4 Effects of Concussions You Need to Know

When you get a concussion, you’ve experienced a traumatic brain injury. Taking it seriously helps you heal your brain, lowering the risk of long-term effects. Recovering from a concussion requires you to take it easy while the affected nerves and blood vessels in your brain repair themselves.

Understanding the effects of these brain injuries might motivate you to diligently follow recovery protocols. With that in mind, Angel J. Garcia, MD, and our team at El Paso Center for Family & Sports Medicine built this guide. We have expertise in helping people heal from concussions. If you think you’ve sustained this kind of injury, come see us. We can help you navigate the following effects:

1: Chemical changes in the brain

The trauma to your brain affects the way your brain works chemically. Temporarily, your brain redirects healing energy to itself, changing its chemical balance.

This results in signals to the rest of your body telling you to take it easy. You might feel fatigued or more sensitive to light or sound. Mind these signals. They’re the result of your brain doing its best to heal.

2: Physical symptoms

Some concussions come with physical symptoms in the area of the injury. You might feel pressure in your head, have a headache, or feel lightheaded.

Because your brain controls a lot of processes in your body, the symptoms might ripple out, too. You might also experience:

Dizziness
Nausea
Neck pain
Vision changes (blurred vision or double vision)

Sometimes, you might not notice physical changes, but someone else will. They might say you look dazed or that you’re slurring your speech, for example.

3: Cognitive impacts

Unsurprisingly, this brain injury impacts your brain’s performance. You might feel “off” or confused. Concussions often come with trouble concentrating. Some people even experience memory loss.

This brain injury can also impact your mood. You might feel more anxious or down. You can also get mood swings as the chemicals in your brain respond to the injury.

4: Later-onset symptoms

Some concussion effects set in right away. Others take days or even weeks to show up. Some concussion symptoms that might not show up immediately include:

Changes in your senses (e.g., smell, taste)
Irritability or other mood changes
Light and/or noise sensitivity
Sleep problems
Trouble concentrating

Usually, concussions heal on their own with time and rest. Watch for warning signs that you should come see Dr. DeCarbo, though. If you have a headache or nausea that won’t go away, your speech is slurred, or you have lasting coordination problems or confusion, get medical attention.