Concussion care · St. Louis
A concussion is a brain injury, and most of them happen without anyone losing consciousness. Think of a hit to the head during a game, a fall at home, or a rear-end collision on I-70. Any of these can leave you with a headache that will not lift or a fog you cannot shake. Light may suddenly feel too bright, or sleep may stop working. You do not need an appointment, and you do not need a referral, to have it looked at.
Our evaluation covers what actually matters after a head injury. That means the symptoms you are having and how your thinking and memory are working. It means your balance and eye movements, and a neurological exam. We take a careful history of how the injury happened, because how it happened tells us a great deal about what to look for. Where the exam suggests something more than a concussion, we have digital X-ray on site. We also arrange the imaging and specialist referral you need.
Most people recover from a concussion. But recovery is not automatic, and it is not a matter of waiting it out in a dark room. You leave with a written plan. It covers what to do in the first 48 hours and how to bring back screens, schoolwork and exercise in stages. It covers what should make you come back, and when it is safe to return to sport. Returning to play too early, before the brain has recovered, is what turns a manageable injury into a lasting one.
Some head injuries are emergencies, not urgent care visits. Call 911 or go to an emergency department for loss of consciousness, a headache that keeps getting worse, repeated vomiting, a seizure, weakness or numbness, slurred speech, unequal pupils, clear fluid from the nose or ears, or someone who cannot be woken. The CDC’s HEADS UP program lists the same warning signs. It is worth reading if you coach or parent an athlete.
Register online and we will call you shortly after you arrive. Pre-book appointments en route by calling. Our medical specialists are ready to help.