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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Partly. A head injury with warning signs needs an emergency department first; recovery, lingering symptoms and the return to work, driving and sport can be managed by video.
- What it is: a temporary brain injury after a blow to the head or a jolt that moves the brain inside the skull. Most concussions do not cause loss of consciousness.
- How long it lasts: symptoms of a minor head injury usually last up to 2 weeks, and concussion often a few weeks. Symptoms lasting more than 3 months are called persistent.
- Back to sport: UK grassroots guidelines advise no matches with a risk of contact for at least 21 days after a confirmed concussion.
- Emergency: call 112 after a head injury for being knocked out, a headache that will not go away or is getting worse, vomiting, a seizure, drowsiness, confusion, or weakness or numbness.
Do not book a video appointment if you have hit your head and have been knocked out, even briefly, have a headache that has not gone away since the injury or is getting worse, have been sick, cannot remember what happened, have had a seizure, are drowsy or confused, have weakness, numbness or problems with vision, hearing, speech, walking or balance, have clear fluid or blood coming from your nose or ears, or take blood thinners. Call 112 or go to an emergency department, and do not drive yourself.
Can an online doctor help with concussion?
Partly. A head injury with any warning sign, such as being knocked out, a headache that has not gone away since the injury, vomiting or memory loss, needs an emergency department first, and sometimes a scan. Once you have been checked, or after a minor knock without those signs, a doctor by video can guide your recovery: headaches, sleep and concentration, symptoms that last beyond 2 weeks, and when it is safe to go back to work, study, driving and sport.
How an online consultation helps with concussion
- Warning signs checked first: The doctor goes through the signs that mean an emergency department or a scan before anything else.
- A recovery plan: Rest at first, then a gradual return to screens, work, study and exercise, step by step.
- Headaches managed safely: The right painkiller, and a check that painkillers are not becoming the cause of the headaches.
- Back to driving and sport: When it is safe to drive, and the graded return to sport with no contact for at least 21 days.
What the doctor checks in an online concussion consultation
The doctor asks about the signs that need hospital care first, then about your recovery. The doctor asks about:
- Warning signs: being knocked out, a headache since the injury that has not gone away, vomiting, memory loss, a seizure, drowsiness, confusion, weakness, numbness, or problems with vision, hearing, speech, walking or balance.
- The injury: how it happened, how fast, and whether you fell from more than 1 metre or 5 stairs.
- Your risks: blood thinners, bleeding or clotting problems, earlier brain surgery, your age, and alcohol or drugs at the time.
- Your symptoms since: headache, dizziness, tiredness, sleep, concentration, memory, mood, and sensitivity to light or noise.
- Your earlier concussions, and what you need to get back to: work, study, driving or sport.
Before the call, write down when and how the injury happened, how your symptoms have changed since, and the painkillers you have taken. Ask someone who saw the injury to be with you if you can.
What is concussion, and what causes it?
Concussion is a mild, temporary brain injury. A blow to the head, neck or upper body, or a sudden speeding up or slowing down of the head, moves the brain inside the skull and briefly disrupts how it works. Not everyone who is hit on the head has a concussion, most people recover fully, and one concussion does not usually cause permanent damage.
Falls are the most common cause in adults. Others are road accidents, cycling and pedestrian accidents, sports collisions and assault. Contact sports raise the risk, and so does having had a concussion before.
What are the symptoms of concussion?
Common symptoms are a headache, dizziness, feeling sick, feeling confused or ‘in a fog’, and memory loss around the injury. Symptoms fall into four groups:
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| Type | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Physical | Headache or head pressure, dizziness, feeling or being sick, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, sensitivity to light and noise, neck pain, balance problems |
| Thinking | Feeling ‘in a fog’, confusion, trouble concentrating, memory problems, difficulty planning or doing several things at once |
| Sleep | Tiredness or drowsiness, sleeping more or less than usual, trouble sleeping |
| Emotional | Irritability, mood swings, low mood, new or worse anxiety |
Other people may notice a dazed look, slurred speech or repeated questions. Loss of consciousness does not happen in most concussions.
How long after hitting your head can symptoms start?
Symptoms can start straight away, or within hours or days of the injury, and some appear only days later. Some people seem to recover quickly and then have problems later, which is why it is worth watching for new symptoms in the first few days.
How do you know if you have a concussion?
If you have any of the symptoms above after a knock to the head, treat it as a possible concussion and stop what you are doing: the rule in UK sport is ‘if in doubt, sit them out’. Mayo Clinic advises seeing a doctor within 1 to 2 days of any head injury, even when emergency care is not needed. The warning signs below decide whether you need an emergency department.
When is a head injury an emergency?
Most head injuries are minor, but rarely they cause bleeding in or around the brain, which can be fatal. Doctors use these signs to decide who needs an emergency department and, sometimes, a scan:
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| Warning sign | What to do |
|---|---|
| Knocked out and not woken up, cannot stay awake, or a seizure | Call 112 |
| New numbness or weakness, or problems with walking, balance, understanding, speaking or writing | Call 112 |
| Problems with vision or hearing, or one pupil larger than the other | Call 112 |
| Clear fluid from the nose or ears, bleeding from the ears, bruising behind the ears, or a black eye without an injury to the eye | Call 112 |
| A fall from more than 1 metre or 5 stairs, or a high-speed injury such as a road accident | Call 112 |
| A change in behaviour, such as being more irritable or distracted | Call 112 |
| Any loss of consciousness, a headache that has not gone away since the injury, any vomiting, or memory loss for events before or after it | Go to an emergency department |
| Blood thinners other than aspirin alone, a bleeding or clotting disorder, or earlier brain surgery | Go to an emergency department |
| Drinking alcohol or taking drugs at the time of the injury | Go to an emergency department |
In hospital, people aged 65 or over, people on blood thinners and people injured in a dangerous way are more likely to need a CT scan. Do not drive yourself: ask someone to take you or call 112.
How long does a concussion last?
Symptoms after a minor head injury usually last up to 2 weeks. Concussion often lasts a few weeks, up to about a month. Recovery depends on the injury, any other injuries and how severe the symptoms are:
- Headache after the injury (post-traumatic headache): can last several days to weeks.
- Dizziness or spinning (post-traumatic vertigo): can last days to weeks.
- Symptoms beyond 2 weeks: see a doctor; UK sport guidelines advise further assessment if symptoms last more than 4 weeks.
- Persistent post-concussion symptoms: headache, dizziness and thinking problems that last more than 3 months; some people have them for a year or longer.
What is post-concussion syndrome?
Post-concussion syndrome, now often called persistent post-concussion symptoms, is when recovery takes unusually long. The symptoms are the same as those of concussion. A doctor can help you manage them, look at what is keeping them going, such as sleep, painkillers or mood, and arrange specialist support when needed.
Which concussion care might the doctor recommend?
What helps depends on when the injury happened, whether there are warning signs and how your recovery is going. This is the framework the doctors use, in line with NICE head injury guidance:
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| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| A head injury with any warning sign above | Emergency assessment, sometimes a CT scan | No | Call 112 or go to an emergency department now |
| A minor knock without warning signs, mild symptoms | Rest, paracetamol, and watching for new symptoms | Yes | If any warning sign appears |
| Checked in hospital and sent home | A recovery plan and a gradual return to activity | Yes | If symptoms get worse |
| Symptoms still there after 2 weeks | A review of headaches, sleep, mood and painkillers | Yes | If there are new symptoms, or no improvement |
| Symptoms lasting more than 4 weeks | Further assessment and specialist support | Partly | For a specialist assessment |
| Wanting to return to sport | A graded return, with no contact for at least 21 days | Yes | If symptoms come back during the return |
| Headaches on most days after the injury | A review of the headaches and how often painkillers are used | Yes | If the headache is getting worse |
Not sure whether your head injury needs a hospital? A doctor can tell you in one consultation how urgently you need to be seen.
See available times →Treatment and recovery after concussion
Rest is the most important part of treatment at first, then a gradual return to activity.
What you can do yourself
- Rest and sleep as much as you need for the first 24 to 48 hours, and avoid screens, reading and work that needs concentration for the first day or two.
- Hold an ice pack wrapped in a tea towel to any swelling for short periods during the first few days.
- Have an adult stay with you for at least the first 24 hours.
- Sleep is fine: you do not need to be kept awake or woken regularly.
- Take paracetamol for a headache.
- Do not drink alcohol, take drugs or take sleeping pills while you recover, unless a doctor advises sleeping pills.
- Add activities back slowly and in small steps, and rest again if symptoms return.
Getting back to normal
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| Activity | When | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Screens, reading, studying | After the first day or two, gradually | Take breaks, and stop if symptoms return |
| Work, school or university | When you are feeling better, gradually | Rest again if symptoms return |
| Driving | Only once you have fully recovered | Ask the doctor if you are not sure |
| Exercise | Not within 24 hours of a suspected concussion, then gradually | Light activity first |
| Contact sport and matches | At least 21 days after a confirmed concussion, after a graded return | Never on the day of the injury |
| Alcohol | Once you are feeling better | Avoid it while you recover |
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. Most concussions need no prescription: rest, time and paracetamol for the headache are the treatment. Many over-the-counter painkillers thin the blood, so doctors may advise avoiding anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen at first. If headaches continue, the doctor reviews them and how often you take painkillers, because taking painkillers on 15 or more days a month for 3 months can itself cause headaches. Sleeping tablets are avoided unless a doctor advises them, and codeine and other opioids are never prescribed online. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
What does not help
Going back to sport, especially contact sport, too soon: a second head injury before you have recovered can rarely cause dangerous swelling of the brain, called second impact syndrome. Pushing through symptoms at work or study. Alcohol. Waking someone regularly through the night, which is no longer advised.
Special situations
Older adults and blood thinners
If you take blood thinners other than aspirin alone, go to an emergency department after any head injury, even a minor one. People aged 65 or over who were knocked out or have memory loss are more likely to need a CT scan.
Repeated concussions
One concussion does not usually cause lasting damage. Repeated concussions may increase the risk of later problems with memory and mood, though research is still mixed, which is why a full recovery before returning to sport matters.
Concussion while travelling in Europe
Skiing, snowboarding and cycling bring a risk of head injury, so wear a properly fitted helmet. If you hit your head abroad, the same warning signs mean 112. Do not drive until you have fully recovered, and keep any hospital discharge letter.
Children
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
When concussion is treated online, and when you need in-person care
Treated online: advice after a minor knock without warning signs, recovery after a hospital check, headaches, sleep and concentration problems, symptoms beyond 2 weeks, and the return to work, study, driving and sport.
In-person care: any warning sign after a head injury, scans, symptoms that get worse, symptoms beyond 4 weeks that need a specialist, and anyone who is drowsy, confused or has been knocked out.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- being knocked out, even briefly, or being unable to stay awake
- a headache that has not gone away since the injury, or a headache that is getting worse
- vomiting, or memory loss for events before or after the injury
- a seizure, drowsiness, confusion or a change in behaviour
- new numbness or weakness, or problems with vision, hearing, speech, walking or balance
- clear fluid or blood from the nose or ears, or bruising behind the ears
- a head injury if you take blood thinners other than aspirin alone, or had been drinking or taking drugs
- dizziness after a head injury that does not go away or keeps coming back
Get medical advice the same day for:
- feeling dizzy after a head injury
- new symptoms in the days after a head injury, even if you felt fine at first
- any other symptom after a head injury that worries you
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CEST. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about the injury: say when and how it happened, whether you were knocked out or have been sick, how your symptoms have changed, and what you need to get back to.
- Leave with a plan: what to do, what to take and for how long, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Not sure it’s concussion? Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call. If you have an emergency sign listed on this page, call 112 instead.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Headache can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about concussion
What is a concussion?
A mild, temporary brain injury after a blow to the head, neck or upper body, or a jolt that moves the brain inside the skull. Most people recover fully, and most concussions do not cause loss of consciousness.
What are 5 signs of a concussion?
Common signs of a concussion are a headache, dizziness, feeling sick, confusion or feeling in a fog, and memory loss around the injury. Others are blurred vision, sensitivity to light and noise, tiredness, irritability and trouble concentrating.
How long does a concussion last?
Symptoms after a minor head injury usually last up to 2 weeks, and concussion often a few weeks, up to about a month. See a doctor if symptoms last more than 2 weeks. Symptoms lasting more than 3 months are called persistent post-concussion symptoms.
Is it concussion or something more serious?
Concussion causes a headache, dizziness, nausea and confusion that start soon after a knock and improve over days without any loss of strength, speech or vision. A bleed inside the skull causes a headache that keeps getting worse, repeated vomiting, drowsiness, confusion that deepens, weakness or numbness on one side, a seizure, unequal pupils or clear fluid from the nose or ear, sometimes after a period of seeming fine; those need 112. Neck strain causes neck pain and stiffness without the brain symptoms.
How long after hitting your head can concussion symptoms start?
Concussion symptoms can start straight away, or within hours or days. Some symptoms appear only days later, and some people seem fine at first and have problems later, so watch for new symptoms in the first few days.
What should I do at home after a mild concussion?
After a mild concussion, rest and sleep as much as you need for the first 24 to 48 hours, avoid screens at first, take paracetamol for a headache, have an adult with you for the first 24 hours, avoid alcohol, and return to activities gradually. Do not drive until you have fully recovered.
When should I go to hospital after a head injury?
After a head injury with possible concussion, call 112 or go to an emergency department if you were knocked out, have a headache that has not gone away or is getting worse, have been sick, cannot remember the injury, have a seizure, drowsiness, confusion, weakness, numbness, or problems with vision, speech or walking, or take blood thinners.
Can I sleep after a concussion?
Yes. Sleep helps recovery from concussion, and you do not need to be kept awake or woken regularly. Someone checking on you every few hours is fine, and an adult should stay with you for the first 24 hours.
What painkiller can I take after a head injury?
Paracetamol, after a head injury or concussion. Many other over-the-counter painkillers thin the blood, so doctors may advise avoiding anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen at first. A headache that does not go away with painkillers after a head injury needs an emergency department.
When can I return to sport after a concussion?
Not on the day of the injury, and not within 24 hours of a suspected concussion. After a confirmed concussion, UK grassroots guidelines advise a graded return and no matches with a risk of contact for at least 21 days.
How can concussion be prevented?
Wear a properly fitted helmet for cycling, riding, skiing, climbing and contact sports, use seat belts, keep floors, stairs and lighting safe at home for older people, check vision and balance if falls are frequent, limit alcohol, which is behind many head injuries, follow the rules on heading and tackling in sport, and never return to play until fully recovered, because a second concussion before the first has healed is far more dangerous. Most concussions in adults come from falls.
When can I drive after a concussion?
Only once you have fully recovered from the concussion: no headache, dizziness, nausea or trouble concentrating, and normal reaction times, which for most people means at least 24 to 48 hours and often a week or more. Driving while concussed is as risky as driving tired or over the limit, and insurance may not cover an accident; if you are not sure whether it is safe, ask a doctor.
What is post-concussion syndrome?
When concussion symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness and problems with thinking, last much longer than usual. Symptoms lasting more than 3 months are called persistent, and some people have them for a year or longer.
Can an online doctor help with concussion?
Partly. A head injury with warning signs of a serious concussion needs an emergency department first. After that, or after a minor knock without warning signs, a doctor by video can guide your recovery and your return to work, driving and sport.
- Head injury and concussion, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 29 May 2025.
- Head injury: assessment and early management (NG232), NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, May 2023.
- Concussion: symptoms and causes, Mayo Clinic (US), updated 18 July 2026.
- Concussion, Cleveland Clinic (US), reviewed 16 August 2024.
- New concussion guidelines for grassroots sport, Sport England, on the UK concussion guidelines for non-elite (grassroots) sport, 2 May 2023.
- Could painkillers be causing your headaches?, NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2012.
- Headaches, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 17 April 2024.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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