5 Tips for Dealing with Lasting Post-Concussion Side Effects

A person can suffer a concussion doing just about anything, but these injuries are most common in sports and physical jobs. Unfortunately, concussion side effects can sometimes last long after a person has recovered from the original incident. Such lingering side effects include headaches, memory loss and even loss of motor skills. Dealing with these side effects can be a pain, especially since there isn’t always a guarantee that they will go away at any specific time. With that in mind, here are some tips for dealing with post-concussion side effects.

1. Stop doing whatever you did to get the concussion.

For certain individuals, a concussion caused by a specific activity can exacerbate symptoms later on. Sports players commonly feel worsened side effects when they are physically active. That means that some people will have to give up vigorous exercise and other straining activities to mitigate the post-concussive side effects that they are plagued by. Unfortunately, some people will have to give up strenuous activities for good if side effects don’t go away, so a person could be unable to work or exercise at all. Sometimes, you just can’t do what you used to with post-concussive effects.

2. Get educated about post-concussion syndrome.

Post-concussive syndrome is common in individuals who suffer one or more concussions and is considered to exist when a person suffers from concussion side effects for longer than three months. Without a doubt, education is the key to dealing with lingering side effects due to concussions. A person who knows nothing about post-concussive syndrome or how to deal with side effects is going to have a very unpleasant experience. So then, learning about the syndrome and how to deal with it can make things a whole lot better.

3. Consider taking some medications to deal with symptoms.

There are no specific medications that tackle post-concussive syndrome or all of the lingering side effects from concussions, but a person does have some options. For instance, aspirin and other pain relievers can be used to mitigate headaches and migraines. Certain medications can fight memory loss and decreased motor skills. No single medication will tackle all side effects, but a combination of certain medications can help a person out greatly.

4. Know about alternative treatment methods that are available.

Fortunately, there are alternative ways to deal with post-concussive syndrome. Acupuncture and even electro-therapy have been shown to reduce severity of side effects and problems in various individuals. Plus, there are other therapy and treatment options that have helped plenty of concussion victims that experience lingering issues. These treatment options aren’t a guarantee to work, but they have been effective with plenty of others, so they are worth a try.

5. Know that the symptoms could linger on for years.

In a worst-case scenario, post-concussion problems and effects won’t go away for years. Some people that suffer from a single concussion can be forced to deal with issues for the rest of their lives. Of course, most people won’t have to suffer from such a situation, but it does happen. Therefore, you should be aware of the potential that a concussion could change your life for the years to come.

The side effects usually dissipate but won’t always.

Post-concussive syndrome and lingering side effects are a lot more common in concussion victims than most people realize. On that note, you can’t always count on stemming problems to go away in due time. Either way, you must learn to manage the effects and deal with them to mitigate their effect on your life. Lingering problems from concussions can plague anyone, so it’s important to know how to deal with these issues.

For more information, visit Post-Concussion Syndrome.