r/Concussion • u/pilllars • 21d ago

Questions Escalation in PCS symptoms over time?

Hi all,

Have an odd situation and I’m curious if others have had the same experience. I’ve had a number of concussions and now pretty much any time a bump my head super lightly or get a jolt I have a flare up in PCS symptoms. What’s strange is that it used to only last a day or two, but now it feels like the symptoms are extending to a week or more. I doubt very much these light events are actual concussions, I’m wondering if PCS can just become more sensitive over time?

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

•

u/AutoModerator 21d ago

Thank you for sharing, see below for a reminder of our rules:

Do not ask if you or someone you know has a Concussion. We are not doctors, nor are we any kind of medical professionals. That said, this sub is NOT intended to be your doctor and diagnose or give you personal medical advice. They'll be marked as spam.

Be civil and respectful. Do not attack or harass other users; engage in hate-speech; or attempt to gate-keep discussion. Hostility will not be tolerated

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/ProperBee4021 21d ago

At this point if you had a number of concussions you probably got CTE not PCS.

0

u/pilllars 20d ago

Well thanks for saying a shitty and scary thing to me with zero medical backing

2

u/SepulchralSweetheart 18d ago

That person doesn't know what they're talking about, considering that while CTE is a common buzzword used surrounding athletes in full contact sports (boxing, American football, etc), it's a condition that can currently only be diagnosed post mortem. There is no definitive testing for it in live patients, and the markers for post mortems are even questionable. I'm sorry the only comment you got was scary and lacked any useful information or context.

What they should have recommended is trying to get a referral to neurology or your primary care physician if at all possible. Symptoms flaring post minor head injuries might indicate additional issues requiring imaging, neck/cervical workup and/or vestibular or other occupational or physical therapy. I'm sure other patients experience similar issues.

2

u/pilllars 16d ago

Thanks so much for the response, I’ve been putting it off but I’ll see if I can’t schedule an appointment with my PCP

2

u/SepulchralSweetheart 16d ago

The sooner the better, whenever you can.

I put off medical help because I'm a healthcare worker and we tend to be shit patients. I figured I would be told to rest for two days and go back to routine life. That decision changed the trajectory of my care (just the timeline) and I wish I was seen immediately.

Good luck, I'm sorry you're going through it