Concussion

Get help straight away if

These are uncommon, but they need same-day care — go to an emergency department, do not wait for an appointment.

• A headache that keeps getting worse, repeated vomiting, or increasing drowsiness or confusionThese matter most in the first 24–48 hours. Go to an emergency department.
• A seizure, weakness or numbness, slurred speech, or repeatedly being unable to recognise people or placesCall 911.
• Clear fluid coming from the nose or ear after the injuryGo to an emergency department.

What usually happens

The warnings above are about the first day or two. After that window, symptoms that are slowly settling are the expected course rather than a reason to keep checking that list — and constant re-checking tends to slow recovery rather than speed it.

Most people recover fully. Days to a few weeks is typical, and taking longer does not mean something has been missed.

Resting in a dark room for days is old advice and it backfires. A day or two of taking it easy, then gradually returning to activity below the level that clearly worsens symptoms, is what current guidance supports.

Returning to sport is the exception — it is staged deliberately, and going back before you are ready risks a second injury while the brain is still vulnerable. Never on the same day.

At your appointment

We will ask exactly how it happened, whether you lost consciousness, and how symptoms have changed since — the trajectory matters more than any single symptom.

We will check your thinking, balance, eye movements and coordination. A scan is usually not needed, and not ordering one is a considered decision rather than an omission.

We will set out a graded return to school, work or sport, with a rule for what to do if a step worsens symptoms.

If symptoms drag on beyond the expected course we will look at sleep, mood, headache and neck contributions — those are the things that commonly keep recovery stuck.

Worth asking

• —When can I go back to work or school, and how much at a time?
• —When is it safe to return to sport, and who should clear me?
• —What should I do if a symptom comes back when I increase activity?
• —How long is too long before we look further into this?