POSTCONCUSSIVE SYNDROME

Course overview

POSTCONCUSSIVE SYNDROME (PCS) DESCRIBES THE CONSTELLATION OF SYMPTOMS THAT COMMONLY OCCUR AFTER MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI), AND PATIENTS WHO SUFFER MORE THAN ONE BRAIN INJURY ARE AT INCREASED RISK. SYMPTOMS MAY BE PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE, BEHAVIORAL, AND/OR EMOTIONAL IN NATURE. A FEW COMMON SYMPTOMS SEEN IN PATIENTS WITH POSTCONCUSSIVE SYNDROME INCLUDE HEADACHE, FATIGUE, VISION CHANGES, DISTURBANCES IN BALANCE, CONFUSION, DIZZINESS, INSOMNIA, AND DIFFICULTY CONCENTRATING. APPROXIMATELY 90 PERCENT OF CONCUSSION SYMPTOMS ARE TRANSIENT, AND SYMPTOMS TYPICALLY RESOLVE WITHIN 10 TO 14 DAYS. HOWEVER, SYMPTOMS MAY LINGER FOR WEEKS. PERSISTENT POSTCONCUSSIVE SYNDROME OCCURS WHEN SYMPTOMS PERSIST BEYOND 3 MONTHS. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT MILD TBI RESULTING IN PERSISTENT POST-CONCUSSIVE SYNDROME HAS LASTING EFFECTS ON COGNITION, MEMORY, LEARNING, AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF POSTCONCUSSIVE SYNDROME AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM MEMBERS IN COLLABORATING TO PROVIDE WELL-COORDINATED CARE AND ENHANCE OUTCOMES FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.