What to Do After a Concussion

First: rule out anything serious

Before anything else, make sure you don't need emergency care. Go to the ER immediately if you experience any of the following after a head injury:

• Worsening headache that keeps getting worse
• Repeated vomiting
• Seizure or convulsion
• Loss of consciousness lasting more than 30 seconds
• One pupil larger than the other
• Increasing confusion — can't recognize people or places
• Weakness, numbness, or tingling on one side of the body
• Slurred speech
• Clear fluid from the nose or ears

If none of these apply, your concussion is very likely manageable without emergency intervention. But that doesn't mean you should ignore it.

The first 24–48 hours

The acute phase is about giving your brain a chance to stabilize. This doesn't mean lying in a dark room doing nothing — that outdated advice can actually slow recovery. It means reducing the intensity of demands on your brain while staying gently active.

• Rest from intense physical and cognitive activity. No sports, heavy exercise, or demanding work tasks. But light walking, gentle household activities, and brief conversations are fine.
• Limit screens, but don't ban them. Short sessions (5–10 minutes) with breaks are acceptable. Avoid scrolling-heavy content, fast video, and gaming.
• Stay hydrated and eat regular meals. Your brain needs fuel to recover. Don't skip meals even if you're not hungry.
• Sleep normally. You don't need to wake up every two hours (a common myth). Normal sleep is restorative — let your body rest when it needs to.
• Avoid alcohol. Alcohol impairs brain function and slows the healing process. Avoid it entirely for at least the first two weeks.
• Don't drive. Reaction time, visual processing, and attention are likely impaired. Wait until these have been assessed.

Days 3–7: gradual return to activity

After the first couple of days, you should begin gradually increasing your activity level. This is where the old "rest until symptoms are gone" advice goes wrong. Current evidence clearly shows that early, guided return to light activity leads to faster recovery than prolonged rest.

• Light aerobic exercise. Walking for 15–20 minutes at a comfortable pace. If symptoms increase significantly, reduce the intensity.
• Gradual cognitive activity. Return to light reading, screen use in short blocks, and simple work tasks. Use breaks and pace yourself.
• Monitor your symptoms. Mild increases during activity are normal and acceptable. Stop if symptoms rise sharply or don't settle within an hour of stopping.
• Return to school or work with modifications if possible — shortened days, reduced workload, break access.

What NOT to do after a concussion

Knowing what to avoid is just as important as knowing what to do:

• Don't return to contact sport or high-risk activity until you've been properly assessed and cleared. A second concussion before the first has healed can have serious consequences.
• Don't isolate yourself in a dark room for days. Brief rest is helpful. Prolonged isolation leads to deconditioning, mood disruption, and slower recovery.
• Don't push through escalating symptoms. "Pushing through" doesn't build tolerance — it creates setbacks.
• Don't rely on painkillers as your only strategy. Over-the-counter pain medication can take the edge off, but frequent use can lead to rebound headaches. Address the cause, not just the symptom.
• Don't wait months to get help. If symptoms aren't improving after the first week or two, a concussion assessment can identify what's going on and start targeted treatment. Waiting rarely helps — but the right intervention usually does.

Week 2 and beyond: when to get assessed

Most concussions improve significantly within the first two weeks. If your symptoms are steadily improving, you're on track.

But if symptoms have plateaued, worsened, or are limiting your ability to function — work, school, driving, exercise, social life — that's the signal to get a proper assessment. Not because something is seriously wrong, but because there are likely identifiable, treatable factors that a concussion physiotherapist can address.

Common treatable factors include vestibular dysfunction (dizziness, balance problems), cervical spine involvement (headaches from the neck), oculomotor issues (screen intolerance), and autonomic dysregulation (exercise intolerance).

The single best thing you can do

If we could give one piece of advice, it would be this: don't wait and hope.Early, evidence-based guidance — even if it's just a single assessment visit — consistently leads to better outcomes than unguided recovery. You'll know exactly what's going on, what to do, and what to avoid. That clarity alone accelerates recovery for most people.