Persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms (Post-Concussion Syndrome)

Post-concussion syndrome (PCS) is when you have concussion symptoms that last months or even a year or more after your initial injury. The symptoms can affect you in many ways, including how your body and brain function, as well as how you experience emotions.

Usually, concussion symptoms go away within two to six weeks after you experience an injury. People receive a PCS diagnosis when their concussion symptoms continue (persist) for much longer. Some symptoms are extremely subtle. Because of that, it’s a good idea to pay attention to your body and trust your instincts if something doesn’t feel right after you’ve had a concussion.

You should get immediate help if you have thoughts about harming yourself or others, or if you suspect someone is in danger of harming themselves.

Persistent post-concussion syndrome

There’s only one subtype of post-concussion syndrome. Persistent post-concussion syndrome is when symptoms continue for an extremely long time. The time limit on this varies and often falls to a healthcare provider’s judgment. Providers commonly use this diagnosis when symptoms last longer than three months, six months or even a year after an injury.

How common is post-concussion syndrome?

Concussions are fairly common, but it’s hard for experts to estimate the exact number of people that experience one each year. Many people who suffer a concussion don’t seek medical care. Experts estimate that there are between 1.6 million and 4 million new cases of concussions in the U.S. each year.

Studies estimate that about 15% of people with a concussion will also experience PCS. However, researchers also have strong reason to believe that’s an underestimation. Some of the reasons for that include:

• People going without medical care. As noted above, not everyone with a concussion gets medical attention. That may also be true for many whose symptoms last long enough to be PCS.
• No widely agreed upon criteria. Different organizations have different criteria for PCS, and some have changed their criteria over time.

PCS is tricky to diagnose. Some concussion symptoms are difficult to detect. Emotional and behavioral changes are examples of this. In the hospital, they may not stand out, or a healthcare provider might not have a way to know how a person usually behaves. That can make it hard to spot behavioral changes due to a concussion.