Concussion management
Orthopaedics
What is concussion management?
Concussions affect everyone differently. Treatments focus on managing symptoms to ensure a safe return to physical activity, work or school. At UT Health San Antonio, our board-certified sports medicine specialists customize a treatment plan tailored to your distinct needs. We offer the latest evidence-based assessments and treatments for patients of all ages, regardless of the cause of the concussion.
What is a concussion?
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that occurs from an impact to the head. A hard hit to the body that jostles the head can also cause a concussion. The force of this impact causes the brain to move around inside the skull. This movement can damage brain cells and affect how the brain works.
Anyone can get a concussion. However, participating in contact sports, such as football, or aerial sports, such as cheerleading, increases your risk.
Common causes of concussions include:
- Assaults
- Collision with a person, an object or the ground
- Explosive blasts from gunfire or military combat
- Falls
- Vehicle, scooter or bicycle accidents
What are the symptoms of a concussion?
Concussion symptoms can appear within minutes of an injury, or hours or days later. The symptoms can also change or worsen over time.
Symptoms of a concussion may include:
- Difficulty concentrating or remembering things
- Dizziness or balance problems
- Headaches
- Impaired vision
- Nausea and vomiting
- Personality or mood changes, including irritability, anxiety and depression
- Sensitivity to lights and sounds
- Sleeping too much or difficulty sleeping
What are persisting symptoms after concussion (PSaC)?
For nine out of 10 people, concussion symptoms improve within 14 days. But some people develop persisting symptoms after concussion (PSaC). Previously called post-concussion syndrome, this condition means you still have at least one concussion symptom four weeks or longer after the injury.
You’re more likely to have PSaC if you:
- Continue to engage in physical activity instead of resting after getting a concussion
- Don’t follow concussion recovery protocols
- Get another concussion during recovery
- Have a history of headaches, migraines, anxiety or depression
Why choose UT Health San Antonio for concussion management?
As our patient, you or your child receives the same high-level concussion care that our sports medicine doctors provide to professional and collegiate athletes in San Antonio.
We offer:
- Fast concussion care: National organizations recommend seeing a concussion specialist within two days of an injury. We make it easier to access this care with walk-in appointments at our Saturday Sports Medicine Clinic and scheduled weekday appointments.
- Support for athletes and students: We work closely with coaches and athletic trainers to ensure a safe return to sports. We also work with schools to ensure that children get the support they need to keep up with their schoolwork during recovery.
- Injury prevention program: You can’t always prevent a concussion. However, our Sports Injury Prevention Program provides conditioning and training that helps lower your overall injury risk.
Diagnosing a concussion
Your treatment begins with an exam to learn more about the injury and symptoms. This information helps our team determine the most effective ways to help.
Tests that help your care team determine how severe a concussion may be include:
- Concussion test: A series of oral and written tests help gauge the effects of a concussion on memory, problem-solving, speech and other brain functions.
- Neurological exam: In addition to a physical exam, your doctor will perform tests to assess your nervous system. These tests check for issues with balance, coordination, reflexes, vision and hearing.
- Neuropsychological assessments: If a concussion greatly affects your mood, behavior or personality, you may see one of our neuropsychologists for care.
Managing a concussion
Because concussion symptoms vary from person to person, we take an individualized approach to promote a safe recovery. Our team closely monitors your care, ensuring that you return to work, school and physical activities safely. We use the latest research-based treatment protocols, which differ from older advice to rest and stay in a dark room.
Your care plan may focus on:
- Low-intensity physical activity, such as walking or riding a stationary bicycle for 5 to 10 minutes, within 24 to 48 hours after the injury
- Ongoing low-intensity physical activity for 15 to 30 minutes after the first 48 hours until your doctor gives the OK to increase the exercise type, intensity or frequency
- Limiting screen time to no more than 65 minutes a day for the first two days after a concussion
- Returning to school or work 1 to 2 days after a concussion
- Sleeping throughout the night (there’s no need to continually wake someone who has a concussion)
Treating severe or persisting concussion symptoms
If you have severe or persisting concussion symptoms, your treatment plan may include:
- Occupational therapy to help you manage fatigue or issues with memory, attention and organizing
- Ophthalmology services to treat double or blurred vision
- Physical therapy to ease headaches and neck pain
- Vestibular therapy to improve balance and reduce dizziness
Returning to sports after a concussion
Our sports medicine specialists work closely with coaches and athletic trainers to help athletes safely resume their sport. We follow the six-step return-to-play protocol established by the International Concussion in Sports Guidelines. Each step takes place over a minimum of 24 hours and includes:
- Returning to school within 1 to 2 days after a concussion
- Light-intensity physical activity, such as walking for up to 10 minutes
- Moderate aerobic activity, such as moderate jogging
- Higher-intensity, noncontact activities, such as sprinting or weightlifting
- Returning to practice, including full-contact activities
- Full return to sport
What to expect after a concussion
Most concussion symptoms go away within two weeks. But it takes longer to safely resume sports activities. If you have anxiety about returning to play after a concussion, our sports psychologists can help.
Your concussion treatment care team
Depending on your symptoms and needs, you may also receive care from these UT Health San Antonio specialists: