Knowledgeable and Experienced Guidance

How is a concussion diagnosed?

On Behalf of | Apr 20, 2016 | Brain Injuries |

If you are involved in any type of accident in which you hit your head, it is important to receive immediate medical treatment. This is the best way to find out what happened, and to make a final determination as to which treatment is best in the future.

A concussion can lead to a variety of symptoms, including but not limited to loss of consciousness, nausea, dizziness, and headache.

Upon visiting the hospital, you will undergo a variety of tests. For starters, a neurological exam is conducted. This includes checking your coordination, balance, vision, hearing, reflexes, and strength. From there, you may also take part in cognitive testing. This is meant to evaluate your thinking skills.

Finally, imaging tests are often used to diagnose a concussion. If you are suffering from severe symptoms, such as repeated vomiting and seizures, this is a must. It gives doctors the opportunity to see just how severe the injury is, and to pinpoint if anything else is happening, such as bleeding in your skull.

A cranial computerized tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging test are most common.

These are just a few of the steps that a qualified medical team will take if you have suffered a blow to the head. If your doctor does not want to test you for a concussion, it’s important that you find somebody who will.

A head injury is nothing to take lightly. If it goes untreated, it can lead to a variety of other problems. Even if you find that you don’t have a concussion, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Source: Mayo Clinic, “Tests and diagnosis,” accessed April 20, 2016