Postconcussion Syndrome Symptoms & Diagnosis

Symptoms

PCS symptoms vary from person-to-person. If you experience any of these symptoms do not assume it is due to PCS. These symptoms may be caused by other, less serious health conditions. If you experience any one of them, see your doctor. Symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Dizziness or light headedness
• Vertigo
• Ringing in the ears or hearing impairment
• Loss of appetite
• Sensitivity to noise and light
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Depression
• Problems with sleep, such as being tired all the time, or not being able to sleep
• Nausea or vomiting
• Confusion
  • Signs of confusion include a vacant stare, disorientation, delayed responses, and concentration/attention problems
• Memory problems
• Slower intellectual processing speed
• Slurred speech
• Blurred and/or double vision
• Decreased sense of smell and/or taste
• Lack of balance and coordination
• Alcoholic beverage intolerance
• Personality changes
• Decreased sex drive

Diagnosis

PCS is hard to diagnose. The brain damage caused by a mild brain injury is so slight that many tests cannot detect it. It is important to see a doctor with special training in brain injury. These doctors are called neurologists, neuropsychologists, and neurosurgeons. To find one of these doctors, call a local head injury foundation for a referral.

Your doctor will ask questions about:

• Your personal and family medical history
• Your head injury
• Sleep habits
• Recent missed work or school
• Recent memory or relationship problems
• Recent emotional problems, such as irritability, anxiety , and depression

Tests may include:

• Memory and attention tests—to assess your memory and attention abilities
• CT scan—a type of x-ray that uses a computer to make pictures of structures inside the head; to look for signs of persistent injury and/or to see if surgery may improve the symptoms
• MRI scan—a test that uses magnetic waves to make pictures of structures inside the head; to look for signs of persistent injury and/or to see if surgery may improve the symptoms
• Electroencephalogram (EEG)—A test which evaluates the electrical activity of the brain.