Concussion Symptoms
As a Virginia personal injury attorney, I’ve seen my fair share of cases where someone has concussion symptoms. Such cases 
typically involve someone being in a car accident where their car is struck and their head strikes a surface, or it snaps back and forth in a whiplash incident.
Although many people who suffer a concussion in an accident will make a strong recovery, there are a large number of people known as the “miserable minority” who have post-concussive syndrome problems that persist for years or even decades.[i]
Generally speaking, symptoms of a concussion can be broken down into four different categories. Those four categories are mental functioning and cognitive functioning, physical, emotional and behavioral, and sleep. This article discusses some of these symptoms in depth.
Mental and Cognitive Functioning
A concussion, like other types of brain injuries, can impact a victim’s cognitive and mental functioning. A concussion can cause confusion, amnesia, mental fogginess, forgetfulness, an appearance of being dazed, difficulty concentrating, slowed thinking, dizziness, slowed thinking, and short-term memory issues.[ii]
Physical Symptoms
Someone suffering from a concussion may exhibit a number of physical symptoms. Some of the main symptoms include headaches, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light (photophobia), sensitivity to sound (phonophobia), blurred vision, being dazed, numbness, tingling, problems with balance, and feelings of tiredness and lethargy.[iii]
Emotional and Behavioral
Individuals who have experienced a concussion may have a number of emotional or behavioral symptoms. Typical emotional problems include irritability, being easily upset or angered, sadness, moodiness, nervousness, and anxiousness.[iv]
Sleeping Issues Following Concussion
A number of sleeping issues can arise from a concussion ranging from the need for more sleep, drowsiness, the inability to sleep, or the inability to fall asleep.[v]
Children with Concussions
Like adults, children can experience concussions. And children who have had concussions may exhibit many of the same symptoms as adults. The symptoms are in the same categories as those for adults, but the symptoms may show up in different ways.
Some of the telltale signs of a concussion for children are:[vi]
- Crying more than normal;
- Changed behavior in play;
- Temper tantrums;
- Lack of interest in toys or activities;
- Inability to perform recently learned tasks and activities (like potty training);
- Loss of balance and trouble walking; and
- Consistent and persistent headaches.
Conclusion
If you or a loved one was involved in an accident and you have experienced one or more of the concussion symptoms listed above, you may need medical assistance to be checked for a concussion. Again, most people recover well from a concussion.
Others, however, will become part of the “miserable minority” and will feel the effects of a concussion for a long time to come. A concussion is, after all, a mild traumatic brain injury, and there may be a number of reasons why someone has had a difficult time healing. For members of this miserable minority, they may face a lifetime of difficulties.
If you would like help, please contact one of our Charlottesville brain injury lawyers, Robert E. Byrne, Jr., at (434) 817-3100. We offer free consultations and we can schedule a time to meet that is convenient for your schedule.
[i] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15545210
[ii] http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/concussions.aspx
[iii] https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/symptoms.html
[iv] https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/symptoms.html
[v] https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/symptoms.html
[vi] http://www.webmd.com/brain/tc/traumatic-brain-injury-concussion-overview#2
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