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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffPost-concussion syndrome is a complex disorder in which a variable combination of post-concussion symptoms — such as headaches and dizziness — last for weeks and sometimes months after the injury that caused the concussion.
Concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury, usually occurring after a blow to the head. Loss of consciousness isn't required for a diagnosis of concussion or post-concussion syndrome. In fact, the risk of post-concussion syndrome doesn't appear to be associated with the severity of the initial injury.
In most people, post-concussion syndrome symptoms occur within the first seven to 10 days and go away within three months, though they can persist for a year or more. Post-concussion syndrome treatments are aimed at easing specific symptoms.
- Evans RW. Post-concussion syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 4, 2011.
- Wright DW, et al. Head trauma in adults and children. In: Tintinalli JE, et al. Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=6388784. Accessed June 1, 2011.
- Jotwani V, et al. Postconcussion syndrome in athletes. Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2010;9:21.
- DeLee JC, et al. Head injuries. In: DeLee JC, et al. DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?sid=1168525515&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3143-7..10015-6--s0015&isbn=978-1-4160-3143-7&uniqId=257618564-3. Accessed June 1, 2011.
- Prigatano GP, et al. The current status of postconcussion syndrome. Current Opinion in Psychiatry. 2011;24:243.
- Traumatic brain injury: Hope through research. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/detail_tbi.htm. Accessed June 4, 2011.
- What you need to know about air bags. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/airbags/airbags03/airbags1.html#1065115450. Accessed July 13, 2011.
- Cicerone KD, et al. Evidence-based cognitive rehabilitation: Updated review of the literature from 2003 through 2008. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2011;92:519.
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