CONCUSSIONS 101

A GUIDE TO THE FIRST WEEK

DO I HAVE A CONCUSSION?

Your best policy:

CHECK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YOURSELF.
If you think you might have a concussion, you should remove yourself from the
physical activity and take it easy.

HOW DO I CHECK MYSELF?

neck pain

nausea/vomiting

dizziness

blurred vision

balance problems

sensitivity to light/noise

fatigue/low energy

feeling slowed down

feeling in a fog

difficulty concentrating

difficulty remembering

confusion

more emotional

irritability

sadness

nervous/anxious

drowsiness

trouble falling asleep

headache
pressure in head

dont feel right

THINKING

EMOTIONAL

SLEEPING

m
ild

SYMPTOM

PHYSICAL

od
er
se ate
ve
re

SEVERITY
no
ne

M
.
r

s
e
ik

TOTAL NUMBER OF
SYMPTOMS

SYMPTOM SEVERITY
SCORE

(Adapted from the British Journal of Sport Medicine. For the

complete evaluation, see the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool.)

Note whether these

symptoms worsen when
youre working harder,
physically or mentally.

d
d
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k
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a
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og

2
fo r

: fi
n
i
m

ne

pp
st o

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izzy
d
elt
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r
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as
),
W en t
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a f t e r 5 eous ( . . .
er
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t
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and
lt b
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h o me,

:
ja o g

Keep in mind, you can still have a

concussion even if you...

...didnt get knocked

out.

...werent struck
directly on the head.

...dont have
immediate symptoms.

Concussions dont
always mean loss of
consciousness.

Getting hit elsewhere

on the body can also
shake your head.

Some symptoms take up

to 48 hrs to appear.

SHOULD I GO TO THE
EMERGENCY ROOM?

SEVERE
SYMPTOMS:
severe headaches/neck pain
repeated vomiting
seizure
slurred speech
confusion
unresponsiveness

Keep in mind:
Even if you dont feel a sudden change in symptoms, you may choose to get checked
out for reassurance. You can go to your family doc, sports medicine clinic, neurologist,
or a concussion clinic to get a baseline assessment, medical documentation (in case
you need to miss school/work), and general advice.

WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW?

TAKE IT EASY
AND MONITOR

GET
INFORMED

FOLLOW UP
WITH YOUR TEAM

start with our Concussions

101 whiteboard video to
learn about cognitive rest,
return to learn (or work/
life/sports/activity)

all this can take time and

be frustrating for you
its hard to slow down and
easy to to feel down

you wouldnt run on a

sprained knee treat
your brain the same way
limit stimulation, increase
quiet time
take a few days off of
school/work
monitor symptoms
use a diary to track what
you do and how it feels

I like this handout from the

Childrens National SCORE
programme
for a deeper dive, see the
pedeatric evidence-based
guidelines

its hard for others to see

concussions symptoms
like being in a fog or
feeling anxious can be hard
to put ones finger on
because you dont feel your
best but people presume
youre okay, you need to
be open and upfront about
how you feel
ratchet up your care if you
are not improving

:
t
u
o

ck
e
h
, c
s
e
u r c l a b . co m
If you have any concerns,
o
s
r e ea l t h
l
o ansh
o
c
talk to your doctor!
e ww.ev
r
Created by
o
w
m
Dr.
Mike
Evans
and
Erin Liu
Fo r