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I had an accident 7 days ago and I have been suffering from short term memory loss for about a week now. I can't remember anything from the accident or the day before it. Also, I suffer from headaches and dizziness.

How long do these postconcussion symptoms last and are they reversible? Also are there any treatments for it?

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  • Hi @M.G. Welcome to Health SE. Unfortunately we don't provide individualized diagnosis or personalized management plan on this site. Though I think your question could be interesting to other people who suffer from similar symptoms after a TBI so I have edited your question by deleting the most personal parts and made it more general. Hope you understand. Best regards.
    – M. Arrowsmith
    Oct 1, 2016 at 11:37

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Postconcussion syndrome is common following a traumatic brain injury (independent on the severity of the TBI). According to some studies, 30%-80% of patients with mild to moderate brain injury will suffer from some symptoms of postconcussion syndrome (PCS).

The symptoms, severity, risk factors and timing vary greatly between individuals.

Risk factors of PCS:

  • female and older age are at increased risk of developing PCS
  • brain injuries following a motor vehicle accident, fall or assault are at higher risk of leading to PCS compared to brain injuries following sport trauma
  • individual susceptibility (psychological, premorbid dispositions) are associated with increased risk of developing PCS

Symptoms of PCS: The most frequently reported symptoms in patients with PCS are headaches, vertigo (dizziness), fatigue, psychological impairments (irritability, anxiety, insomnia, loss of concentration and memory, and noise sensitivity)

Treatment of PCS: The current recommended approach for PCS treatment is mainly symptomatic and should be tailored to the patient needs. There is no "gold standard" treatment for all PCS patients.

Prognosis of PCS: Several studies have investigated the short and long term outcome of PCS. Most of the patients report an improvement of symptoms and disability within the first 7 to 10 days while after one to three months, the vast majority of patients report complete resolution of symptoms.

Sources: Evan RW. Postconcussion syndrome. UpToDate. Sept 2016. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/postconcussion-syndrome?source=search_result&search=post%20concussion&selectedTitle=1~12

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