A concussion is a temporary change in brain function that occurs due to atraumatic brain injury (TBI).
Verywell / Daniel Fishel
Why Are Concussion Tests Needed?
A mild or moderate TBI can cause damage to the brain that isn’t detectable withbrain imaging tests.
Verywell / Daniel Fishel
Additionally, the effects of a concussion can be vague and hard to describe.
Concussion testing can help identify and quantify these changes.
Getting a concussion diagnosis can help with setting expectations.
Often, concussion testing can assess how the effects of a concussion are improving over time.
These types of injuries can be detected with imaging tests, and they may require surgical or other interventions.
Concussion testing measures more subtle problems, like slow decision-making.
Types of Concussion Tests
There are several different types of concussion tests.
This is most often done in a doctors office.
A concussion should not cause changes in a physical examination.
Your doctor would make a diagnosis based on your symptoms, physical examination, and your concussion test results.
The results of your concussion testing can be compared with your results prior to the head injury.
A worsened score can be a sign that your head injury has impaired your brain function.
They are noninvasive tests that measure brain functions that can be affected by a concussion.
There are several different concussion tests that vary in how they are given and what they measure.
Most of the time, people recover from a concussion, but it takes time.
Testing can help establish the extent of your injury and help assess your improvement as you are recovering.
The tests may assess symptoms and/or measure balance, memory, concentration, eye movements, and more.
You should not test for a concussion at home.
Some concussion screening tests can take as little as two or five minutes.
You should get medical attention if you think that you or your child has had a concussion.
It is important to rest and heal after a concussion.
And sometimes a concussion is accompanied by more extensive head injuries that could require medication or surgical intervention.
2021 Sep 11:bjsports-2020-103690.
2022;10(10):23259671221127049. doi:10.1177/23259671221127049
