Understanding Concussion Recovery: How Long Does It Really Take?

A concussion is a kind of traumatic brain injury that can occur in people of any age. They can result from a fall, a blow to the head, or even from forces transmitted to the head, such as in a car accident—a situation where a person might experience whiplash. No matter how they are obtained, a concussion is a serious injury. Recovering from one takes effort and time.

In this article, we'll look at how long the average person takes to recover from a concussion, what factors can make that time longer or shorter, and what actions you can take to assist your brain in recovering.

What Happens to Your Brain During a Concussion?

The brain can sustain a concussion during impact with a strong force such as a blow, fall, or accident. When you hit the head, usually people tend to think the impact causes the injury and that it's the force itself that causes the damage. However, during impact, your head is moving, and that the brain is also being jolted, and that's what's causes the injury.

What is the Recovery Time for a Concussion?

For the majority, concussion symptoms will begin to improve within 7 to 10 days and may resolve within 2 to 4 weeks. Yet some do not conform to this timetable. A few, for unaccounted reasons, take longer to recover. This group includes some service members and athletes who suffer from post-concussion syndrome. In this situation, they experience headaches and a sort of mental illness or discomfort that prevents them from being as engaged in everyday life as they might otherwise be. 

Generally, during the first 1 to 2 days post-injury, physiotherapy in Edmonton prescribes rest. At this stage, the majority of individuals are starting to feel better, with symptoms tapering off. Your symptoms should get better within two weeks, and you should be able to start doing light activities. However, avoid overexerting yourself, as this can set back your recovery and cause another injury. 

Within four weeks, all symptoms of your concussion should have subsided. But you should still return to your normal activities gradually, and if you notice persistent symptoms, inform your doctor immediately.

What Factors Influence Concussion Recovery Time?

While the average recovery period from a concussion is one to four weeks, various factors can stretch out that timetable considerably, including;

Severity of the Concussion

If the concussion was quite severe, for instance, the healing process may well take much longer—and "quite severe" can mean anything from an extended loss of consciousness to memory problems that occur at the time of the injury. 

Age

Younger people, especially children and teenagers, are also at risk for protracted recovery, as their brains are still developing. In addition, older people may also have prolonged recovery times due to age-related changes in the brain. 

Previous Concussions

If you’ve had earlier concussions, each new one might take longer to get through. Repeat brain injury effects seem to get tougher and tougher to shake off. 

Rest and Rehabilitation

How well you take care and the instructions you follow in the immediate days after suffering a concussion can make a significant difference in the length of time you are out. The advice to sleep and avoid overstimulation is not to be taken lightly.

Underlying Health Conditions

Individuals who have pre-existing conditions such as migraines, anxiety, depression, or attention disorders may find that they take longer to recuperate from a concussion. This is because these conditions and the recovery from them affect the same parts of the brain that are crucial for maintaining and regulating normal brain function after an injury.

Tips for a Faster Recovery

Though each brain heals at its own rate, certain actions can hasten the healing process and allow one to make a quick recovery. The most significant of these actions is rest. Whether one prefers to think of "rest" in terms of the time it takes for the tissues of the brain to heal or in terms of the metabolic activity that one frees up when not engaging in physically or cognitively demanding tasks, "rest" really is important in recovery.

When you start to feel better, you can slowly but surely reintegrate simple tasks and activities into your daily routine. You might begin by taking short, ambling walks around your home or yard and seeing how that feels. You could also attempt some very light, non-strenuous household tasks, but once again, please steer clear of anything that could potentially lead to a second head injury, like playing sports or taking part in any sort of vigorous physical activity. 

Nutrition and hydration can also help facilitate your recovery. In particular, omega-3 fatty acids, which you can get from eating fish, are outstanding for supporting the health of your brain.

Monitoring your symptoms during the recovery process is crucial. It's definitely not just the good stuff—the good days we mentioned before—that we should be documenting. It's equally important to note any setbacks we might experience along the way. 

If at any point you feel as though your recovery is regressing, or if any new symptoms crop up, do not hesitate to connect with your physiotherapist. 

When Should You Seek Urgent Care?

If your symptoms last beyond four weeks, or if you feel as though you're not recovering at all, get checked out by a healthcare provider. It's also vital to seek concussion treatment in Edmonton if your condition fails to improve after a few weeks or worsens. 

While most people recover fully from a concussion, a small number experience persistent symptoms that may point to post-concussion syndrome or other complications. These complications are symptomatic, so healthcare providers will often use individualized rehabilitation plans to address what a patient can and can't do physically and to get them back to normal activities.

Conclusion

Concussions take a while to heal. Most people feel better after a couple of weeks but avoid pushing it. It is vital for the brain not to be forced back into action too soon. Rest is critical. Although very few brain injuries are life-threatening, a concussion sometimes is. If you or someone else has one, be careful and listen to the physiotherapists.