What To Do If You Think You Have a Concussion: A Practical Guide
Concussions are common, and they can happen due to sports, accidents, falls or even everyday bumps that jar the brain, without having to physically hit your head on something. Yet one of the biggest issues people face isn’t the injury itself… it’s not knowing what to do next. The video above helps clear up confusion around this and in this blog we’ll unpack the most important steps you should take if you suspect you’ve sustained a concussion.
1. Recognize the Injury Right Away
A concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) caused by a blow or jolt that makes the brain move inside the skull. You don’t need to lose consciousness or even hit your head to have one. Concussion symptoms can show up immediately, hours later, or even days after the injury.
Common signs include:
Headache or pressure in the head
Dizziness or balance problems
Feeling “foggy” or confused
Nausea or sensitivity to light/sound
Trouble concentrating or remembering things
Feeling tired or slow
2. Stop What You’re Doing and Seek Help
If you think you have a concussion:
✔️ Stop physical activity immediately.
Continuing to play sports or do strenuous activity can worsen symptoms or increase the risk of more serious injury.
✔️ Seek medical evaluation immediately if you display the following Red Flag Symptoms:
Worsening or severe headaches
Repeated vomiting
Slurred speech or confusion that gets worse
Unequal pupils
Weakness or numbness in the arms or legs
Loss of coordination or balance
Seizures, unusual drowsiness or difficulty waking up
3. Rest Smart
In the past, people were told to rest completely in a dark room until symptoms disappeared. But modern guidelines emphasize relative rest instead of isolation:
🧠 First 24–48 hours:
Take it easy, rest, reduce screen time, avoid loud environments
Short walks and light daily tasks are okay if tolerated, these activities should not increase your symptoms AT ALL.
💪 After initial rest:
Gradually increase activity as symptoms allow
Light physical activity like walking can actually aid recovery
Avoid contact sports and risky activities until cleared by a clinician
4. Understand the Recovery Timeline
Most people begin to feel better within days to a few weeks with proper care and rest, but every concussion and every brain heals differently. These factors can influence recovery:
Age and overall health
Number of past concussions
How soon you stopped activity after injury
Whether you follow a careful return-to-activity plan
If symptoms linger longer than expected (e.g., several weeks), talk to your healthcare provider about further evaluation, persistent symptoms may require targeted therapy or specialist referral.
5. When Is It Safe to Return to School, Work, or Sports?
Always follow the medical advice given by your provider, but here are the general principles:
📌 School/Work:
Light cognitive tasks can usually begin after 24–48 hours of rest
Gradually increase workload as tolerated, using symptoms as a guide. You want to rest prior to significant symptom onset.
📌 Sports/Contact Activities:
Don’t return to full contact play until you’re fully symptom-free and cleared by a professional
A stepwise return-to-play process is recommended to ensure safety. This should follow a symptom guided approach to ease back into activity following rest.
Assessments like the Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test can be implemented to help guide a return-to-play protocol.
Utilize the Stoplight Theory, explained in the video below, for a symptom guided approach to return to activity and school/work following a concussion.
Final Takeaway
Concussions are real brain injuries, and how you respond in the first hours and days matters. The key steps you should follow are:
Recognize the symptoms: you may have a concussion even without a loss of consciousness or directly hitting your head.
Shut down activities: The first 24-48 hours should be restful, limit screens and physical activity. Seek medical attention if red flag symptoms present.
After the first 2 days, rest wisely: intermittent socially and physically active at a low level rather than isolating yourself. Using your symptoms as a guide to help you. Ideally you are stopping activities before symptoms exacerbate greater than a 2/10 on a symptom scale.
Gradually return to life: Slowly increase activity overtime as symptoms allow. Recovery will not be 0 - 100 and should be paced appropriately to make sure the brain can handle the jump in workloads/demands.
When it comes to head injuries, err on the side of caution — your brain is worth protecting. Need more guidance? Schedule a connection call and see how Reboot Concussion Recovery can help guide your recovery.