Q&A for How to Tell If a Person Has a Concussion

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How can I tell if a head injury is mild or severe?

Scott Anderson, MA, ATC, SFMA, DNSP
Sports Medicine & Injury Prevention Specialist
Scott Anderson is the Chief Clinical Officer at SyncThink, an award winning startup founded out of Stanford University. Scott previously served as the Director of Sports Medicine/Athletic Training for Stanford University for over ten years from 2007 to 2017. Scott has over 18 years of clinical and management experience, and is a recognized international speaker on topics of clinical specialization, which include developmental kinesiology, neuroscience/concussion, and movement dysfunction. He is a certified Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization Practitioner (DNSP), Sports Safety Specialist and is certified to conduct Selective Functional Movement Assessments (SFMA), and Functional Movement Screenings (FMS). He earned a BS in Athletic Training from Washington State University in 2000 and an MA in Athletic Administration from Saint Mary's College in 2002.

Scott Anderson, MA, ATC, SFMA, DNSP

Sports Medicine & Injury Prevention Specialist

Expert Answer

A neurological specialist will be able to rule out other problems, like cervical injury, that can have similar symptoms to a head injury.

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Is it ok to take Ibuprofen if there's a possible concussion?

Jonas DeMuro, MD
Board Certified Critical Care Surgeon
Dr. DeMuro is a board certified Pediatric Critical Care Surgeon in New York. He received his MD from Stony Brook University School of Medicine in 1996. He completed his fellowship in Surgical Critical Care at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System and was a previous American College of Surgeons (ACS) Fellow.

Jonas DeMuro, MD

Board Certified Critical Care Surgeon

Expert Answer

Ibuprofen, sold under the brand name Motrin, is an NSAID drug. As such, it effects platelet function, and can be associated with bleeding. As a concussion may have a small amount of cerebral hemorrhage, you should not take Ibuprofen (Motrin), as it potentiates the bleeding. Discuss this with your physician so he can give specific advice your your situation if analgesic medications are needed.

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Are intermittent headaches a symptom of a concussion?

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Registered Nurse
Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS

Registered Nurse

Expert Answer

Yes, it is possible. Post-concussion headaches can vary and may also feel like a tension headache or even a migraine. Sometimes the tension-type headache can be caused from a neck injury that happened at the same time of the head injury. If you have a concern, you should talk to a doctor -- especially if memory loss or confusion is also present.

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Can a headache along with tiredness be a sign of a concussion?

Jonas DeMuro, MD
Board Certified Critical Care Surgeon
Dr. DeMuro is a board certified Pediatric Critical Care Surgeon in New York. He received his MD from Stony Brook University School of Medicine in 1996. He completed his fellowship in Surgical Critical Care at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System and was a previous American College of Surgeons (ACS) Fellow.

Jonas DeMuro, MD

Board Certified Critical Care Surgeon

Expert Answer

The symptoms of headaches and tiredness after even a minor head trauma can be a sign of a concussion. If someone is experiencing this, he/she should be seen in an emergency room for a thorough exam and head imaging to decide treatment.

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How many hours after being hit on the head can someone relax and not worry?

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Registered Nurse
Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS

Registered Nurse

Expert Answer

The first few hours are the most critical, but be sure to watch for symptoms over several days. Some symptoms after a hit on the head may appear right away and others may not be noticed for days or even months later.

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Question

Will cold cloth help sooth a concussion headache?

Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS
Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006.

Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS

Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner

Expert Answer

Yes, cool and moist cloth over your forehead for 10-20 minutes. Resting in a dark, cool, and quiet place can also help to ease your post-concussion headache.

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Question

Do you have to lose consciousness to get a concussion?

Michael Lewis, MD, MPH, MBA, FACPM, FACN
Board Certified Brain Health Physician
Michael D. Lewis, MD, MPH, MBA, FACPM, FACN, is an expert on nutritional interventions for brain health, particularly the prevention and rehabilitation of brain injury. In 2012 upon retiring as a Colonel after 31 years in the U.S. Army, he founded the nonprofit Brain Health Education and Research Institute. He is in private practice in Potomac, Maryland, and is the author of "When Brains Collide: What every athlete and parent should know about the prevention and treatment of concussions and head injuries." He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Tulane University School of Medicine. He completed post-graduate training at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University, and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Dr. Lewis is board certified and a Fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine and American College of Nutrition.

Michael Lewis, MD, MPH, MBA, FACPM, FACN

Board Certified Brain Health Physician

Expert Answer

No, in about 95% of concussions, people don't lose consciousness. You may have other issues, like a lapse in memory, dizziness or wooziness, or a headache.

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