How to Identify a Concussion After a Car Accident

Check out this go-to guide that explains how to identify concussion symptoms after your car accident.

Written by CrashMD staff

If you’ve been in a car accident and think you may or may not be showing signs of suffering from a concussion, the best way to know for sure is to seek professional help! Do not delay. Concussions, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), can generally be mild in nature, and remedied with at-home methods. However, there are instances where they can lead to long-term changes in a person’s ability to lead a normal standard of living. The difference between these two options is early intervention. 

Regardless if you are having a mild headache, or occasional blurred vision, and think that it’s not a big deal, you aren’t giving yourself the best option for a successful recovery by trying to wait it out, believing that your symptoms will go away on their own. On top of that, some symptoms of a concussion aren’t that easy to spot, especially if you’re still scared and in shock from the actual car accident. 

The best way to either receive needed post-accident brain injury care or to determine that you care is needed is to get checked out by a pain management specialist. They will be able to accurately diagnose your symptoms and confirm you do have a concussion, you don’t have a concussion, or there is another issue that is causing your symptoms. 

What is a Concussion?

A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that can lead to impaired brain function. Most often, effects are short term and generally include headaches and trouble concentrating, remembering, balancing, mood issues and sleeping. 

Concussions are generally caused by an impact to the head or body that causes the brain to move rapidly back and forth inside the skull. This can lead to tearing, bleeding or bruising of nerve fibers in the brain. Car accidents are one of the main causes of concussions. Some concussions can cause the person to lose consciousness, but that is not always the case. 

There are three different degrees of a concussion, and include: 

• Grade 1: no loss of consciousness but the patient could have some temporary amnesia (30 minutes or less)
• Grade 2: temporary loss of consciousness, and amnesia that could last up to a day
• Grade 3: loss of consciousness for at least five minutes, and amnesia that lasted for longer than a day

The first person to help confirm or deny that a car accident victim is suffering from a concussion is the emergency personnel on the accident site. However, they might not accurately diagnose your symptoms right away, or the symptoms of the concussion could be delayed. This is why it’s important to always follow up with a pain management specialist who can provide a thorough examination and diagnose if you have a concussion or not, as well as the grade of the concussion. 

The good news is that most car accident victims make a complete recovery in about a week. But, there are some cases where concussions can lead to life-long issues or can be life threatening. This is why immediate care is key for a successful recovery. 

Concussion Symptoms After a Car Accident

Symptoms of a concussion can vary in both the type of symptom, severity of symptom, as well as when the symptoms are experienced. Symptoms can appear immediately or can be delayed, and can last for days, weeks, or even longer, which can lead to a decreased quality of life. 

The most common symptoms of a concussion include: 

• Physical symptoms: headache, dizziness, difficulty balancing, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, ringing in the areas, fatigue and drowsiness
• Mental symptoms: confusion, memory loss/amnesia, difficulty concentrating, delayed reaction times, changes in mood, irritability, anxiety
• Additional symptoms: sensitivity to light and noise, sleep changes/insomnia, seeing flashing lights

If you don’t know how to pinpoint your symptoms, a good rule of thumb is that something just feels “off.” The majority of patients can expect to experience a headache as a result of a concussion, but that could be lumped into the experience of having a car accident in general. So if you feel like you’re dazed, stunned or in a fog, or that it takes more effort than usual to concentrate on a task or idea, then there is a good chance you’ve had a concussion. 

While we always recommend seeking professional care after a car accident, especially when concussions are considered, it is even more so important to seek immediate care on an emergency basis if you experience the following symptoms, or someone around you notices you (as the car accident victim) experiencing the following symptoms: 

• Loss of consciousness
• Repeated vomiting 
• Seizures or convulsions
• Unusual mood changes (agitation, restlessness, confusion)
• Slurred speech or decreased coordination
• Headaches or migraines that happen more frequently or that worsen
• Double vision or one pupil is larger than the other

As stated before, there is a good chance that most concussions are temporary and can be treated with minor therapies. But, there is a chance that the concussion, if serious enough or if the symptoms are delayed, could lead to complications that could affect the patient for a lifetime. 

Treatments for Post-Accident Concussions

Only a trained healthcare provider can diagnose a concussion. They will perform a physical exam and a neurological exam, as well as a specific concussion test. During the exam, they will check your:

• Reflexes
• Balance
• Coordination
• Vision and sensitivity to light
• Hearing
• Strength
• Neck mobility and neck muscles

They will also utilize verbal, written or computer-based tests or puzzles to evaluate your problem-solving skills, memory and ability to concentrate. 

During this exam, it’s important to let your pain management specialist know when your had your car accident, what the symptoms feel like, when you most often feel the symptoms (if it varies), and any details that friends or family have told you about your behavior. 

Depending on the severity of the concussion, treatment options vary and could include: 

• Rest: take a much-needed break and give your body time to heal. This means avoiding physical activity and anything that could make your symptoms worse. When you do begin more daily activities, make sure to pace yourself and take rests as needed. 
• Sleep: the old school of thought was that you couldn’t let something sleep who experienced a concussion. Now, doctors recommend letting the person sleep as much as they’d like. 
• Medications: it’s imperative to check with your pain management specialist before beginning any pain medication regimen, especially because many medications thin the blood, which could create an emergency situation if you have a brain bleed. If you are okayed to take medication, over-the-counter pain medications could be recommended. 
• Drink water: making sure you are staying hydrated helps your body to heal and promote efficient blood flow
• Diet: eating the right vitamins, minerals and proteins can help the body to heal from within, which helps to minimize pain symptoms
• Reduce stress: enduring a car accident is stressful enough, and then coupled with concussion symptoms, you could feel like your world has been turned upside down. But, stressing about it will only make your pain symptoms worse, so try to engage in relaxation exercises, breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, etc. to keep stressful feelings at bay. 

If your concussion symptoms are more long term, then you might benefit from speech therapy as well as vision rehabilitation. This can help with both accurately expressing oneself as well as restoring visual function, which can help to improve quality of life. 

Everyone’s brain performs and heals differently, especially when it comes to pain. What could be a minor injury to one person could be something more impactful for the next person. It’s important when any injury is suffered that the person reaches out for professional help. The last thing you want is to have long-term complications from something that could have been more easily and quickly treated in the first place. Additionally, it’s important to be honest about your symptoms. There is nothing embarrassing about having a concussion and being irritable or confused or feeling sick. If you’re not sure about your symptoms, you can ask a friend or family member you trust, or talk with a pain management specialist. 

Having a concussion can be a scary fact, but with the right pain management specialist, you can take solace knowing that you’re getting the best care possible. No one wants to have a traumatic brain injury, minor or not, and the best way to avoid any complications or worsened symptoms is to receive immediate care and a proper and accurate diagnosis. If you have recently been in a car accident and believe you might have suffered from a concussion, please reach out to the CrashMD team today. We are dedicated to helping our patients experience immediate pain relief as well as avoiding any worsened pain symptoms. Additionally, if the concussion was a serious concussion, starting treatment as quickly as possible can help the patient to get back to their quality of life as comfortably as possible. We look forward to hearing from you and providing an accurate diagnosis. Remember: it’s important to not delay treatment and ignore your symptoms!