Frequently Asked Questions

Concussion is a traumatic brain injury that can range from mild to severe and happens after an impact to the head or body. This causes the brain to jostle back and forth, leading to possible chemical changes and damage to the brain cells. Concussion injuries occur from a range of incidents including, slips, falls, an object hitting the head, and whiplash.

If symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, or fogginess last more than three to five days after an injury, despite brain rest instructed by your primary care physician, you should seek additional medical help immediately.

To discern whether one has a concussion, MAC Alliance uses a combination of brain health testing tools and an evaluation with one of our concussion specialist to not only detect concussions but locate and measure the severity of the injury.

Yes, in some instances if the concussion is severe, there can be structural permanent damage to the brain. Permanent damage can cause long-term problems such as cognition issues, memory loss, learning difficulties, speech, hearing, or vision impairment, and emotional stress.

MAC Alliance uses the BrainScope One tool, which can accurately detect structural permanent brain damage through EEG technology. FDA cleared and created with the U.S. Department of Defense, BrainScope is one of the leading tools in determining whether a severe traumatic brain injury has caused structural damage to the brain.

While most concussions get better soon after a brain injury, sometimes post-concussion syndrome (PCS) can occur. This is when nagging symptoms (even ones that initially might not have been attributed to the original bump or jolt to the head) actually take weeks, months or even years to resolve. Even a mild concussion can result in PCS, also known as “persistent post-concussive symptoms.”

Persistent post-concussion symptoms can include:

• Memory and concentration issues/brain fog
• Low energy/mood or personality changes
• blurred vision
• Irritability
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Insomnia/sleep disturbances
• Ringing in the ears
• Blurry vision
• Sensitivity to noise and light

In rare instances, we may even see impulsivity and even decreases in taste and smell as persistent post-concussion symptoms.

There are a range of concussion symptoms that vary from person to person that can last for days, weeks, months, and in some severe instances years. Some of the more well-known symptoms are an initial loss of consciousness, persistent headaches, imbalance, short-term memory loss, and sensitivity to light. There are some lesser well-known symptoms that also can occur such as nausea, vomiting, sadness, anxiety, fatigue and sleeping irregularities. These symptoms can be long-term if not detected and treated.

In addition, a previous concussion can make one more susceptible to another concussion, which can increase the likelihood of symptoms and increase the severity and length the patient experiences their symptoms.

ImPACT is an FDA-cleared computerized assessment that measures different areas of the brain affected by concussions. It is one of the most widely used tools to evaluate concussions and the severity of brain injury. Originally developed for sports medicine by neuroscientists from University of Pittsburgh, ImPACT is now used to evaluate all possible concussion type injuries and cleared for ages 12-80.

BrainScope is a unique FDA-cleared concussion testing tool that utilizes electroencephalogram (EEG) technology. EEG tests the electrical activity in your brain, which is how brain cells communicate. Severe concussions and traumatic brain injury can impair this network, causing long-term permanent structural damage. While it may appear and sound intimidating, EEG is non-invasive (head piece with small metal discs) and painless.

Creyos Health is a computerized assessment broken into eight tasks that provides insights into brain injury and cognitive function. Backed by over 25 years of research, Creyos Health can be conducted on a laptop or tablet. With the eight tasks, a MAC provider can customize the test to each patient as needed, to focus on different parts of brain function. The tasks are designed to be unintimidating and are untimed.

RightEye is FDA-cleared technology that allows for fast and easy computerized concussion eye testing that links eye movement function to brain performance, helping us objectively monitor recovery of neurological injuries like concussion. RightEye uses eye-tracking technology that measures reaction time and replicates a manual ocular motility “follow my finger” test but is precise and objective.

Sway Balance System isis an FDA-cleared technology used to conduct concussion assessments and make return-to play-decisions. Balance screenings are administered through an app on a phone or tablet, either in the office or remotely. Then a MAC Alliance concussion specialist reads and provides prompt data interpretation and treatment next-steps. Sway is part of our baseline testing programs for students, athletes and first responders.

Baseline testing measures healthy brain function when a patient is not injured but is part of a group that has an increased likelihood of concussion injuries, such as athletes. Baselines serve as insurance of sorts that if a head injury were to occur, there is a personalized test to compare to the post-injury test. When properly interpreted, the post-injury follow-up tests help healthcare practitioners understand what sorts of individual results can be expected so that possible traumatic brain injury (TBI) symptoms are not overlooked.

MAC Alliance partners with school systems and athletic trainers throughout the Mid-Atlantic region to offer three different kind of baseline tests, Sway Balance System, Creyos Health, and ImPACT. For more on baselines and scheduling a baseline at MAC Alliance.

MAC Alliance partners is a network of 2,000 certified medical professional and athletic trainer affiliates throughout Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New York and New Jersey. We are a constantly growing network of partners. Click here to find out where the nearest MAC Alliance partner is to you.

TBI stands for traumatic brain injury. TBIs usually refer to the more severe concussions with mTBI usually referring to a mild traumatic brain injury. The term concussion often indicates a mTBI and severe concussion indicates a TBI; however, concussions range on a large scale of severity with varying symptoms that can’t always be defined with just two terms of severity.

Drinking alcohol when you have a concussion is probably not a good idea. The one or two drinks you normally consumed in the past over the course of an evening maybe one or two drinks too much, especially while your brain is healing. After a concussion, your tolerance for alcohol can be reduced and you may be more sensitive to alcohol.

The rule still stands that within 24 hours of head injury, patients are instructed to not sleep for 6-8 hours continuously without someone waking them up, checking pupils, asking a simple question every 2-3 hours, and letting them go back to sleep. This is still the rule in case a slow bleed develops in those first 24 hours from the forces of the head injury possibly tearing a blood vessel in the brain. These 2-3 hours “neuro-checks” allow detection of a change in status that may require a trip to the ER for a CT scan of the head.

After the 24 hours, provided an individual is communicating, doesn’t have dilated pupils or problems walking, sleep is fine. In fact, sleep is generally considered beneficial for healing after a concussion.

MAC Alliance uses a combination of brain health testing tools and an evaluation with one of our concussion specialists to not only detect concussions but locate and measure the severity of the injury.

MAC Alliance recommends brain rest, which includes patients to refrain from academics, homework or physical works until their symptoms begin to improve. This includes (no puzzles, reading, homework, email, internet, texting, gaming) and they are re-evaluated by a certified health provider. People experiencing concussion symptoms should reach out to a medical provider to be evaluated.

Other brain trauma rest tips:

• Drink lots of fluids two-three times per day, especially sports drinks (Gatorade, PowerAde, Propel, coconut water, etc.)
• Obtain seven to eight hours of sleep every night, with bedtime targeted before 11 pm.
• Avoid texting and computer usage (no Facebook or other social media!).
• View television in only 30 minute increments, at a maximum of three hours per day (or only one hour if back at school or work), on a large screen (not on a tablet, desktop or laptop) as long as symptoms do not worsen.
• Limit phone calls to 15 minutes, with no more than four per day. Place your phone setting on speaker to avoid directly placing noise on the ear.
• Listen to soft music if you like, but without ear buds or head phones.
• Limit any daytime naps to less than 30 minutes.
• Take daily walks. Wear sunglasses if you’re light sensitive.
• Limit travel to one-half hour per day in any vehicle.

Yes, after a head injury, symptoms might not initially occur. They may be subtle and not show up immediately, such as memory issues, concentration difficulties, sensitivity to light, sensitivity to noise, sleep irregularities, and depression. It can take several days for symptoms to show up, and it may take the challenge of return to academics, work sports or working out to cause the symptoms to appear.

In certain incidents, such as active-duty military head injury accidents, domestic assault, and car accidents, having a concussion may not be the main focus at the time and might be overlooked at first. If you suspect a concussion or had a head injury, it is important to check with a medical provider and be evaluated. The symptoms at times can be elusive and take objective measurements to prove the presence of a concussion.

Yes, in some instances. Situations like car accidents or being near explosives, the physical force of the surroundings and the velocity, which the head quickly moves back and forth can cause the brain to be knocked around causing a concussion. It is the acceleration/deceleration forces on the head that cause the soft brain to collide with the inside hard surface of the skull and thus bruise or tear nerve fibers of the brain.

If you experience any concussion symptoms after an accident like headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, or blurred vision, it is important to seek out a medical provider and be evaluated.