Mild Concussion Symptoms: A Guide After a Virginia Crash

What are the symptoms of a mild concussion? Common signs include headache, dizziness, confusion, sleep changes and sensitivity to light or noise. Symptoms can start right after a blow to the head or a crash, or they can appear later. This guide explains the signs, when to get emergency care, and what to know if the injury happened in a crash in Virginia.

What a Mild Concussion Is

A mild concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that temporarily changes how the brain works. The CDC’s guide to mild TBI and concussion explains the signs people often report. Symptoms vary from person to person, so no two injuries look exactly alike.

Only a medical professional can diagnose a concussion. A clinician looks at the person’s history and physical exam, and may order imaging, to understand what is happening. A web page can’t make that call.

A person can have a concussion without losing consciousness. Many people stay awake and still have a real brain injury. If you’re reading this for a friend or relative, they don’t need to have passed out for symptoms to matter. The Mayo Clinic concussion symptoms guide covers the range of signs a clinician may check for.

Common Physical Symptoms

Physical signs are often the first ones people notice. The CDC lists headache, dizziness or balance problems, feeling tired with no energy, sensitivity to light or noise, and nausea or vomiting. Mayo Clinic also lists ringing in the ears and blurry vision.

Here is what each one can feel like:

• Headache: a dull ache or pressure in the head that may come and go.
• Dizziness or balance problems: feeling off-balance or unsteady when standing or walking.
• Blurry vision: trouble focusing on text, screens or faces.
• Ringing in the ears: a buzzing or humming sound that wasn’t there before.
• Nausea or vomiting: an upset stomach. The CDC notes nausea or vomiting can show up early on.
• Light or noise sensitivity: bright rooms or loud places feel harder to handle.

Physical symptoms can change over the hours and days after an injury. Someone may feel fine at the scene and notice a headache later. Noting changes and sharing them with a clinician can help.

Thinking, Mood and Sleep Changes

Thinking, mood and sleep changes are easy to miss. Mayo Clinic lists confusion or feeling as if in a fog, along with fatigue or drowsiness.

Thinking changes may include trouble concentrating or memory gaps. Mood changes may include irritability, anxiety or low mood. Sleep changes may mean sleeping more than usual, sleeping less, or having trouble falling asleep.

These changes can look like stress, a long week or a busy day. That is why family members and coworkers often notice them first. A person who seems “not like themselves” after a head injury deserves a closer look.

Warning Signs That Need Prompt Medical Care

Get emergency medical care right away if a head injury comes with serious warning signs. Don’t wait to see whether the signs fade. Warning signs include:

• a headache that keeps getting worse
• vomiting that repeats
• a seizure
• slurred speech or trouble speaking
• weakness or numbness in an arm or leg
• one pupil larger than the other
• confusion that grows worse, or trouble staying awake

A clinician, not a web page, decides whether imaging or other testing is needed. Describe every symptom you noticed, and when it started.

Why Symptoms Can Be Delayed or Mistaken for Something Else

Symptoms can appear later, and they can look like other problems. Mayo Clinic notes that signs and symptoms may not be noticed until days or weeks after the injury.

Other conditions can cause similar signs. Inner ear problems can cause dizziness. Migraine can cause headache and light sensitivity. A neck injury can cause headache and dizziness. Some medicines cause dizziness or nausea. A clinician sorts out the cause.

When It May Be Worth Discussing a Crash-Related Head Injury With a Lawyer

A head injury after a car or truck crash may be worth discussing with a lawyer, especially if symptoms continue. Virginia requires a driver involved in a crash with injury or death to stop and report it to police immediately (Va. Code §§ 46.2-371, 46.2-894). The same statute, Va. Code § 46.2-894, also requires reasonable help for the injured person, including a trip to a physician or hospital when medical treatment is apparently necessary or requested.

Someone may wish to discuss the facts with a lawyer if symptoms continue, if the crash involved a commercial truck, or if a family member has died. The car and truck accident pillar page covers these situations. Readers in Henrico County can review the Henrico County car accident page. If neck or back symptoms come with a head injury, the spinal cord injury after a car accident page may also be useful.

Families in the Shenandoah Valley, Richmond and Henrico County often face questions about symptoms and next steps at the same time.