Post-Concussion Symptoms

Concussions are typically caused by a blow to the head. According to the Mayo Clinic, their symptoms can linger for many days, or even weeks. Certain symptoms usually show up right after the concussion, but there are also post-concussion symptoms. It's important to know these symptoms to separate the common ones from the more serious indicators.

Initial Symptoms

• In the initial post-concussion period, people may experience dizziness, confusion and even loss of memory. They may have a headache, complain of ringing in their ears, feel tired and confused or slur their words. There also may be nausea and vomiting during this period.

Later Symptoms

• A person who has suffered a concussion may have additional symptoms several hours or days after the injury. Post-concussion symptoms may include problems sleeping, sensitivity to noise and lights and problems concentrating and remembering information. Irritability and depression are also normal post-concussion symptoms.

Symptoms in Children

• Infants and toddlers who suffer concussions often cannot verbalize their post-concussion symptoms. You can recognize the symptoms by looking for certain clues: crankiness, listlessness and lack of interest in favorite toys and objects. A child also may have trouble keeping his balance. Changes in sleeping and eating patterns also can be post-concussion symptoms.

Dangerous Symptoms

• Although many post-concussion symptoms are normal and will disappear as the brain injury heals, some are dangerous and indicate a need to see a doctor. These include dizziness, a headache that will not go away, dilated pupils or pupils that differ in size, severe memory loss that does not resolve itself, severe balance issues and a loss of taste or smell.

Treatment

• Most post-concussion symptoms don't require aggressive treatment; they go away on their own. If you have a bad headache, take acetaminophen instead of aspirin or ibuprofen. Concussions can involve bleeding in the brain. The Mayo Clinic warns that aspirin and ibuprofen boost the risk of bleeding. Avoid strenuous activity until all of your post-concussion symptoms are gone.