What is a Concussion?
for Medical Professionals

Concussions

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury induced by biomechanical forces. It is caused by a direct blow to the head, face, neck, or by a blow elsewhere on the body with an impulsive force transmitted to the head. Concussions typically result in the rapid onset of transient impairment of neurological function that resolves spontaneously. Signs and symptoms of a concussion can appear immediately or evolve over a number of minutes to hours. The acute signs and symptoms largely reflect a functional disturbance rather than a structural injury. Often, there is no loss of consciousness.

Concussion should be suspected in the presence of any one or more of the following:
Physical Symptoms
Cognitive Symptoms
Emotional Symptoms
Sleep Changes
  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Confusion
  • Dizziness
  • Balance problems
  • Visual problems
  • Fatigue
  • Light sensitivity
  • Noise sensitivity
  • Fogginess of thought
  • Difficulty with concentration
  • Difficulty with memory
  • Forgetfulness
  • Repeating questions
  • Answering questions slowly
  • Irritability
  • Sadness
  • Anxiety
  • Emotional lability
  • Learn more about
    mental health symptoms
  • Drowsiness
  • Sleeping more than usual
  • Sleeping less than usual
  • Trouble falling asleep
  • Trouble staying asleep
  • Learn more about how to assess a potential concussion here.

Indications for Emergency Management

A hit to the head can sometimes be associated with a more serious brain injury. Any of the following warrants consideration of activating emergency procedures and urgent transportation to the nearest hospital:
  • Glasgow Coma score <15
  • Deteriorating mental status
  • Potential spinal injury
  • Progressive worsening of symptoms or new neurologic signs
  • Persistent vomiting
  • Evidence of skull fracture
  • Post traumatic seizures
  • Coagulopathy
  • History of neurosurgery (e.g., shunt)
  • Multiple injuries

CATT for Medical Professionals

This online educational module will provide you with up-to-date information to help you manage patients who have sustained a concussion or who are at risk for sustaining another concussion.

The course is divided into five topic areas:
  • Concussion: Definition and Epidemiology
  • Medical Assessment for Concussion
  • Concussion Management and Medical Clearance 
  • Persisting Concussion Symptoms & Management
  • The Role of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
You can either work your way through the course in the order provided (40-45 minutes), or you can jump to the sections that are of interest to you by going to the menu tab on the top of each slide.

Please remember that you can claim CME Mainpro-M2 credits.
  • Take the Medical Professional Course here.

SCAT6

The SCAT6 is a standardized tool for evaluating for a suspected concussion and can be used on individuals aged 13 years and older. It supersedes the original SCAT (2005), SCAT2 (2009), SCAT3 (2013), and the SCAT5 (2017). For children aged 8 to 12 years, please use the Child SCAT6

The Adult SCAT6 is designed for use by medical professionals. If you are not a licensed medical professional, please use the Concussion Recognition Tool (CRT5). If a concussion is suspected, adults should undergo medical assessment by a medical doctor or nurse practitioner.

The SCAT6 scoring summary includes:
  • Neurological exam
  • Symptom number & Symptom severity
  • Orientation
  • Immediate memory
  • Concentration
  • Delayed recall
  • Cognitive total score
  • mBESS total errors
  • Tandem gate & Dual task fastest times
Please fill in all of the sections in order for the scoring summary to be complete.

Child SCAT6

The Child SCAT6 is a standardized tool for evaluating injured children for concussion and can be used in children aged 8 to 12 years. For persons aged 13 years and older, please use the SCAT6.

The Child SCAT6 is designed for use by medical professionals. If you are not a licensed medical professional, please use the Concussion Recognition Tool (CRT5). If a concussion is suspected, youth should undergo medical assessment by a medical doctor or nurse practitioner.
  • Note: The diagnosis of a concussion is a clinical judgment, ideally made by a physician or other licensed medical professional with relevant training. The SCAT6 and Child SCAT6 should not be used solely to make, or exclude, the diagnosis of concussion in the absence of clinical judgement. A person may have a concussion even if their SCAT6 or Child SCAT6 is “normal.”

    Important Note: The SCAT6 and Child SCAT6 online tools are anticipated to be available later in 2024. 

Red Flag Symptoms

If someone shows any of the following Red Flag Symptoms, call 911 immediately.
Neck Pain or Tenderness
Loss of
Consciousness
Weakness, Tingling
or Burning in Arms/Legs
Severe or Increasing Headache
Repeated Vomiting
Loss of Vision or Double Vision
Increasingly Restless, Agitated or Combative
Deteriorating Conscious State
Seizure or Convulsion
Visible Deformity of the Skull