How do you know if you have a concussion?
August 7, 2008 - 11:22am
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I hit my head on a kitchen cabinet two days ago and have a headache since. I read online that sometimes concussions can disappear in a few days -- which hasn't happened -- but I'd hate to go to the doctor so he can tell me to rest. (Hey, I know that.) Any ideas on what I can do would be most appreciated.
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ouch!
Did you have any of these immediate symptoms of a concussion (you already mentioned a headache):
- Amnesia
- Confusion
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Ringing in the ears
- Nausea or vomiting
- Slurred speech
Do you have any of these symptoms that are just now appearing (signs of a concussion that appear later):
- Mood and cognitive disturbances
- Sensitivity to light and noise
- Sleep disturbances
According to the Mayo Clinic, most concussions do get better on their own. They do recommend seeking medical attention if you have a prolonged headache (did not quantify "how long" that is). They also said a bruise on the front of the head is generally better than one on the side or back of the head. Other signs that you should seek medical attention:
- Prolonged headache or dizziness
- Vision disturbances
- Nausea or vomiting
- Impaired balance
- Prolonged memory loss
- Ringing in the ears
- Loss of smell or taste
If your only symptom, after reading through all of the lists above, is a headache (and you would not describe it as a "prolonged headache"), the Mayo Clinic recommends:
"Rest is the best recovery technique. Healing takes time. For headaches, acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) can be used. Avoid aspirin, as it can increase the risk of bleeding."
Of course, this information is from a website that does not know your personal situation. If you hesitate to visit the doctor right now, do you have a doctor with a nurse whom you can call and ask their medical advice, so they can at least give you some more personalized information based on their telephone protocol (triage), as well as record this incident in your medical chart (in case your symptoms persist)?
My son was hit in the head. He was at football practice had a helmelt on and another team mate hit him helmelt to helmelt. This happened on 9/30/08 a Tuesday. My son is still feeling dizzy and have head-akes.what do I do?
Have you had your son checked out by your doctor? I'd certainly be concerned about the ongoing dizziness and headaches.
Hope your son recovers well, and I hope his coach is as concerned as you are!
i fell off my horse and felt dizzy when i tried to get up, and lately i''ve like felt just so weird, like im in shock that i fell, and everything is going so fast, like school felt like 2 seconds, and i feel like i didnt even go to school
it was a pretty bad fall, but i didnt tell my mom my symptoms, should i? and if she is worried what should we do?
Anon,
I'm so sorry you fell off your horse. I am assuming that you hit your head on the ground?
Did you have a bad headache?
Did you have any of the other symptoms that Alison mentioned in her post to the above person?
I would tell your mom, and here's why: She needs to know that you had a bad fall from your horse. Partly because you might have a concussion, and partly because it might be tough for you sometimes to remember that fall and you would want her to know that and be able to support you.
If she's concerned about your symptoms, the thing to do would be to go to a doctor who would be able to examine you -- look at your pupils, take your temperature, and ask you a series of questions -- that would let her or him know whether to be concerned. Some concussions just result in a headache; others can result in pain, memory loss or other symptoms for quite a long time.
Please do tell your mom, Anon. She'll want to know how it happened and she can help you figure out whether your symptoms are serious. It may be that she just makes a call to the nurse to find out -- and that would be pretty easy. But she needs to know, OK?