Many people who suffer through a mild or severe head trauma find themselves wondering, “How do you know if you have a concussion?” The thing you should remember is that there are many signs and symptoms to keep in mind as you ask this question. The most important thing you can do, first and foremost, is take a few deep breaths. If you are looking for information for a friend, advise them to relax at first while you look up the signs and symptoms.
Some of the things that you will suffer if you have a concussion are related to your mind. You may feel confused and unclear about what has happened. If you have no memory of what caused the trauma to your head, you should call a doctor immediately. This could be a sign that you have a concussion. If you feel confused and anxious, but you remember clearly what happened to your head, then you should try to relax. Have a cup of tea, take some deep breaths.
Another thing that may happen if you have a concussion is that you may become sensitive to lights and sounds. This could feel somewhat like a hangover, which would make it hard to tell if you had a concussion if the trauma happened while you were drinking too much. If you ask “How do you know if you have a concussion?” and you have just been drinking heavily the night before, you should talk to a doctor because it could be hard to tell the difference between the symptoms of a hangover and of a concussion.
It is also important to note that when you ask “How do you know if you have a concussion?” the answer is not always going to be symptoms that you will feel immediately after the trauma. Some symptoms show up days or weeks later, rather than right away. These symptoms include feeling tired when you normally would feel energized. Furthermore, you might be more irritable or have bigger mood swings than you used to have. Foods and drinks may taste differently or smell differently than they used to. Even if these symptoms arise a week after your head trauma, you should take them seriously.
The most important thing to do is relax. If you feel that you definitely have a concussion because your speech is slurred and you cannot remember what happened, then you need to call a doctor immediately. If you feel that you have generally been in a foggy state of mind, with increased tiredness and dizziness, and with lots of nausea, then you may also need to call your doctor.
As long as you can keep yourself as grounded and relaxed as possible as this happens, you will feel better. You do not want to put your body into a state of anxiety because this could make things worse. Instead, assess whether or not you think you suffered severe damage, or have someone help you figure this out. Then you can talk to your doctor in a relaxed tone and figure out what to do without making things worse with your anxiety.
