How long does a headache last after a moderate concussion?

A concussion caused by a sudden movement or injury to the head is considered one of the mildest forms of traumatic brain injury. The condition is not accompanied by changes in the structure of the central nervous system tissues; most often it can be treated at home according to a regimen selected by a doctor. Despite these features, neurological pathology causes a temporary malfunction of blood vessels, transient tissue hypoxia, and disruption of connections between neurons. This leads to a decrease in the functionality of the organ for a short period of time and can cause negative consequences in the absence of therapy. Headaches are an inevitable occurrence after a concussion. In most cases, victims manage to endure them, but sometimes it is necessary to carry out manipulations aimed at combating the symptom.

In most cases, headaches can be tolerated.

How and why headaches occur after a concussion

A concussion usually occurs without obvious damage to the skull. Despite the occurrence of a number of symptoms characteristic of the condition, many ignore the discomfort and do not seek medical help.

One of the most striking signs of central nervous system damage is headache.

It can be the result of several factors influencing the brain, so the use of conventional analgesics does not always relieve discomfort.

Causes of headaches resulting from concussion:

• increased intracranial pressure is a consequence of impaired circulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the cranium. Pressing, bursting sensations, mainly concentrated in the back of the head, intensify when changing body position, moving the eyes;
• spasm of cerebral vessels - a blow provokes a violation of vascular tone and causes a disruption in blood flow. Discomfort in the form of aching, constant sensations occurs soon after an injury or immediately after the victim recovers from fainting. The pain intensifies during physical activity and is accompanied by dizziness and anxiety. Damage to blood vessels is also indicated by pallor of the skin or its sharp redness;
• swelling of the brain - even a slight increase in brain volume due to the accumulation of fluid in the intercellular space affects the patient’s well-being. This leads to increased intracranial pressure, problems with blood supply to certain areas of the central nervous system, and irritation of receptors. The pain is bursting in nature and normally lasts for several days;
• decreased visual acuity – head injuries affect visual function. After a concussion, the patient experiences a duality of objects and an inability to focus his gaze on an object. A light veil may appear before the eyes. The patient is forced to strain his vision, which provokes cephalgia;
• overstrain of the neck muscles - leads to the appearance of moderate pressing or squeezing sensations. Often, cephalgia is accompanied by a violent reaction to light and loud sounds;
• a consequence of stress - obsessive headaches that respond poorly to analgesics and go away after a good sleep can be a consequence of emotional overload. To combat them and prevent them, sedatives are used.

Edema of the brain substance affects the patient’s well-being.
The likelihood of the influence of the listed factors on a concussion victim will decrease if the patient is provided with quick and high-quality care.
Immediately after an injury or the appearance of symptoms characteristic of the pathology, the patient must be taken to the emergency room. If the clinical picture is pronounced, the patient should be placed on the right side, with the head slightly raised. In the latter case, you should reassure the patient, call him an ambulance, and ensure peace.

Concussion Clinic

After a concussion, a headache is one of the components of the clinical picture of such an injury. People of retirement age often experience loss of consciousness and even mild amnesia. An interesting fact is that loss of consciousness is never observed in old people and infants. Elderly people sometimes experience a short-term loss of spatial and temporal orientation, but this has nothing to do with loss of consciousness.

The severity of a concussion is determined by a neurologist based on the following clinical manifestations:

• Dizziness and pain.
• Nausea, vomiting.
• Coordination violations.
• Intermittent sleep.
• Nervous overexcitation.
• Dysfunctions of the respiratory and visual systems.

If treatment was prescribed and started in a timely manner, and then all the rules of behavior during the rehabilitation period were followed, then the symptoms of a concussion go away fairly quickly. But it becomes harder to cope with the headache. This symptom can “linger” for quite a long period.

In particular, people of advanced age have headaches for a long time after a concussion, who are diagnosed with hypertension, vascular atherosclerosis and other pathologies one way or another related to the brain.

Classification of headaches after a concussion

Headaches that occur with a concussion are divided into two large groups.
The first includes a symptom of an acute nature. It occurs in the first two weeks after receiving a blow to the head. Correctly provided first aid and treatment under the supervision of a neurologist can relieve discomfort as much as possible and eliminate them within 1.5-2 months. Treatment methods are selected in accordance with the causes of the symptom, which must be determined by the doctor. The second group is represented by chronic cephalgia. Their cause is usually a severe concussion, lack of timely first aid, and violation of the rules for treating the condition. The pain persists longer than 1.5-2 months from the moment of injury, the sensation gradually increases, and does not respond well to the use of standard medications.

The person's senses do not respond well to the use of standard medications.

Types of chronic headaches after a concussion:

• cervicogenic – the result of decreased functionality of the cervical spine;
• cluster – pain occurs spontaneously, irregularly, and is characterized by increased intensity;
• migraine – chronic cephalgia, which is often provoked by triggers (irritants);
• tension – obsessive pain that occurs during the day due to stress, emotional or mental stress;
• against the background of increased intracranial pressure.

Each type of chronic pain syndrome has its own characteristics and requires a specific approach to therapy. The result of the influence of any of them on the body is a deterioration in the general well-being of the victim of a concussion, increased fatigue, and nervous disorders.

One of the types of cluster headaches is pain that occurs spontaneously, irregularly, and is characterized by increased intensity.

Treatment

Frequent headaches and dizziness may indicate illness. Therefore, these symptoms should be discussed with your doctor; it is important to find out their possible causes. Treatment of the condition depends on this.

For mild symptoms, it is recommended to try the following measures before using tablets and injections:

• Compliance with drinking regime.
• Regular meals.
• Plenty of rest.
• Slow getting up (for symptoms associated with rapid changes in body position).

Psychotherapy

If a neurological factor (stroke, central nervous system disease, tumor) is excluded as part of a professional examination, the cause may lie in the psyche. Mental disorders are typical not only for women, but also for men. From a psychosomatic point of view, dizziness and headache are vegetative manifestations of an increased tendency to anxiety. A psychotherapist will help stabilize your condition as part of comprehensive professional psychotherapy.

Sometimes the causative agent of dizziness and headache is not immediately detected. A person may need specialist help and detailed professional testing. Only after identifying the cause can an effective therapeutic plan be developed.

Source of the article: https://vsepromozg.ru/nedomoganiya/bolit-i-kruzhitsya

How long does a headache hurt after a concussion?

Complete recovery of the brain of a patient with a similar diagnosis takes up to 6-12 months. Normally, pain after a mild or moderate concussion goes away within 2-4 weeks. In severe forms of injury, recovery can take up to 2 months, during which time cephalalgia will continue to haunt you. Such indicators are relevant for cases of timely identification of a problem and implementation of specialized therapy.

If the symptom does not resolve within a few weeks after the standard period, further examination should be carried out.

Rehabilitation

If after 48 hours an injured person gets back on his feet and stops complaining of headaches and nausea, this does not mean that he has fully recovered.

It is necessary to treat a concussion carefully and for a long time, since the consequences of the injury can be felt after a long time.

All rehabilitation procedures must be carried out within a year after suffering a concussion:

• Visit to a neurologist.
• Provide walks in the fresh air for at least 1.5 hours a day.
• Do not overheat your head, so you should not be outside from 12 to 15 hours.
• It is best to postpone visiting saunas and baths for at least six months.
• Avoid severe frustration and brainstorming.
• It is best to give up bad habits: smoking and alcohol.
• Undergoing sanatorium-resort therapy.

If the problem is not treated in time, then in the future you can get:

• sharp deterioration in visual function;
• numbness of the limbs;
• frequent dizziness and migraines.

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What to do after a concussion if you have a headache

A neurologist should treat a patient with a concussion. Otherwise, the disease, the symptoms of which can normally last for several weeks, will bother you much longer than the acceptable time. The principles of therapy are selected depending on the type of cephalgia, its causes, severity, and age of the patient.

A neurologist should treat the patient.

Acute manifestation of cephalgia

This headache is usually accompanied by other characteristic symptoms of a concussion. The causes of the symptom may be different, so treatment in each individual case requires individual treatment. Most often, therapy is limited to conservative intervention in the form of adjusting the daily routine, taking medications, and performing physiotherapeutic procedures.

Sometimes a strong blow to the head can be accompanied by the formation of intracranial hematomas.

In rare cases, to eliminate them it is necessary to resort to surgical or minimally invasive operations.

Chronic manifestation of cephalalgia

If you do not pay attention to a traumatic brain injury, there is a possibility of developing persistent pain syndrome. Chronic post-traumatic cephalgia after some time takes the form of some pathological condition. It can occur in the form of migraines, cluster attacks, tension headaches. It often happens that the nature of sensations constantly changes, as does the location of their localization. In some cases, exacerbations occur every day, in others they occur every few weeks or months. Soreness can have varying degrees of severity. Therapy is selected individually, taking into account all clinical manifestations and the body’s reaction to the approaches already used.

Therapy for the patient is selected individually, taking into account all clinical manifestations.

Treatment

To eliminate dizziness and unbearable pain in the head, the doctor, after receiving the examination results, determines further actions. If the cause of the illness is pathological processes, therapy is aimed at eliminating them and relieving the accompanying symptoms.

Since the tumor can be localized in any part of the brain and be malignant or benign, appropriate treatment is prescribed. Experts use:

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• Chemotherapy.
• Hormone therapy.
• X-ray exposure.
• Surgical intervention.

Stroke and head injuries require immediate hospitalization. For osteochondrosis, in order to get rid of the causes that cause headaches and dizziness, as well as to improve blood circulation, the following is prescribed:

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• Massage sessions.
• Therapeutic exercise.
• Physiotherapy.
• Wearing a special collar.
• Vasodilator drugs.
• Antiemetic drugs.
• Pain relieving ointments.
• Vitamin therapy.

Dealing with migraine attacks is difficult. The main therapy is aimed at stopping attacks and preventing new ones. This may help:

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• Reflexology.
• Acupuncture.
• Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Taking triptans and nootropics.

Treatment of infectious pathologies associated with inflammatory processes in the brain is based on the following:

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• Antibiotics.
• Decongestants.
• Anticonvulsants.
• Nootropics.
• Detoxification medications.
• Vitamins.

For atherosclerosis, patients are recommended:

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• Watch your diet.
• Stop smoking.
• Take lipid-lowering drugs.

The choice of treatment methods depends on the degree of arterial damage.

Traditional methods

For sudden attacks of cephalalgia and dizziness, folk recipes will help:

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• St. John's wort decoction. A tablespoon of the plant is infused in boiling water, cooled, filtered and sipped three times a day.
• For dizziness and painful nausea, eating a slice of lemon sprinkled with sugar will help.
• Valerian infusion helps with migraines and stress.

Methods and effectiveness of treatment after a concussion

Bed rest and rest for several days or weeks after the injury will reduce the risk of cephalalgia, as a consequence of a concussion. To speed up the recovery process of the central nervous system, the victim is recommended to sleep at least 8-10 hours per night, and stay in a cool and ventilated room.

Mental and physical stress is kept to a minimum, and the patient is prescribed a special diet.

If a concussion is suspected, patients undergo a diagnosis consisting of an examination, MRI or CT, EEG, X-ray of the head and neck, and ultrasound of the vessels of the skull. This allows you not only to ensure that there are no complications, but also to identify the causes of the headache.

Methods to combat cephalalgia due to head trauma:

• taking medications – depending on the cause of the symptom, the doctor may prescribe different medications. Diuretics will reduce cerebral edema, analgesics will relieve pain, and antispasmodics will alleviate the condition of intracranial hypertension. Sedatives and tranquilizers that relieve tension have a good effect. Additionally, concussion victims are prescribed drugs that stimulate metabolic processes in nerve tissues;
• massage of the collar area in combination with a contrast shower - relaxes tense muscles, stimulates blood flow, helps saturate brain tissue with oxygen;
• physiotherapeutic procedures - the use of laser, electrophoresis and Darsonval eliminates pain, improves cerebral circulation, and relieves muscle spasms.

Physiotherapeutic procedures in the form of Darsonval eliminate pain and improve blood circulation.
Traditional medicine can help in the fight against headaches caused by a concussion. Decoctions based on lemon balm, peppermint, yarrow, as well as chamomile tea have a beneficial effect on the nervous system and the body as a whole. The use of such drugs must be agreed with a doctor.

Causes of illness

Severe, unbearable headaches and dizziness can develop for various reasons, both harmless and serious.

The category of harmless factors that do not lead to disruption of the body’s functioning includes:

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• Sudden standing up, turning, bending . Patients with a weakened cardiovascular system often face a similar problem.
• Stress . During times of intense excitement and anxiety, adrenaline and norepinephrine are released into the blood, causing a constriction of the blood vessels in the brain. As a result, the supply of oxygen to the main organ of the nervous system is significantly reduced, which it reports with a pain signal. The insidiousness of severe stress lies in the fact that after a nervous overstrain, when the patient is at rest, pain and dizziness return again and again.
• Irrational, poor nutrition . Fans of fasting and strict diets should take into account that the lack of carbohydrates in the diet affects the glucose level in the blood plasma, which leads to hypoglycemia, which causes malaise.
• Strong odors . The cause of dizziness and a migraine attack can be the rich smell of perfume, varnish, or paint.
• Bad habits are one of the most common causes of severe throbbing headaches and dizziness. People especially often complain of feeling unwell after smoking strong cigarettes. In this case, the victim has a very severe pain in the forehead, temples, and back of the head, weakness, and nausea appear.
• Lack of sex life . This delicate problem can trigger attacks of cephalalgia, sometimes very intense.

Possible complications and prevention

Headache always accompanies a concussion, regardless of the degree of organ damage.
For this reason, it is considered a symptom of the condition rather than a possible complication. A negative consequence is the long-term persistence of a symptom or its transition to a chronic form. In addition, doctors identify several other conditions that can develop against the background of TBI. Possible complications after a concussion:

• neuroses and neurotic conditions;
• increased risk of developing epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke;
• changes in emotional background, irritability, mood swings;
• sleep problems;
• weakened immunity;
• exacerbation of the body's reaction to alcohol, tobacco, strong odors, sounds, bright light;
• memory impairment, decreased learning;
• chronic vascular diseases against the background of a decrease in their functionality.

The best prevention of the listed conditions is timely seeking help from a doctor and following his prescriptions. Not a single head injury that causes neurological symptoms leaves its mark on the brain. Attentive attention to health will at least minimize the likelihood of complications for the victim.

The situation when you have a headache for 2-4 weeks after a concussion is normal. This does not mean that unpleasant sensations must be endured. Modern medicine has a number of methods that can alleviate the patient’s condition until recovery.

Diagnostics

An accurate diagnosis is made by a specialist, for example, a traumatologist. He examines the patient, checks his reflexes and conducts a survey, finding out the circumstances of the injury.

If a severe concussion or more serious injury is suspected, the patient is referred to a neurologist. He orders a comprehensive examination. Can be assigned:

• radiography;
• electroencephalography;
• MRI;
• echoencephalography;
• Doppler ultrasound;
• spinal tap;
• CT scan;

The severity of the injury can be determined by the doctor using the Glasgow scale. To do this, various tests are carried out, the patient’s reactions are checked and scores are assigned. Depending on the reactions and answers, the patient is awarded points (from 3 to 15). A concussion is diagnosed when the score is greater than 13.

Conducted hardware studies, palpation, observations and practical experience allow the doctor to find out whether there is a danger of complications and whether there is damage to areas located near the head - for example, the cervical spine.

After an injury, the patient should be under medical supervision. If the patient experiences pain, does not regain consciousness, faints, or his memory cannot be restored for a long time, he remains in the clinic for the next day or more - up to a week or two - until the situation clears up.

Medicine classifies the following types of concussions:

• 1st degree (fainting, recovery of well-being within half an hour after injury);
• 2 degrees (disorientation after regaining consciousness lasts longer than 30 minutes);
• 3 degrees (after loss of consciousness the patient does not remember what happened to him);