Persistent post-concussive symptoms, also called post-concussion syndrome (PCS), occurs when concussion symptoms last beyond the expected recovery period after the initial injury. The usual recovery period is weeks to months. These symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, and problems with concentration and memory.

Concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that usually happens after a blow to the head. It can also occur with violent shaking and movement of the head or body. You don't have to lose consciousness to get a concussion or experience PCS. In fact, the risk of developing PCS doesn't appear to be associated with the severity of the initial injury.

The goal of treatment after concussion is to effectively manage your symptoms.

 

In most people, symptoms occur within the first seven to ten days and go away within three months. Sometimes, they can persist for a year or more.

Symptoms can include:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Loss of concentration and memory
• Ringing in the ears
• Blurry vision
• Noise and light sensitivity
• Rarely, decreases in taste and smell

Post-concussion headaches can vary and may feel like tension-type headaches or migraines. Most often, they are tension-type headaches. These may be associated with a neck injury that happened at the same time as the head injury.

 

There is no one test available to determine conclusively that you have post-concussion syndrome (PCS).

If you're experiencing dizziness, you could be referred to a medical professional who specializes in ear, nose, and throat complaints.

if your symptoms include anxiety or if you're having problems with memory, you may be referred to a psychologist or licensed counselor.

There are various physical and neuropsychological tests for evaluating PCS, and accurate symptom reporting is very important in facilitating a correct diagnosis.

In conjunction with evaluating PCS, Your healthcare provider might want to order a computerized tomography scan (CT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of your brain to check for serious damage–these may help detect structural brain abnormalities or damage to the bone–but they will not determine the presence of PCS.