It can be easy to ignore a possible concussion. After all, unless you’re knocked out cold, how serious can it be? However, a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI), and medical science is beginning to understand the severe problems a concussion can pose to an accident victim.
The signs of a concussion can sometimes be difficult to spot. It’s important to be aware of concussion symptoms and to seek medical treatment if you have suffered any type of blow to the head.
The symptoms of a concussion can present themselves in different ways
A concussion can affect different people in different ways. Generally, the symptoms of a concussion may be categorized in four different ways:
- Physical symptoms: Physical signs of a concussion are the easiest to recognize. People may suffer from severe headaches, dizziness, or light sensitivity. Nausea and vomiting are also common physical symptoms of a concussion.
- Emotional symptoms: Even a mild TBI can have a profound impact on a person’s emotional well-being. Prolonged feelings of depression, irritability, and severe mood swings may all point to the signs of a concussion.
- Cognitive symptoms: If it’s difficult to form a thought, remember certain things, or you find it challenging to perform a task that you used to do all of the time, you may be experiencing cognitive side effects of a concussion.
- Sleep problems: A concussion can make it difficult to fall asleep. Conversely, you may feel a desire to sleep all of the time. If you’ve suffered a blow to the head in an accident and experience sleep problems, you should see a doctor.
Many symptoms of a concussion take days or even weeks to show up. If you’ve suffered any type of TBI in the past, the effects of a concussion may be particularly severe. If your concussion resulted from an accident, you should discuss your legal options with a skilled professional.