परिभाषा
Postconcussion syndrome (PCS) refers to continued symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury. Most often it resolves within a month but sometimes the symptoms persist for much longer.
Getting treated early for PCS may help you get better faster. If you think you have PCS, contact your doctor right away.
का कारण बनता है
The exact cause of PCS is unknown. Several factors contribute to PCS, including:
- Microscopic brain damage from a mild brain injury
- Psychological or emotional stress that results from a mild brain injury
जोखिम कारक
These factors increase your chance of developing PCS. Tell your doctor if you have any of these risk factors:
- A mild concussion or brain injury caused by a car accident or assault
- Feeling depressed or being diagnosed with depression after a mild brain injury
- Low social support, including not having a lot of close friends or people to confide in after a mild brain injury
लक्षण
PCS symptoms vary from person-to-person. If you experience any of these symptoms do not assume it is due to PCS. These symptoms may be caused by other, less serious health conditions. If you experience any one of them, see your doctor. Symptoms include:
- सिरदर्द
- चक्कर आना
- संतुलन की समस्या
- Nausea
- नज़रों की समस्या
- Being very sensitive to noise and/or light
- अवसाद
- Mood swings—a quick change in mood (eg, being happy to becoming very sad)
- चिंता
- Becoming easily irritated or annoyed for little or no reason
- Trouble remembering things
- Trouble concentrating or paying attention
- नींद न आना
- हर समय थकान महसूस होना
निदान
PCS is hard to diagnose. The brain damage caused by a mild brain injury is so slight that many tests cannot detect it. It is important to see a doctor with special training in brain injury. These doctors are called neurologists, neuropsychologists, and neurosurgeons. To find one of these doctors, call a local head injury foundation for a referral.
Your doctor will ask questions about:
- आपका व्यक्तिगत और पारिवारिक चिकित्सा इतिहास
- Your head injury
- Sleep habits
- Recent missed work or school
- Recent memory or relationship problems
- Recent emotional problems, such as irritability, anxiety, and depression
परीक्षण में शामिल हो सकते हैं:
- Memory and attention tests—to assess your memory and attention abilities
- CT scan —a type of x-ray that uses a computer to make pictures of structures inside the head; to look for signs of persistent injury and/or to see if surgery may improve the symptoms
- MRI scan —a test that uses magnetic waves to make pictures of structures inside the head; to look for signs of persistent injury and/or to see if surgery may improve the symptoms
- Electroencephalogram (EEG)—A test which evaluates the electrical activity of the brain.
उपचार
PCS treatment depends on your symptoms. Talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Treatment options include the following:
दवाएं
- Over-the-counter medications to reduce the severity of headaches
- Antidepressants to help reduce depression and anxiety
- Nerve blocks to relieve severe, nerve-injury induced pain/headaches
Psychological Treatment
- Talking with a mental health professional about the problems you are having related to PCS
- Learning how to cope with those problems in your life
Vocational Therapy
- Learning skills and training to start or resume a career
Neurotherapy
Neurotherapy (also called biofeedback) is a painless treatment using computers to help you learn how to modify your brainwaves to improve attention and memory.
सर्जरी
In some cases, a collection of blood in an area of bruising on the brain may require surgery, which may help resolve or improve symptoms.
रोकथाम
There are no guidelines for preventing PCS because the cause is not known. To help reduce your chances of getting PCS, take the following steps:
- Prevent brain injury by following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and the Brain Injury Association of America.
- See a doctor who specializes in brain injury as soon as you think you may have PCS.