What you need to know
- A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that occurs when the brain jerks or twists in your skull, injuring nerves and blood vessels.
- Short-term symptoms may include headache, nausea and vomiting, memory problems, and more. Some people experience longer-term symptoms that may impact mental health.
- You can prevent a concussion by wearing a helmet during high-impact activities, buckling your seatbelt, and exercising to improve balance.
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that occurs when you hit your head or body, causing your brain to jerk or twist in your skull. While symptoms typically resolve on their own, some people may experience lingering problems that impact brain function, mental health, and more.
Experts estimate that 3.8 million people in the United States experience a concussion every year because of a sport or recreational activity, and up to 50 percent of those concussions are unreported.
Read on to learn the signs of a concussion, how they impact mental health, and how to prevent them.
What causes a concussion, and what are the signs?
Concussions can happen if you hit your head during a fall, car accident, or sports game. Sometimes a hit to the body that causes your head to jerk back and forth can also cause a concussion.
People at increased risk of a concussion include older adults, young children, teens, and people who work physically demanding jobs or play contact sports.
A concussion injures the nerves and blood vessels in your brain, which can lead to symptoms like:
- Headache
- Nausea and vomiting
- Ringing in the ears
- Drowsiness
- Blurry vision
- Confusion
- Dizziness
Concussions can also cause memory loss, so it’s important to watch for symptoms after any type of accident, even if you’re not sure if you hit your head.
Some symptoms may not appear for days after a concussion. Those may include:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Insomnia
- Irritatability
- Depression
- Changes in taste and smell
If you experience any of these symptoms after a potential head injury or you notice them in someone else, consult a health care provider right away.
How is a concussion diagnosed?
A health care provider will first perform a physical exam and ask questions about your symptoms. However, there is “not one test that says this was definitely a concussion,” said Dr. Daniel Torres, a neurologist at Northwell Health in New York, in a 2023 CBS News article.
Some people may need brain imaging to see if there is bleeding or swelling in the skull, especially if they’re having severe symptoms.
How are concussions treated?
If your health care provider determines that you have a concussion, they’ll likely tell you to rest so your brain can recover on its own. Especially during the first two days after a concussion, you may need to avoid stimulating activities like:
- Using screens, including your phone, computer, and TV
- Reading
- Working
- Heavy exercising or all physical activity, depending on your health care provider’s recommendation
Your health provider will tell you how long you should plan to rest before resuming normal activities.
During your recovery, avoid taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, since these medications can increase the risk of bleeding. If you need pain management, talk to your health care provider about which medications are safe for you to take.
If you’re caring for a young child who is recovering from a concussion, maintain their usual routine while avoiding high-impact activities that could lead to reinjury, plus any activities that seem to worsen the child’s symptoms.
About 80 percent of people who get a concussion recover within a month.
Is it safe to sleep when you’re recovering from a concussion?
Yes. The idea that you shouldn’t sleep while recovering from a concussion is a myth. In fact, sleep is an important part of the recovery process.
“Once your healthcare provider has ruled out serious injury, aim for eight to 10 hours of sleep in 24 hours,” said Dr. Beth McQuiston, a neuroscientist and medical director of Abbott’s diagnostics business, in a Women’s Health article.
Children recovering from a concussion should sleep as usual and maintain a consistent bedtime.
What long-term complications can concussions cause?
Concussions can sometimes cause symptoms that last for months after the injury, like headaches, dizziness, and trouble thinking. These prolonged symptoms can lead to depression and anxiety.
“Unlike a broken leg, for example, where you put a cast on it and it should typically heal in a certain amount of time, concussions often follow no specific timeline,” said Matthew Sacco, a health and sports performance psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, in a 2024 Cleveland Clinic article. “And it can be hard for people to maintain hope when every day starts to feel the same. A lot of emotions can bubble to the surface.”
Repeated concussions have been linked to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease that causes the brain’s nerve cells to die. CTE can lead to changes in mood and behavior that can increase the risk of suicide.
CTE can only be diagnosed with autopsy, and it has primarily been found in the brains of people who played football and other contact sports, like boxing.
How can I prevent concussions?
Accidents can happen any time, but you can reduce your risk of a concussion by:
- Wearing a well-fitting helmet while playing contact sports like football, biking, motorcycling, or participating in other higher-risk athletic or recreational activities, like skateboarding and horseback riding
- Buckling your seatbelt during car rides
- Ensuring that the floors in your home are free of anything that could cause you to trip
- Closely watching children in your home, blocking stairwells, and installing window guards
- Exercising regularly to improve balance and prevent falls
If you think you may have a concussion or are experiencing lingering concussion symptoms, talk to your health care provider.
If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm or is anxious, depressed, or upset or needs to talk, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or text the Crisis Text Line at 741-741. For international resources, here is a good place to begin.