Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsConcussion TestingPre-Concussion TestingFrequently Asked QuestionsNext in Concussion GuideHow Concussions Are Treated
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Concussion Testing
Pre-Concussion Testing
Frequently Asked Questions
Next in Concussion Guide
Diagnosing aconcussioncan be tricky.Although many degrees of head trauma can cause one, the most common concussions—those that result from mild head injuries—generally do not involve identifiable bleeding or bruising in the brain.
This means an imaging technology such asmagnetic resonance imaging (MRI)orcomputed tomography (CT)that can diagnose a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), isn’t a viable way to diagnose a concussion.
Since brain scans can identify bruising or bleeding in the brain but not the cellular damage thought to cause concussion symptoms, healthcare professionals must rely on a careful assessment of symptoms and neuropsychological function.
Sometimes this is done on-site, immediately after an injury, when an athlete experiences a blow or jolt to the head, and a decision must be made quickly about whether he or she can safely get back into the game.
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Signs andsymptoms of a concussioncan vary greatly.Sometimes it’s quite obvious that someone may have one. Persons with concussions often can’t remember what happened just before and after the injury. If there is no loss of consciousness, the person should be confused or dazed immediately after impact. Common symptoms of concussion include:
Symptoms typically improve within days to weeks.
Because there’s no simple test for diagnosing a concussion, several steps are involved. The Weill Cornell Brain and Spine Center, for example, narrows it down to these:
How Long Do Concussion Symptoms Last? Key Signs to Watch For
Interview testing for various types of amnesia:These include the documentation of the presence and extent of anyretrograde amnesia(a lack of memory about what happened just before the injury),anterograde amnesia(a lack of memory about what happened just after the injury), loss of consciousness, and post-traumatic amnesia.Post-traumatic amnesia refers to loss of memory for events after the trauma and is especially important because it will tell a healthcare professional the most information about a patient’s prognosis.
Determination of the severity of symptoms and how extensive they are:Often this is part of an on-site assessment of an athlete who’s been injured on the field and uses a standardized scale. The most common of these, the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT), looks at symptoms, attention, memory, recent events in the game or event, and checks for problems with balance and coordination.The sixth edition of SCAT (SCAT-6) was published in 2023.
Examination of neurological symptoms: This may involve tests of strength, sensation, reflexes, coordination, and other neurological functions.
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Besides diagnosing an initial concussion at the time of an injury, it’s important for people who are going to participate in an activity—especially student-athletes who want to participate in a high-impact team sport such as football—to undergo pre-concussion testing.In fact, this usually is a requirement of high schools, colleges, and highly competitive travel teams.
The main reason an athlete needs pre-concussion testing is if they subsequently have a suspected concussion, their functioning and injury effect can be compared to the athlete’s baseline, allowing for better management decisions.
This means that performance on a post-concussion test is not necessarily “good” or “bad” on its own, but must be based on whether or not there is a significant decline in comparison to the baseline that was set prior to the head injury.
If a student-athlete has a slower response or lower accuracy on a post-concussion test after a head injury, then the lower score could be a sign of a concussion. Along with a neurological examination and overall symptoms such as sleepiness, pain, or trouble concentrating, the results of a post-concussion test can be used to help determine whether the athlete has suffered a concussion.
Pre-concussion testing generally includes a set of neuropsychological exams developed to assess and score a young athlete on skills that involve several aspects of his or her brain function.Pre-concussion tests include tasks that evaluate problem-solving, response time, speed, vision, and coordination.
The baseline results are recorded and saved so that if an athlete suffers from a suspected concussion, he or she can take a repeat test for comparison.
Only a healthcare professional can definitively diagnose a concussion. That said, certain symptoms may develop after a blow to the head that point to a concussion, including a headache, nausea and/or vomiting, dizziness, feeling hazy or groggy, and sensitivity to light or noise.
Some people lose consciousness after sustaining a concussion, often for a very brief time, but this doesn’t always happen. Signs to look for in your child (or anyone else) that indicate they may have a concussion include:Inability to remember things that happened either before a hit or fall or afterwardSeeming dazed or stunnedTending to forget things they’re asked to doMoving clumsilyTaking a long time to respond to or answer questionsHaving changes in mood, behavior, or personality
Some people lose consciousness after sustaining a concussion, often for a very brief time, but this doesn’t always happen. Signs to look for in your child (or anyone else) that indicate they may have a concussion include:
It is estimated that each year, up to 3.8 million people in the United States sustain concussions related to sports or recreational activities. Between 1.1 and 1.9 million of these affect children and teens.It’s unclear how many people experience concussions not related to a sport or physical activity, as many of these are likely never diagnosed. Research suggests that people with concussions not related to sports or related activities are likely to delay medical assessment and have worse outcomes even if they are diagnosed.
It is estimated that each year, up to 3.8 million people in the United States sustain concussions related to sports or recreational activities. Between 1.1 and 1.9 million of these affect children and teens.
It’s unclear how many people experience concussions not related to a sport or physical activity, as many of these are likely never diagnosed. Research suggests that people with concussions not related to sports or related activities are likely to delay medical assessment and have worse outcomes even if they are diagnosed.
How Concussions Are Treated
17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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