How Quickly to Seek Treatment for a Concussion

By: Caitlin Belfield Larkins, PT, DPT, CBIS and Paige Carroll, PT, DPT

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After sustaining a concussion, you may wonder what to do and who to see. Depending on the mechanism of injury (basically how you got the concussion), it may be beneficial to get checked out at an Urgent Care or Emergency Department (ED) to rule out serious complications. This would be recommended for injuries sustained in a high-speed car accident, significant fall, or severe impact to the head or neck. For other less intense mechanisms of injury, it may be sufficient to go see your primary care physician (PCP).

Once other injuries have been ruled out and you are diagnosed with a concussion, the next step is very important! You should seek treatment from a clinician skilled in concussion therapy – quickly!

There are several recent research studies that have found the time between injury and the first follow up with a clinician skilled in concussion care can affect recovery time.

One study found that delaying an initial post-injury evaluation was the most predictive indicator of a prolonged recovery. Another study found that the longer the time from injury to assessment resulted in proportionately more mental health symptoms such as depression and tearfulness, as well as greater treatment lengths until discharge. Finally, a third study found that concussed athletes who were first seen 8-20 days after injury had a 6x greater likelihood of having a prolonged recovery compared to athletes seen 0-7 days after injury.

So, what does this mean for you?

  1. After getting cleared from the ED or your PCP, it is extremely important to be evaluated by a skilled concussion clinician within 7 days of injury.
  2. Being seen early allows the clinician to provide you proper education on recommendations to improve recovery time. Education will include activity modifications, pacing strategies, safe levels of exercise, work and/or school accommodations, sleep hygiene tips, and stress/anxiety management.
  3. Seek a clinician skilled in concussion therapy – improper or outdated advice and treatment can delay recovery time.

If you or a loved one need help to recover from a concussion, ask your physician for a referral to our Total Concussion Care program.

You may also enjoy reading:
Is It Safe to Sleep After a Concussion?

References:

  1. Pulaski, Sarah, “Neurocognitive Patterns, Symptom Clusters, and Premorbid Factors that Predict Protracted Recovery from Concussion in Females” (2015). PCOM Psychology Dissertations. 344.
    https://digitalcommons.pcom.edu/psychology_dissertations/344/
  2. Forrest RHJ, Henry JD, McGarry PJ, Marshall RN. Mild traumatic brain injury in New Zealand: factors influencing post-concussion symptom recovery time in a specialised concussion service. J Prim Health Care. 2018 Jun;10(2):159-166. doi: 10.1071/HC17071. PMID: 30068471.
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30068471/
  3. Kontos AP, Jorgensen-Wagers K, Trbovich AM, et al. Association of Time Since Injury to the First Clinic Visit With Recovery Following Concussion. JAMA Neurol. 2020;77(4):435–440. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2019.4552
    https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/article-abstract/2757869

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