If it's only been a few days, don't worry, in the great majority of cases it'll just go away. If more than week then you probably have several months ahead of you with minimal reading, watching movies, using the computer, or even having intense conversations. I'm sorry. I've been there. It's awful.
I did every conceivable home improvement project. Called friends I hadn't talked to in years. Cooked a lot. Had people over. And wrote and read next to nothing. One of the times I was most grateful to not be freelancing any more.
The more you try to power through it the longer the brainfog will last. Your brain just needs to rest and rest like it's a 2-year-old. At least that's how it finally made sense to me. I've talked to a lot of academics and writers going through this over the years.
rest all you can and stay hydrated in the immediate aftermath and following werks, i think that goes a long way with recovery. unfortunately from personal experiences it seems like the medical field like barely understands concussions
I've had multiple students who have gotten them and the note that I get from a doctor regarding them always says to give them accommodations for about 2 to 3 weeks.
I’m sorry you are going through this. Others have already painted some resources. Regardless make sure you’re getting enough sleep (usually 7-8 hours for most people) and staying physically active. If headaches are bad make a neurologist appointment now (cause it might take months).
Sometimes no. If you still have symptoms after a month, I strongly recommend looking into neurorehab and getting evaluated by an optometrist that specializes in head injuries. Happy to talk about this shit; it's been wrecking my life since 2023.
I don't think it hurts; no one even thought to tell me until six months of misery had gone by. Early intervention makes a difference. (First month was the worst, though.)
Concussions are only symptoms of brain damage. If symptoms subside the trauma might still have long-term effects. And a reasonable assumption should be to expect those effects to manifest themselves over time.
It took a few weeks for me to feel mostly normal after my concussion last year. I convinced myself that I was brain damaged or something but I'm fine now
Like everyone else is saying, it takes time. One thing that happened to me was that my concussion healed without much trouble, but my accessory symptoms (vestibular + ocular) brought on by the concussion didn't heal without a good bit of extra effort. Hope you have a speedy recovery!
@katewagner.bsky.social if it’s been longer than a month it’s possible you might have post-concussion symptom. It’s definitely worth making an appointment with a doctor to get checked out. So sorry you are dealing with this. https://concussionfoundation.org/pcs-resources/what-is-pcs/
Please take a look at our website with up-to-date info about managing and recovering from a concussion. (We are a nonprofit organization.) https://www.concussionalliance.org
That's normal! And yes, it'll take some time to recover. The one concussion I know I had I didn't think I was concussed until two weeks later when a headache showed up that had me on the couch for another two weeks.
3 concussions (i think lol) in my lifetime, 2 soccer and 1 accident related. For the more egregious of the 3, I was clotheslined like a WWE match lol, it took roughly a full month for all feelings of whiplash/vertigo to subside from any random physical movement. It definitely sucks.
It could take time. My daughter had one this fall (soccer) and she’s still in recovery. It’s definitely improving but it’s been a bit. I had one a long time ago and I was ok in a few weeks.
I had pcs for 6 weeks and my ability to memorize poems and music lyrics never came back. A week or two in a low light or sunlit only room with limited stimulus may help recovery, but at a high cost.
If you want to talk a little bit about it in DMs, I have had to have knowledge of and certification in concussion recovery for most of my jobs. The short answer you probably knew already is yes, but how long it takes can vary really widely, and it's prob worth seeing neuro if you haven't already
Oh no I’m so sorry. I wrote a thing for The Atlantic about how a lot of concussion advice is really outdated re “rest and wait to recover”. Treatment for symptoms is definitely the way to go. It took me three months after mine to go back to work and that was with treatment.
Hi Jennifer, our CEO is interviewed in Tove Danovich’s excellent article. Please check out our resources for managing you concussion recovery. https://www.concussionalliance.org
They can take a while sometimes, especially if you get post-concussion syndrome. Mine took me about a month before I could even stand fluorescent lights again
Took 6 months after a ski accident (in which I did not lose consciousness) before I was able to safely think clearly enough to drive. The older you are the longer it takes to recover. Guidelines/outcomes for young athletes do not apply to menopausal women like myself. Wish I had received PT.
Earnestposting, forgive me: you know all this but it takes a while. everything ppl told me when I got one this summer held true. Resting, reducing stimuli esp light, not taxing your brain, & merciless listening to/trusting your symptoms. Audio books a salvation. Took me a month+ for full recovery.
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Took two days to feel the concussion symptoms.
Everyone's different. Take it easy, and seek a physio who is trained in treating them.
It'll be OK. You got this.
I'll check this out.