Concussion / Sports-Related Head Injury

What is a concussion?

Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries resulting from a blow to the head. They are often linked to a fall, accident, or contact sports.

While many young athletes ignore their symptoms and try to “stay in the game,” concussions should be treated as serious injuries. If your son or daughter has a second concussion before healing from the first, there may be an additional brain injury.

Neurologists at our dedicated concussion clinics offer comprehensive evaluations, treat symptoms, and monitor patients to ensure they heal completely before returning to normal activities.

Our team includes neuropsychologists, sports medicine specialists, neurosurgeons, physiatrists, and physical therapists. We also provide consultations to local high schools, colleges, and professional teams to assess the level of concussions and advise athletes about appropriate recovery times.

What are the symptoms of a concussion?

A concussion may cause:

  • balance problems
  • blurred vision
  • cognitive problems (difficulty concentrating or remembering new information)
  • headaches
  • increased need for sleep
  • irritability
  • nausea/vomiting

How is a concussion diagnosed?

At our concussion clinics, patients receive a complete physical and neurological examination. They may also undergo:

  • computerized neurocognitive testing
  • extended neuropsychological testing
  • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans using new imaging techniques to identify structural abnormalities of the brain and functional abnormalities.

Testing determines the severity of a concussion and helps us monitor each patient's recovery.

How is a concussion treated?

Rest is the best treatment. Depending on the injury's severity and the patient's age, full recovery may take days or weeks. Younger patients take longer to heal and should avoid physically demanding activities and prolonged computer use (including video games) early in the recovery process.

Our experts use neuropsychological testing to monitor recovery and determine when patients can safely return to sports and other activities.

We also conduct research on new ways of diagnosing and monitoring concussions and to expand our understanding of how they affect the body.