Top 5 Most Frustrating Non-Emotional Symptoms

1. Short-Term Memory Loss

The Short Version

• Short-term memory loss is a common symptom of concussions
• It is normal to feel frustrated
• But being frustrated and stressed can slow your recovery
• Your short-term memory will come and go
• Do not blame yourself
• Be open with those around you–they probably don’t understand what you’re going through

The In-Depth Version
Short-term memory loss is a relatively common symptom of concussions and post-concussion syndrome, particularly in patients with longer recoveries. Anyone who has experienced this knows how frustrating and stressful it can be. An inability to remember everything from big meetings or assignments to everyday needs like where you put the keys or what you had for breakfast leads a lot of student-athletes to blame themselves. Additionally, it is very easy to feel embarrassed in social settings if you ‘draw a blank’ and forget what you were going to say mid conversation, which can lead to stress.

It is important to note that the stress that short-term memory loss causes can become overwhelming and mentally taxing to the point where it can actually impede the healing process. DO NOT blame yourself for your memory loss; it is not your fault. Memory loss happens, and it might keep happening for a little while. Sometimes your ability to remember will come and go, and you might remember everything one day and forget a lot the next. Do your best to stay positive and focus on the good days rather than the days that are frustrating. Every positive moment is a step down your path to recovery.

Teammates, classmates, teachers, and friends might not understand what you are going through and may even joke about you forgetting things, which can be very hurtful. Often times these people have no idea what you are experiencing cognitively or emotionally, and the best solution is to talk openly with them. Do not hesitate to be honest with the people around you. Giving others insight into your perspective can help them understand the difficulties students face when they sustain concussions.

Tips to Help

• Carry around a small notebook and write things down.
• Be open with the people around you.
• Remember that it’s not your fault.
• Develop routines–try to put things back in the same place every day.
• Try meditating or deep breathing when you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed.
• Talk to your doctor about additional suggestions, particularly if you experience blackouts.

2. Headaches

The Short Version

• Headaches are the most common concussion symptom
• How much brain activity you can handle before feeling symptomatic will fluctuate

The In-Depth Version
Headaches are the most common concussion symptom, and they can be a major hindrance for student-athletes who haven’t previously experienced frequent headaches. It can be stressful and depressing to get a splitting headache after just a few minutes of doing normal day-to-day activities like reading or watching TV.

How much brain activity you can handle before getting a headache can fluctuate significantly. This is true for a lot of symptoms, such as sensitivity to light and noise, as well. One day you might be able to read for an hour before your head starts bothering you and a week later you could start feeling it after 10 minutes. Do not think of it as a setback. It happens. Focus on the long-term trend to determine your progress.

Tips to Help

• Keep a “headache Journal.” Every day, record: how much you sleep, when and what you eat and drink, and the severity and time of your headaches. This can help you develop a routine and isolate variables and patterns that may be contributing to your headaches.
• Minimize stimuli that can trigger headaches such as video games, texting, or reading.
• Match up and dim the brightness in rooms and screens (to a comfortable level, of course). In other words, don’t have a bright room and a dim screen and vice versa.
• Notify roommates and friends when you have a headache, so they can be respectful of your needs for quiet, decreased stimulation, and darkness.
• Do not hesitate to discuss headaches with your concussion clinic doctor.

3. Feeling Like You Are In A Fog

The Short Version

• Feeling “foggy” is a very common concussion symptom
• Fogginess is a difficult symptom to explain to doctors, friends, and family
• Feeling foggy can be your body’s way of telling you that you are not in the clear

The In-Depth Version
Many student-athletes experience “fogginess” after sustaining a concussion. This symptom is difficult to articulate, which in itself can be very frustrating. Concussions just make you feel out of it. This is sometimes described by glossy eyes, feeling slowed down, haziness, sluggishness, and more. The difficult part is trying to get out of it. For athletes in particular, it may seem so strange to make a big deal about “not feeling right” or being “foggy.” After playing through pain over the course of your entire career, it is hard to sit out games or practices just because you don’t feel right. You may not be in pain, but the fogginess may be your body telling you that you’re still not in the clear.

Feeling like you are in a fog is probably a new experience for you. Remember, you’re dealing with a brain injury, and fogginess is a very common, albeit difficult to explain, symptom. Most of the student-athletes CAN Recover serves experience fogginess. And trust us, you’ll want to listen to your body on this one.

Tips to Help

• Try to not stress yourself out about fogginess. Rest it off and manage your activity to mitigate pushing too hard. The further you keep yourself from going into a deep fog, the easier time you’ll have stepping out of it.
• Don’t deny you feel it. Ignoring it can make it worse. And trust us, you’ll want to listen to your body.

4. Difficulty Concentrating

The Short Version

• Difficulty concentrating is common symptom for a brain injury like a concussion
• Every activity you do requires some level of concentration
• Pushing yourself to concentrate as well as you did pre-concussion can lead to symptom flare ups
• Your ability to concentrate will return over time

The In-Depth Version
Since concussions are brain injuries, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that difficulty concentrating is a rather common symptom. Whether you’re concentrating on the road, focusing on homework, or paying attention to a conversation when hanging out with friends, all activities require some level of concentration…so this symptom isn’t exclusively for when you’re trying to do work.

Do not expect that you will be able to concentrate at the level you were able to before the concussion while you are recovering. If you push yourself to that level expecting not to flare up with symptoms, you will only frustrate yourself. It’s annoying, but difficulty concentrating is a symptom that takes time to wind down. You will work your way back to a normal level.

Tips to Help

• Try to space out activity that requires heavier mental concentration such as homework.
• Take a break when you lose concentration no matter how long that break needs to be. Note that how long you need to rest will fluctuate.
• We highly recommend that if you are returning to school you be open with your teachers about when you might need to step out for a break or put your head down.
• Pre-plan for taking breaks into your schedule. In other words, plan to study for 15 minutes and rest for 5 minutes.

5. Random Sharp Pains Around The Skull

The Short Version

• Sharp pains are not experienced by the majority of concussed student-athletes, but they are not abnormal
• Sharp pains can impact any area of the head
• Sharp pains tend to gradually go away as your recovery progresses

The In-Depth Version
Although we have not seen this in many student-athletes, enough rated random sharp pains around the skull as a highly frustrating symptom worthy of our top 5. It feels like a sharp, pinpointed pinch, and it can occur near the temple, back of the head, top of the head, or really anywhere. It is primarily frustrating because it is a symptom that cannot fully be explained medically, but it does happen in some concussion patients.

You will need to be as patient as possible with this symptom. It is usually experienced in the weeks that symptoms peak and trails into the following weeks. But as you approach a fuller recovery, the sharp pains do tend to stop.

Tips to Help

• When experiencing these sharp pains, try to relax as best you can. Try closing your eyes or lying down. Getting anxious about the pain will not help your brain.
• Talk to your doctor about the sharp pains (where, how often, and how long they occur) so that they are aware of the symptoms you are experiencing.