What are the common signs and symptoms of concussion?
Early symptoms (what the person feels) of a concussion include headache, nausea, dizziness, mental fogginess, confusion, visual difficulties like blurry or double vision, and amnesia. Signs (abnormalities apparent to others) include an unsteady gait, slow speech, poor memory, verbal repetition.
The symptoms of a concussion are often “invisible” to others.While most concussions will heal in about 2-3 weeks, post-concussion syndrome refers to a variety of symptoms which may persist for weeks, months, or years after the injury.
The difficulties experienced by the concussed person fall into three major categories:
Physical: headache, sensitivity to light and/or sound, dizziness, vertigo, balance problems, fatigue or lack of energy despite good sleep, visual problems, sleep problems (too much, too little, difficulty with falling asleep)
Cognitive (thinking): Feeling foggy or slowed down, difficulties with concentration, attention, processing and comprehension, memory, motivation, and confusion. Problems with reading are common
Emotional/Mood: More emotional or irritable, sadness, anxiety
