Concussion Symptoms

What are the symptoms of a concussion?

Symptoms of a concussion range from mild to severe. However, experts agree that any time an athlete suffers a blow to the head and has a change in thinking, behavior or physical functioning, he or she has sustained a concussion.

Concussion symptoms include the following:

  • Problems thinking, remembering and concentrating
  • Feeling dazed or confused
  • Feeling sluggish or slowed down
  • Feeling "not quite right" or "in a fog"
  • Headache or "pressure" in the head
  • Blurred or double vision
  • Sensitivity to light and/or noise
  • Nausea, vomiting
  • Dizziness or unsteady balance
  • Brief loss of consciousness

If the athlete has any of the following symptoms, the injury may be very serious and he or she should seek immediate medical attention at the closest emergency room:

  • Unequal pupils
  • Severe confusion and forgetfulness
  • Significant amnesia
  • Weakness on one side of the body
  • Unconsciousness for more than a minute
  • Coma or inability to wake up
  • Lethargy
  • Seizures
  • Continued vomiting