You had a concussion. This is a mild brain injury. It can affect how your brain works for a while.

Below are some questions you may want to ask your health care provider to help you take care of your concussion.

What to ask your doctor about concussion - adult; Adult brain injury - what to ask your doctor; Traumatic brain injury - what to ask the doctor

What types of symptoms or problems will I have?

• Will I have problems thinking or remembering?
• Will I have a headache?
• How long will the symptoms last?
• Will all the symptoms and problems go away?

Does someone need to stay with me?

• For how long?
• Is it OK for me to go to sleep?
• If I go to sleep, does someone need to wake me up and check on me?

What type of activity can I do?

• Do I need to stay in bed or lie down?
• Can I do housework? How about yard work?
• When can I begin to exercise? When can I start contact sports, such as football or soccer? When can I begin skiing or snowboarding?
• Can I drive a car or operate other machinery?

When can I go back to work?

• What should I tell my boss about my concussion?
• Do I need to take special memory tests to determine if I am fit for work?
• Can I work a full day?
• Will I need to rest during the day?

What medicines can I use for pain or headache? Can I use aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), or other similar medicines?

Is it OK to eat? Will I feel sick to my stomach?

When can I drink alcohol?

Do I need a follow-up appointment?

When should I call my provider?

Giza CC, Kutcher JS, Ashwal S, et al. Summary of evidence-based guideline update: evaluation and management of concussion in sports: report of the Guideline Development Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2013;80(24):2250-2257. PMID: 23508730 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23508730/.

Papa L, Goldberg SA. Head trauma. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 33.