Dietary considerations for mild concussion

Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
Updated on December 22, 2024
00:00
00:00

Mild concussions usually do not show organic damage on a head CT; they are temporary functional dysfunctions of brain neural functions, typically manifesting as brief post-injury consciousness disturbances and retrograde amnesia. The diet for patients with mild concussions should avoid cold, raw, or strongly irritating foods, such as spicy dishes, and refrain from drinking alcohol or smoking. Their diet should primarily consist of light, easy-to-digest foods, high in protein and vitamins, but low in fat and sugar, including plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Jiang Fang Shuai
Neurosurgery
46sec home-news-image

How long does it take to recover from a concussion?

In clinical practice, we often see mild cases of concussion. After suffering from trauma, patients only show mild symptoms such as headache and dizziness, or may experience nausea. Some patients may not have any symptoms at all, and their recovery tends to be quick, often within two to three days, or even up to about 2 to 3 weeks to fully return to normal. However, for severe cases of concussion, symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting are more pronounced, and some patients may exhibit certain mental, psychological, and behavioral disorders. In these cases, hospitalization is usually required, and the recovery period can be quite lengthy, lasting for over a month, or even up to three months.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Jiang Fang Shuai
Neurosurgery
50sec home-news-image

Mild concussion sequelae

Mild concussions generally do not have any lasting effects. After a mild concussion, as long as one rests well, maintains a good mindset, and uses medication when necessary, along with symptomatic supportive treatment, the vast majority of people can fully recover within one to two weeks without any lasting effects. Only a few people, due to psychological and mental factors, may continue to experience symptoms that are difficult to improve for more than three months. In these cases, we consider these to be the after-effects of mild concussion, which mainly manifest as headaches, dizziness, dry heaving, vomiting, anxiety, insomnia, lack of concentration, memory decline, slow reactions, irritability, and a bad temper, among others.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
51sec home-news-image

How long should one rest for a concussion?

Concussions generally require about one to two weeks of rest, depending mainly on the specific symptoms of the patient. If the symptoms are relatively mild and the injury was not particularly severe, then about a week of rest is usually sufficient for returning to normal work and study. In some cases, if the concussion was relatively severe at the time of injury and subsequent complications or sequelae occur, then the rest period may need to be appropriately extended, possibly to about a month, depending on the patient's specific symptoms. In the vast majority of cases, resting for two weeks is generally sufficient for returning to normal work and study without involving any special issues. As long as medical advice is followed and treatment is correctly administered, many concussions can heal completely.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
38sec home-news-image

How to identify a concussion

The first patient has a history of head trauma. The second patient's CT scan did not reveal any substantive changes in brain tissue. The third patient may exhibit some clinical symptoms, such as transient consciousness disorders, typically lasting no more than half an hour. There is also recent memory loss; the patient cannot recall the incident. Additionally, the patient experiences self-reported symptoms of dizziness, headache, nausea, loss of appetite, insomnia, memory decline, and lack of concentration. With these medical histories, some CT scans, and symptoms, a concussion can be diagnosed.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
38sec home-news-image

How to diagnose a concussion?

Concussion typically involves functional impairment of brain activities. His head CT showed no organic damage. The main clinical symptoms include transient consciousness disturbances and recent memory loss after the injury. Some patients may experience significant symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and insomnia, among other clinical symptoms. For concussion patients, the first step is to conduct a head CT to rule out intracranial organic injuries, followed by cerebrospinal fluid examination, and then an electroencephalogram test.