Do Concussions Heal On Their Own?

Concussions do heal on their own. But the brain can’t fully heal unless it's supported by the appropriate care.

Though concussions are mild brain injuries, they still cause brain damage. As a result, the brain is incredibly fragile in the days and weeks following a concussion. That means it’s vulnerable to re-injury.

Because a concussion affects the brain, children and teens should always have a neurological evaluation. Our compassionate THINK Neurology for Kids team — Shaun S. Varghese, MD, Cristina R. Marchesano, MD, Lorena Herbert, MD, Barbara Kiersz-Mueller, DO, Lauren Weaver, MD, Alicia Walls, MD, Sundeep Mandava, MD, Patricia DeForest DO, Robby Korah, FNP-C, Jennifer E. Martin, CPNP-PC, Tammy DeLaGarza, FNP-C, and Heather King, CPNP-PC — has years of experience diagnosing and treating concussions.

The first step toward getting treatment is recognizing that your child may have a concussion, and that may not be as easy as you might think.

Symptoms don’t always appear immediately. Younger kids may fall on the playground at school and feel fine. Teens may ignore minor symptoms or may not realize a slight headache that begins hours after an athletic event signals a potential concussion.

Here’s what parents should know about concussions.

How to recognize a concussion

A concussion can occur with or without a direct hit to the head. Any impact (anywhere on the body) that forces the head to move back and forth can cause a concussion.

During the sudden movement, the brain hits the skull. The impact damages nerves and blood vessels, potentially causing bleeding and bruising. Brain chemicals and cognitive function are temporarily affected. These changes may or may not cause immediate signs and symptoms.

Immediate signs

After the injury, whether a fall or an impact during athletic activities, your child may be slow to get up, act confused or uncoordinated, or have a vacant look. They may clutch their head and may not remember what happened right before the incident.

Don’t expect your child to lose consciousness. Fewer than one in 10 will lose consciousness; if they do, they’ll be out for a short time. Being unconscious longer than a few minutes may signal a more severe brain injury.

Symptoms

Symptoms may appear immediately or not for up to 48 hours. Your child may have one or more physical, cognitive, emotional, and sleep-related symptoms.

Physical symptoms include:

Headache (the most common symptom)
Neck pain
Dizziness (loss of balance and unsteady walking)
Nausea and vomiting
Vision changes
Ringing in the ears
Sensitivity to light or sound

Cognitive symptoms include:

Confusion
Short-term memory loss
Difficulty concentrating
Slow brain processing

Emotional symptoms include:

Sadness or depression
Anxiety
Irritability
Nervousness
More emotional than usual

Sleep symptoms include:

Sleeping more or less than usual
Insomnia (difficulty falling or staying asleep)

Complications

Learning the severity of your child’s concussion and how to care for it lowers their risk for complications such as:

Second impact syndrome

Limiting your child’s activity and keeping them out of sports promotes healing. More importantly, it helps prevent a second concussion.

The concussed brain is more vulnerable to a second injury. A second concussion before the first one heals can result in rapid brain swelling. This is a medical emergency that can threaten your child’s life.

Second impact syndrome most often occurs in athletes when the first concussion goes undetected or untreated.

The risk of a second impact highlights how essential it is to recognize the signs and see our experienced neurologists.

Persistent post-concussive syndrome

Post-concussive syndrome generally refers to the symptoms caused by a concussion. However, about one in 10 people will develop persistent post-concussive syndrome, meaning they have ongoing symptoms for three months or longer.

Concussion treatment

Some parents may remember when they had to keep their child awake for a time after a concussion. But sleep is the best way to support brain healing — as long as a medical evaluation determines the person with the concussion is stable.

Everyone with a concussion needs the right balance of rest and activity based on the severity of their brain injury. We may recommend complete rest (physical and mental activities) for the first 24-48 hours.

Ongoing concussion treatment includes a combination of rest, limited brain stimulation, and light activities. Then, we gradually increase mental and physical activities as the brain heals.

Get the best concussion care for your child

We recommend the best rest and activity level for your child after a neurological evaluation. Call THINK Neurology for Kids today or book an appointment online to learn more about your child’s care.