Persistent Concussion

What is it?

A concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. It occurs when there is a blow to the head or an impact to the body that causes the head move back and forth with force. There are many situations that can result in a concussion including falls, contact sport accidents, and motor vehicle accidents.

What are the typical cognitive and behavioural characteristics?

Concussion signs and symptoms vary depending on the severity of the injury. Some concussions cause you to lose consciousness, but most do not. Some symptoms can be subtle and may not show up immediately. Typical cognitive and behavioural characteristics include the following:

Physical Signs and Symptoms

• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Slurred speech
• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Balance issues
• Sleep difficulties

Cognitive symptoms

• Confusion
• Slower rate of processing
• Concentration difficulties
• Memory issues
• Executive difficulties, such as issues with multi-tasking, planning and organising

Personality changes

• Irritability
• Emotional lability
• Low mood
• Anxiety

How can an assessment help?

Concussion signs and symptoms in and of themselves are typically temporary. If there are no complications, most individuals see complete recovery in 90 days. A small proportion of individuals, however, continue to experience ongoing symptoms following a concussion.

In such cases, a neuropsychological assessment is beneficial in investigating the impact of the injury, taking into consideration other potential contributing factors (e.g., other previous head injuries, pre-existing medical or psychological difficulties). Treatment and recommendations are then provided on the basis of the individual’s neuropsychological profile.

How does Invictus Health do things differently?

Any brain injury, including concussion can be worrying for people. Invictus Health has a team of Clinical Neuropsychologists with extensive experience in working with clients with a concussion and persisting post-concussion symptoms. If you continue to experience persisting concussion symptoms after 3 months, we conduct comprehensive neuropsychology assessments, take into consideration other potential contributing factors such as pre-existing medical conditions and psychosocial conditions, and provide individually tailored strategies, treatment and recommendations to assist with resuming your normal day-to-day routines. Invictus Health’s neuropsychologists are skilled in providing recommendations in return to work following brain injuries such as concussion.