Post-concussion syndrome is a complex disorder that follows an MTBI or mild traumatic brain injury as well as a traumatic brain injury or TBI.
According to the Mayo Clinic, post-concussion syndrome involves symptoms like dizziness and headaches and follows a concussion or MTBI. However, the symptoms persist and last for weeks and even months after a concussion – this combination of symptoms and persistence by the symptoms create a post-concussion syndrome.
A mild traumatic brain injury is also known as a concussion. An MTBI can occur after a blow to the head, a fall, or even a whip-lash type of injury. A loss of consciousness isn’t required in order for someone to be diagnosed with a MTBI or post-concussion syndrome and neither is a positive CT or MRI scan.
In other words, a person could suffer a fall, a car accident, or some other type of accident or injury producing an MTBI and the CT scan or MRI could be perfectly normal despite the presence of a MTBI and the development of post-concussion syndrome.
In fact, the odds that a persona will develop post-concussion syndrome does not appear to be associated with the severity of the injury they suffer.
In many people post-concussion syndrome symptoms can go away in a few weeks after the initial accident or injury. However, post-concussion syndrome that results from an MTBI can persist for months or years. I have personally seen individuals in my practice that were diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome as a result of a brain injury (both MTBI and TBI) with symptoms that persisted for several years.
Nevertheless, much research has been done into the causes, symptoms, and treatments of MTBI. I have written about some of these advances and provided useful information on Legal Blog previously (click here for MTBI resources and information).
Annually, over one million cases of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) are evaluated and treated in US emergency rooms and hospitals. If you feel that you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury or is suffering from post-concussion syndrome seek medical care and treatment immediately.
