Facts About Concussion and Brain Injury

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Facts about Concussion and Brain Injury: Where To Get Help

What Is a Concussion?


Concussions Are Serious







Medical Help





Danger Signs


  • One pupil larger than the other.
  • Drowsiness or inability to wake up.
  • A headache that gets worse and does not go away.
  • Slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or decreased coordination.
  • Unusual behavior, increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation.

Danger Signs — Children, Toddlers, and Infants


  • Will not stop crying and cannot be consoled.
  • Will not nurse or eat.

Symptoms of Brain Injury

“I just don’t feel like myself.”

Persons of All Ages


Concussion symptoms are often grouped into four categories, including:

  • Remembering and Thinking
    • Difficulty thinking clearly
    • Feeling slowed down
    • Difficulty concentrating
    • Difficulty remembering new information
  • Physical
    • Headache
    • Nausea or vomiting (early on)
    • Balance problems
    • Dizziness
    • Fuzzy or blurry vision
    • Feeling tired, having no energy
    • Sensitivity to noise or light
  • Emotional/Mood
    • Irritability
    • Sadness
    • More emotional
    • Nervousness or anxiety
  • Sleep Disturbance
    • Sleeping more than usual
    • Sleeping less than usual
    • Trouble falling asleep



Young Children



  • Crying more than usual
  • Headache that will not go away
  • Change in nursing, eating, or sleeping patterns
  • Becoming easily upset or increased temper tantrums
  • Sad mood
  • Lack of interest in usual activities or favorite toys
  • Loss of new skills, such as toilet training
  • Loss of balance, unsteady walking
  • Poor attention

Older Adults


Getting Better







Tips for Healing: Adults

Here are a few tips to help you get better:

  • Take only those drugs that your doctor has approved.

Tips for Healing: Children



Where to Get Help

Help for People with Concussion






For more information, see the resources listed below.

Help for Families and Caregivers




  • Has their personality changed?
  • Do they get angry for no reason?
  • Do they get lost or easily confused?
  • Do they have more trouble than usual making decisions?


Resources for Getting Help








From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. www.cdc.gov.




Comments (424)


I suffer "side effects" while at Niagara Falls.

Since my TBI four years ago I have visited the falls 3 times and each time I go there the same thing happens. I get Dizzy, confused, off balance, Nausea and disoriented. This effect if I stay too long will last me a few days.

Does anyone else feel this way?

Hi I'm kaitlyn and I'm 18 in my life I have had three concussions, one when in was 3, 6, and 17. I was wondering does it cause hearing problems I feel like through the years they have just been getting worse, I have difficulty concentrating, I lose my balance sometimes, I have difficulty remembering new information and trouble sleeping and falling asleep is all that long term effects from the concussions.

Everything besides the hearing part your going thru I went thru and still have short term memory loss. That's why its hard for new to absorb anything new as its hard to concentrate one and two its hard for ur brain to hold it if it does. Feel free to message back anytime cause its good to have someone who understands this.

I fell and hit my head and had a mild concussion and six weeks later I still wake up with foggy vision and have it throughout the day. I see ziggly lines when I turn my head a certain way still hurts. Test came back fine. Is there anything out there to help at least a little?

With any head trauma get your neck looked at. My c1 was dislocated for almost 3 years after seeing specialist after specialist and no one ever looked at my neck.

I fell 8' off the adder onto my concrete drive. Grade 3 concussion. Its been 6 weeks and at times the dizzy seems like its worse. Also whip lash and broken clavicle etc. So the head is the worse. How long?

That level concussion it could be months or even a year or possibly more that I hate to say.

I sustained a serious concussion in a bike accident when I was knocked out for 40 minutes and taken unconscious to the hospital. I woke up in the emergency room. 

I find I have to be careful on how much I do as I can quickly develop a headache and suffer quite badly at times with blurred vision and also used to have dizzy spells the worst of which was when I went to the bathroom one day and the next thing I know, I was on the floor with the room spinning around fast.

The first 3 to 4 months after my accident were very dark days indeed with mood swings, hospital visits and sorting out all the legal implications of the accident. I would have constant flashbacks of the moment of the accident which would no go away.  I found if difficult to concentrate and take on ordinary things in life like going back to work after quite a long time off and sometimes just talking to people. It was like being in a fog, to be honest. Fortunately, with time things moved on, and now I am able to live a better life again.

A concussion isn't always just a physical injury but can have far greater implication as I found out. 

Do you have crying spells. I find myself crying alot every day for 6mts since my concussion was diagnosis. I'm trying hard to get the right help in treatment.

For about six months after I got a concussion, I was super emotional, and would cry at the drop of a hat. This was totally out of character for me. It eventually eased up, and I'm pretty much back to baseline.

I hope you find the right treatment for your concussion. Depending on the severity of your Concussion it can take time for “emotional equilibrium” to return again to your life. I became more emotional for a time after my serious concussion as its not just the physical injury but it can have effects on your way of thinking and your mood. Medication might help.
This year I have managed for the first time properly to return to the scene of my terrible accident I had when I was knocked off my bike and Knocked Unconscious and I woke up in hospital.
Strangely enough although I “welled up” I couldn’t CRY. I don’t know why but I felt with the passage of time I had learnt to deal with to some extent with the “emotional and psychological difficulties and trauma” of the event.
You can’t put a timeline on these things and can only hope the recovery process continues for you.

me too brutha

I got lumped up pretty good and got diagnosed with a concussion 12 days ago. They ran a scan and said no skull fractures or bleeding. My symptoms aren’t quite as bad but I still have the burning feeling in the back of my scalp and at times feels like my head is on fire. I still stay dizzy on a regular basis and constantly have to lay down to regain myself. I cleaned my ears with q-tips and found dried blood from both ears. Obviously got a little concerned so have been reading up on stuff. All of my symptoms seem normal except nothing on the dried blood. Any suggestions besides continue to bother my doctors office? Thanks for any advice.

I have the same burning in my brain as well after a concussion from being a back seat passenger in my friend's car. We were stopped waiting for a pedestrian walking in front of us. We were struck from behind. I hit the back of the front passenger seat and then was thrown back to my back seat.
Instant whiplash. Massive headaches still seven weeks later.

The doctor said I had a concussion. I went back to work and tried to have a normal life. Three weeks later, I lost my vision in both eyes at work. I was very dizzy, nauseous, feeling weak and ready to pass out. They called the ambulance because they said my body was in distress (blood pressure was  215/112) They rushed me the ER and my CT scan showed two mini-strokes. Wow, really? I was in shock.

After xrays, MRI, vascular tests and halter monitor for three days. They sent me home to go to my primary care physician to refer me to a neurologist. They did a very painful electrical testing of my brain and another MRI. He said no mini strokes now. But my BH is now normal. They gave lots of meds (brain nerve block, pain meds, headaches meds, anxiety meds, migraine meds too). Thank God!!

After seven weeks, I'm still having bad headaches on the left side of my head and into my temple. I'm on lots of meds. So why is this not helping?

I also feel burning like on fire in the back and top of brain. Sharp pain periodically in different areas in my brain when just doing some walking around. This is getting way too scary. Twitting body, having a hard time walking now, etc.

Now it has turned into TBI... PTSD symptoms the doctor said now. I keep seeing the accident, crying, not feeling myself at all anymore. I can't go to work anymore, can't go grocery shopping, can't drive with all these symptoms or prescribed meds, etc.

I called an attorney. They are sending me to a chiropractor for treatment. They are worried as well. They don't want to make matters any worse. Getting all the films from all the doctors and hospital to look everything all over. We shall see...hope this helps...

Prayers for everyone dealing with these horrific head injuries. I'm looking for relief soon. When will it all end?!!

Hope brain doctors read this too. We all need help...

I was at a Doct appt and started getting a severe headache, she said let me try something she gave me oxygen it helped within a few minutes! It helps alot try it, we get headaches pain from alot of things but lack of proper oxygen, is a big culprit!

Read *The Ghost in my Brain* by Clark Elliott. He's a neurologist and had a concussion and found help that returned his brain to working order.

I had a severe injury.... I blacked out and fell off of the top of 4 concret steps head-first onto more concrete, broke my nose, went to ER, doctor looked at my hands.... No marks from trying to break my fall.... This was about 5 years ago and I'm noticing I can't do things I used to do.....?

May I ask what things your not able to do as you once could before? For example write properly, hard to recall or learn new things?

I know how you feel. I had a concussion 3 years ago and I can’t get back to my normal life. I have many days where I can’t even think or see straight... unfortunately, there is not much help out there.

Do you have crying spells. Since my concussion I can't stop crying for 6mths. It a living nightmare

I really appreciated your tip to rest as much as possible after you get a concussion. My daughter has a concussion after wrecking her bike. I will be sure to try and get her to rest as much as possible so that she can get better soon.

My mother is 89 and fell face first on a cement bathroom floor on which she has a lump on her forehead and two black eyes. She’s been nauseous since. She is also having a hard time concentrating. She was seen at the hospital and was sent home. I’m concerned, should I be?

Same thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago. I dont feel like I’m recovering as quickly as I should. I don’t feel I have a concussion....just in shock.

Tips for recovery post concussion. We’re you given any information at the doctors office or when discharged from the hospital?

I have question...in 2012 (November) I slipped and fell in an empty swimming pool and hit my head really hard (the floor of it is made from concrete). I got up and felt fine afterwards and tried to laugh it off. My cousin thought I was seriously hurt cos it sounded like I literally cracked my head. I never went to the doc or hospital cos I felt fine. But for a few years now I felt a pain, that lasts for about 3-5 seconds in the exact spot I hit my head, it’ll happen for a few days go away for a while, come back, go away, etc. Lately I felt super paranoid about it and wondered if I’m okay. It’s been six years and other than that pain I’ve been fine.

My question is: am I right to worry six years on? Will this pain ever go away.

Amanda, I think you should get a checkup
.....like you I'm having effects from my injury..... especially memory.....I hope you get better!

It was July 4th 2015, It was about 8pm, a very warm evening and I was in my bedroom @ the side of the bed,had just opened the dual windows, turned fan on and started to take a folded Qn -size sheet and had begun the process of flipping it out to lay over the bed .. *LIGHTS OUT*
"I remember bits and pieces of information from finding myself on the floor, being in a confused state, the back middle - to - right curved area of my head was in excruciating pain, my head felt very huge. " The Next day, my daughter called me and said that I must have hit her icon on my Phone as I called her @ 11:47pm. ..but she was 1/2 awake and 6 hrs away, but said that she couldn't understand me ,because I was not making sense but before she could talk to me, I hung up.
It was Tuesday morning when my LPN came to fill my meds, she noticed that I seemed off. ( this was 4-5 days) I was very tired and not wanting to get up, had a migraine and ringing in my head, and She felt a Lump /Swelling on the back RT - side. I went to Dr but other than swelling they didn't find a bleed. So I was advised to rest.
NOW 2018 -
Since this event, I've had Ringing in my ears daily, increase in my migraine headaches, light sensitivity to the point I have to have darkened glasses as my pupils once dilated do not go down and cause much eye pain. I've been having trouble remembering things that are relevant to day to day, (what day it is, month, things when I'm speaking ,loosing ability to run ,jump,hop,skip, I'm now a "tipper - fwd & bkwds" ) hearing issues noise sensitivity but also can't hear in resteraunt if ppl are talking by me .other...
**I've had what they called in 2003 essential Tremor in my RT hand/arm, it now affects my ability to write ,do buttons, ECT.. It has now affecting my legs ,like internal shivering for days,and bouts of very spastic involuntary movements when I try to walk around, especially if I am fatigue. Sleep -
chronic insomnia despite medication.**
had MRI, Nothing
had CAT, Nothing

I'm exhausted and very frustrated and have back spinal vertebrae issues that I've had surgery on since 2/ 2014 (Fusions, Spinal cord Stenosis, cages,other) looking @ surgery Now...
I'm not sure what is going on with my body, & brain, and nervous system.
I really appreciate any advice..
Thank you very much.

Cindy, What happened to cause your blow to the head?

A few days ago I was in the woodwork class at my school, there's a kind of loft in it where they store spare wood. I was climbing down the ladder leading up to it and jumped down the last few steps. I miscalculated and hit my forehead full on the metal garage door.
I went to the nurses office and felt fine. But it's been three days and now I'm beginning to feel sick. Like I have a headcold. There's slight swelling on my forehead that hasn't gone down and it feels like there's pressure on it. The list of symptoms don't really help because for a few weeks now it takes a while for me to fall asleep and I'm always stressed at School, and I've never had a good memory, plus I'm partially sighted in my left eye and never wear my glasses so sometimes everything is blurry. I'm sixteen and never really exercise aside from some rock climbing. Please give me some advice?

So a few years ago I had a car accident and I wasn’t wearing my seat belt and I hit my head I had a mild concussion after that but now I have migraines when everything or everyone is loud I get hit by something say a dodge ball I smell strong perfume and I get to much sun or play on my phone to much could the migraines be related to the car accident.
And sometimes by back/neck hurts and then I get a migraine
I also have difficulty concentrating and I wasn’t bad before. (I wonder if I could get dementia or something later on because of the accident)

I was in an accident at work four months ago. A bar smashed me on the head comparable to a house smacking me on top the head. My hard hat saved my life. First month I slept, maybe awake for two hours a day and in so much pain I thought I may not wake up. I still have memory loss, ear pain, headaches, extreme fatigue, some coordination problems, concentrating problems. The list goes on. I can work at something for about ten minutes and need a break. WSIB says I have been off long enough and need to get back to work. They say pushing myself will help me heal faster. I know when I get tired my symptoms get worse. My dizziness and shakes take over. No one is listening. What can I do. I am afraid of getting worse. Kim

Hi Kim March/2018 The same thing happened to me at work. A bar slammed down on top of my head. It had built up hydraulic pressure. I was not wearing a hard hat.
I have had 9 weeks of different therapies, and am now doing physical therapy for neck pain. I have terrible migraines, double vision, and mood swings. I returned to work in April, mainly bc I could no longer afford it. Pa only pays 66% of lost wages, minus your insurance premiums. My employer has been less than helpful, not to mention accommodating in any way. Some days, I feel totally alone in this.
They do not even cooperate with time off for therapy and appointments. I am a salary employee, been here for over 30 years.
Have you experienced any of this treatment.
I have experienced problems with speech, memory loss, and fatigue. I see a neurologist who specializes in concussion.
I feel there is no end in sight.

Hellllloooo fellow TBI fighters...mine has lasted 4 years.. i am 61 and had 6...cowgirls are not invincible.......my concussion is a crazy story....you are allowed to laugh...we have a working far. We show animals......i was preparing my angus.....i thought my granddaughter nad steer to go...i was bending over cleaning my cow. And here comes a running 800 lb steer running at me. His legs grabbed my waist pulled my head on a boulder....thrust 3 times hearing each blow....i blacked out....i still had the hose...he chrged again...water stopped him....
We will all find the way...he got my brain stem... 1st and second vertbrae....lucky to walk and talk.....BLESS US ALL TO RECOVER

stay strong fellow cowgirl!!!!!!!

I read your comment and though not nice glad someone in cattle shared their story. On August 28, 2018 as my grandson was getting ready to head out to a show a stray dog came up from behind and scared the 7 month old, green still, Brahman heifer. I happen to be holding her and next thing know, I’m on the ground. My face was stepped on though she tried to jump over me. Mid concussion, broken nose and a bruised face for a month. I too blacked out but hearing my grandson screaming “grandma” woke me up. Bred and raised Brahmans all my life, my kids showed, breaking them is easy, until a dang stray dog came from behind us, the barn, and scared her. I’ts been months and I catch myself being so dumb, forgetful, but glad to be here. I’ll bee 61 in April, and have since helped break another one. It’s my right eye that o lay bothers me.

I was in a car accident about 2 years ago now. I know how truly harsh it can feel exactly. I forget so many important things like it never was a part of my life. Appointments I miss, scheduling appointments at the same time and not realizing it, forgetting what I was talking or thinking about, losing words that I know and have used all my life, tremors and shaky movements that come and go, etc... I feel like I am crazy now, and people have asked me if I am drunk when I don't drink alcohol. I progressed a long ways, as I stuttered and suffered amplified versions of my symptoms before, where now I seem to have settled into a semi/functional state that can be glossed over based on how I look. I confuse the intentions and actions/words of others in interactions- sometimes very blunt and rudely. I know better than to dis-respect others, so I isolate myself to prevent outbursts that I cannot control, and to avoid interacting in ways that others don't deserve. I feel like a different person completely, and it is something I try not to think about. I finally have some resolution financially to try and address my body, but I worry it's just a money pit in waiting that will produce minimal results. It's been 2 years, and I treated with therapy for as long as insurance allowed before the money was used. You are not alone, and I hope you know that our heart's can still guide your ways matter how broken, even if we find ourselves acting out on a whim. I know I feel bad afterwards, and I wish that I hadn't went ballistic out of nowhere, but it's just a part of whatever went wrong in our brains. Someday there will be better treatments and care, but until that day comes all we can do is try to be the best we can be, especially towards others. That is my take on a hard truth that I face, and I hope you see that it's not your fault.

Wow this could be me saying this Joshua. I had a head on crash three years ago. I can relate to each and every symptom you list. I have become isolated from my family and spending increasing amounts of time in my room. When I venture out full of hope it always goes wrong. I used to be such a sociable caring fun loving person and I cannot seem to interact with anybody these days. Worst of all I have five children who miss the mum I used to be. I miss that person so much. Nobody around me seems to truly understand much as they try.

So last year around August, I got a concussion while doing a routine check on the slides while lifeguarding. Before the pool opens, you walk up the dry slides to check for cracks and stuff, but on that day I was wearing a hat and didn’t see a beam ahead of me. I hit my head mainly on the top right side. It took a while to realize how I was feeling that day was serious. Was out of work for about a week, and ironically that first day back... I got hit in the head again. By a big shade umbrella that came loose in the wind. I was fine after that, but as it turns out not really. That second blow probably is the reason I ended up three months later being diagnosed with post concussion headaches. These have all but gone away now, but when they were happening, it was awful. Like every few days I’d get a headache in the same spot associated with that nausea and aloofness. It disrupted my studies a lot. I was given a migraine/seizure preventative medication that helped quite a bit. Unfortunately I don’t have insurance so I never got any more, but I’ve found CBD oil does wonders for anyone experiencing these themselves. Now when I get those headaches, it’s just a headache and the cbd helps a lot.

Now, fast forward to today. I borrowed my grandmothers car and ended up having to move the car after I’d parked it in the driveway. When I got in, I hit my head—of course in the exact spot—with the corner of a little compartment on the ceiling that was open. Right now after resting I feel finally cognitive enough to type well and think, but my head is still hurting and if I get up from bed I feel dizzy and really bleh. But earlier, I felt very out of it, not completely there, suddenly tired and I almost puked three times but stoped myself.
I am honestly quite worried, I wish I could just wear a helmet. I don’t know if I should go to the urgent care in the morning, but I don’t have the money honestly. I’m not sure, and I’m worried about the long lasting damage... I never even got a CT scan this whole time and unfortunately this isn’t even the first time I’ve had another blow be it minor or painful since my concussion.

Any advice? rose.goodapple@gmail.com

I’m not a doctor but i have advice. Since you already had a brain injury, you are more likely to suffer stronger effects the next time around. I recommend that you visit a hospital and stay there. Other then that, you should be fine. Please make sure you don’t suffer any serious symptoms (one pupil bigger than another, repeated vomiting, .etc). When at the hospital, get a CT scan to ensure you did not mess up your brain. (Sorry if i don’t make sense, i got a concussion too)

Take your time reading this. There’s a lot of information.

One head injury before my most recent one was when I got into a fight and was walking away after the fight, a guy ran up behind me and bounced my head off a post. I may have had a concussion from that, but I was never checked.

My recent head injury was when my ex punched me in the head, above my ear. It swelled and was awful. I wasn't checked for that either. I was told recently that I may have had a concussion, but since it was 1.5 years prior, they wouldn't check me. It seemed that they were more interested in judging me for not getting help sooner, but if you do have a concussion, it doesn't make it easy for you to just get help. Because you can't think like you used to.

I think there should be better protocol in how to handle patients who have had or could possibly have had a concussion and more people should understand that the effects can last longer than a few months. Depression and anxiety are symptoms of a concussion and the doctors shouldn't think that the issue is the symptoms and not the cause.

Things are frustrating enough when you have a concussion. The last thing you need is judgment and assumptions being made. "No, I couldn't get help for over a year and I thought I was okay. I know, now, that I am not. "

Sorry to hear about your situation..praying for you. GOD is our healer...

My 22 yr old daughter was in a car accident in Nov 2017. She was ejected through and suffered a sub arachnoid hem, a gloved head injury, Box fx of C1, and fractures of T3,4,5. She was in icu for 3 weeks unconscious and then in rehab hospital for 2 weeks. She has finished her home therapy, OT/PT and speech. She is still weak, little energy, some short term memory loss and a very low voice. I feel she needs some kind of therapy to get her strength back but not sure where to turn. She has been dc'd from Neuro and Trauma. Hope you can steer us in the right direction as she is getting depressed because of inability to return to previous lifestyle


Write wast, they close library soon. I had very serious head injury, uhh dont want tell broken skull, back, brain injury, problems with breathing list gos on, after bus hit me. Lost my mind after awaking up. Me helped no sugar, no bad stuff from TV. Have memory problems, balance problems but it is ok now. Mind is shuting off then have memory problems after that, but gets better. And I hate this, mind is shuting down. Gets better, no worry!


I'm 28 and I have suffered multiple concussions from a previous abusive relationship, 2 work related situations and now a car accident. I thought the car accident wasn't as serious as the others because I was rear ended but I've noticed more headaches, nausea, irritability, fogginess, blurred vision etc. It's been just over 2 weeks and I was finally able to return to one job but today I only made it 20 minutes into my call center job that I work at on weekends. I work 10.5 hour days all on a computer, in a loud room with bright fluorescent lights. Even now, sitting in silence with limited lighting, looking at this screen is making me dizzy and making my head pound. This particular employer has been insensitive about my current health predicament and uncooperative providing the paperwork I need for my lawyer. I'm really stressed out and worried I will lose my job over something that wasn't my fault. How can I make my employer understand the seriousness of a concussion (especially after multiple concussions) and that I don't know when I will be better?

Also, if you have been on the job awhile you likely have rights under the Family Medical Leave Act as well as Reasonable Accommodation under the ADA. Please look into these and take care of yourself.

Please get doctors to check for fibromyalgia - it can be triggered by a car accident. It causes fogginess and sensitivity to bright lights.

Courtney, first of all, I'm glad you are no longer in that abusive relationship.
I had a concussion in July 2015 and was in a similar situation as you. I was actually unconscious though (don't know for how long as I live alone) after hitting tile on my bathroom floor after fainting. I went to the ER a few hours later when I commenced vomiting non-stop, and had scans done. Nothing showed in the scans thankfully, as in blood clots etc however I still experienced symptoms for a number of weeks. I work in a call center so I know exactly how that environment has affected you. I could only work an hour at first before leaving to go home but I was fortunate that I had an understanding employer where I didn't feel forced to stay at work when I was unwell and my head was spinning & feeling nauseous and overwhelmed. It took many weeks to recover, very gradually but the symptoms lessened after a few months. One of the managers though couldn't understand how I could still have symptoms three weeks after the event. People do not understand that the brain takes months to recover after trauma so I suggest the only way is to show them the medical documents and possibly suggest a website to educate them on brain injury recovery. Remember - your health comes FIRST. I had little money at the time because I am paid by the hour at that job which meant no work, no pay. However, I knew my brain and its recovery was my number one priority. I had no financial assistance or insurance but I was grateful that my sister helped pay for one month's rent on my apartment. Worst case scenario, if this employer doesn't understand, you mention this is one job so I'm assuming you have another? There is always a way out financially. Your recovery may be delayed by subjecting yourself to over-stimulation and stress. Hope this helps!

The week before Christmas I had been looking out my window to see who was at the door. When I thought I knew I was hurrying to get the door open. As I was turning my head towards the door my forehead caught the framing around the window. It was awful it cut my head and made me feel weak for a minute. That evening I started having dizzy spells. Laying back, when I turned over, when I stood up, and there was one that night that scared me more than any of them. I didn't think it was going to end. As these days go by I'm still having them I'm even getting dizzy climbing up ladders chairs or whatever along with the ones I've already mentioned. The knot is still there but not as big. Now I'm growing really concerned it's been two months but I have no insurance at this moment I'm in between jobs. what should I do ???

If you haven't yet, go to an emergency room or urgent care in the morning and ask them for help. Explain what happened. They can generally help you to apply for government funded medical insurance which will be retroactive, if you qualify, and cover the cost of care. Qualification details should be available online.