How To Prevent And Treat A Concussion

Limit Activities Requiring Mental Concentration

A concussion can cause changes in cognition including issues with concentration, memory, and thinking. Patients may feel like their thoughts are slower or their memory is worse. If the affected individual is in school, they might need to take some time off. It helps to limit activities requiring mental concentration immediately after the concussion. Trying to force the brain to function can lead to both mental and emotional exhaustion. If issues with concentration persist for a long time, patients should learn strategies to help focus and deal with concentration. The cognitive symptoms associated with a concussion will vary, so patients need to pay attention to their limits. Some common issues include remembering and learning things, paying attention, finding the right words, following and understanding a conversation, multitasking, making decisions, organizing, and planning the day. If patients are having trouble thinking, they can also go through a mental checklist. Maybe they need a break or more sleep, or perhaps they're stressed, have a headache, or are otherwise experiencing pain. All of these things can interfere with concentration and cognition.

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