Concussion

Concussion is a type of brain injury. It's usually caused by a knock to the head, face or neck.

Concussion causes short-term changes to your neurological function (how your brain works).

Most adults who have concussion will get better on their own within 2 weeks.

In the past, concussion was seen as a mild injury that healed quickly. However, we now know that concussions are serious.

It's important to rest after a concussion.

The most obvious symptoms of concussion are:

• confusion
• memory problems
• seizures or jerky movements
• balance problems or being unsteady on your feet

Other more subtle signs of concussion are:

• headache or 'pressure in the head'
• neck pain
• nausea or vomiting
• dizziness
• blurred vision
• difficulty concentrating
• sensitivity to noise or light

A concussion is a brain injury that happens when your brain is shaken inside your skull. Concussion can also result from a sudden change in motion.

Concussion can be caused by many things, such as:

• sports injuries
• falls
• car accidents
• violence — including domestic violence

Concussion is a common sporting injury, especially in contact sports such as:

• Australian Rules Football
• boxing
• rugby league and rugby union
• soccer
• touch football

There is no single test to diagnose concussion.

Your doctor will examine you and ask about your symptoms. They will look for signs like disorientation or memory loss.

If your doctor thinks you have concussion, they will ask about the event that caused the head injury.

If it's a sporting injury, you may have a video of the event. Show this to your doctor since it can help them understand exactly what happened.

Your doctor may refer you for a CT scan of your head to check if there is any sign of damage or bleeding in your brain.

If you have signs of very bad injury, your doctor may refer you to the local hospital emergency department.

Your treatment will depend on how severe your concussion is.

There are some things you can do to lower your risk of a concussion. These include:

• wearing a seatbelt when driving or in a vehicle
• exercising to strengthen your leg and core muscles
• keeping your floors free of trip hazards

If you play sports:

• follow the rules of your sport
• wear a helmet — this can prevent more serious brain injuries

Most people recover fully within 3 weeks.

Some people will get ‘persisting symptoms’. This is when concussion symptoms continue for weeks or months after the event. This happens in up to 5 out of 10 cases of concussion.

If you get a second concussion before recovering from the first, it can cause a condition called ‘repeated concussion’. This can be life-threatening.
In some people, concussion can trigger post-traumatic epilepsy.

There is growing evidence that repeated sub-concussion (concussions that don't cause symptoms) can cause:

• chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) — a degenerative brain disease that is linked to repeated head injuries
• cognitive impairment — which causes problems with memory, attention, and executive function
• mood disorders — such as depression and anxiety

If you are concerned about ongoing symptoms of concussion, see your doctor.

For information on returning to sport, visit the Concussion in Sport website (Opens in new tab).

You can also use the HeadCheck app (Opens in new tab) to help you recognise the signs of concussion in children and adolescents. This app was developed by Murdoch Children's Research Institute (Opens in new tab).

The Royal Children's Hospital (Opens in new tab) has information on head injuries and returning to school and sport (Opens in new tab) in English and other languages.