do you think these symptoms will last? How long did your PCS symptoms last?

There is no way to predict how long concussion symptoms will last. Some suggest waiting a minimum of 6 weeks before even considering returning to play.

The ACE or SCAT sheet they gave you are of limited value. You need to be more concerned for your brain that the authors of those papers are. It is your brain. I guarantee that you have suffered previous concussions. The others just did not cause lasting symptoms. Many concussions clear of symptoms within a few hours, especially if they are one the first few concussion.

The tingling may be due to neck inflammation. Try icing the back of your neck.

Please do not be in a hurry to return to play. You only get one brain.

My best to you.

The visual issues you are experiencing, having trouble with things related to screen time, etc may mean you need to get your vision check by a neuro-opthomaologist.

They can test for issues related to your vision that would arise from a brain injury: blurry vision, your eyes not working together, dizziness, headaches (especially after screen time, etc).

When you see a concussion specialist, you can talk about these symptoms and ask them if you need a referral to have your eyes and your brain's taking in visual information checked out by a neuro-opth or a behavioral optho.

Hope you continue to feel better!

The best way to do this is continue to rest! Return to play should not even be considered until you are symptom free. Look around the NHL. Crosby was out for months. Listen to your brain!

Mark In Idaho,

I noticed you have a lot of knowledge with concussions. i wanted to ask you a few things. I just turned 21.

I currently play football and have had many concussions. the last one I've had i was out cold for a while just laying on the field. everyone thought i was dead. My first concussion i can ever remember was in elemntary school when i smashed the back of my head while trying to sled down from a bunk bed. I couldn't see and just remember crawling into bed and falling asleep for 6 hours. I have had many other concussions in between these. There have been to many to count. Every time I get hit i black out and see stars. This happens atleast 2-4 times a game. One time I lost all balance and they carried me out of the game. Another time I was running around like a wild man without any idea what was going on or what planet i was on. But usually i can kind of shake it off and keep going. Lately I have looked up all the symptoms of long term concussion effects. I feel like i can't connect with people most of the time, and i usuallly want to be alone. I get real agitated and angry and feel like im in a dream or fog almost every day and my vision doesnt feel right alot of the time. I don't really know what im doing anymore. maybe im just making these things up in my mind? I recently had an mri done on my neck and spinal cord because of nerve issues on my left side. They found a syrinx (syringomyelia in my spinal cord) it is very small. It has to be from trauma. I also have arthritis in my neck. I just thought Id talk to you about it because no one else really understands. I have just 1 yr of football left and have to make it through.

thanks for reading mark

Sounds like you should avoid any possibility of another hit to your head. I'll let Mark explain why. Take care of your brain. You are your brain and you need it to work well for the next 70 years or so!

You should not be playing football! Your brain and your future are more important than playing next year! Please take good care of yourself, and good luck!