Also called: Brain concussion
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Concussion
A concussion is a type of brain injury. It involves a short loss of normal brain function. It happens when a hit to the head or body causes your head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in your brain. Sometimes it can also stretch and damage your brain cells.
Sometimes people call a concussion a "mild" brain injury. It is important to understand that while concussions may not be life-threatening, they can still be serious.
Concussions are a common type of sports injury. Other causes of concussions include blows to the head, bumping your head when you fall, being violently shaken, and car accidents.
Symptoms of a concussion may not start right away; they may start days or weeks after the injury. Symptoms may include a headache or neck pain. You may also have nausea, ringing in your ears, dizziness, or tiredness. You may feel dazed or not your normal self for several days or weeks after the injury. Consult your health care professional if any of your symptoms get worse, or if you have more serious symptoms such as:
- Convulsions or seizures
- Drowsiness or inability to wake up
- A headache that gets worse and does not go away
- Weakness, numbness, or decreased coordination
- Repeated vomiting or nausea
- Confusion
- Slurred speech
- Loss of consciousness
To diagnose a concussion, your health care provider will do a physical exam and will ask about your injury. You will most likely have a neurological exam, which checks your vision, balance, coordination, and reflexes. Your health care provider may also evaluate your memory and thinking. In some cases, you may also have a scan of the brain, such as a CT scan or an MRI. A scan can check for bleeding or inflammation in the brain, as well as a skull fracture (break in the skull).
Most people recover fully after a concussion, but it can take some time. Rest is very important after a concussion because it helps the brain to heal. In the very beginning, you may need to limit physical activities or activities that involve a lot of concentration, such as studying, working on the computer, or playing video games. Doing these may cause concussion symptoms (such as headache or tiredness) to come back or get worse. Then when your health care provider says that it is ok, you can start to return to your normal activities slowly.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
It sits within Brain and Nerves and Injuries and Wounds.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Concussion
763 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Telehealth Specialty Concussion Treatment for YouthUniversity of Rhode Island
- Long-Term Outcomes Following HBOTSummit Hyperbarics and Wellness
- Pilot TMS in Mild TBIHealthPartners Institute
- Naturally Produced Cannabinoids for Neuroprotection From ConcussionUniversity of Regina
- Effect of Vestibular Rehabilitation on Gait, Balance, and Coordination in Post Concussion Combat AthletesRiphah International University
- Pathways Relating Amnestic MCI to a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury HistoryUniversity of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Research already completed
- Impact of Instability Training on Vestibular Dysfunction in Postconcussion Combat AthletesRiphah International University
- Oculomotor Rehabilitation After Concussion in Adults: A Feasibility StudyUniversity Health Network, Toronto
- Dynamic Vision Testing and Concussion ManagementCalifornia State University, Northridge
- A Comparison of Dynamic Vision Between College Athletes & ControlsCalifornia State University, Northridge
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- ConcussionMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Concussion BasicsCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Head InjuriesAmerican Academy of Family Physicians
Symptoms
- Concussions (For Parents)Nemours Foundation
- Signs and Symptoms of ConcussionCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Symptoms of Mild TBI and ConcussionCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Diagnosis and Tests
- Concussion TestsNational Library of Medicine
Treatments and Therapies
- Caring for Concussions: More Than a Bump on the HeadNational Institutes of Health
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Preventing ConcussionCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Related Issues
- Chronic Traumatic EncephalopathyMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms (Post-Concussion Syndrome)Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Statistics and Research
- Data on Sports and Recreation ActivitiesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- New Concussion Model for College Athletes May Help Predict Longer Recovery TimesNational Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Brain ConcussionNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Brain InjuriesNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Craniocerebral TraumaNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Brain Concussion. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Concussion, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.