Why is my mild concussion taking so long to resolve?

[annabanana5000]

I suffered a concussion 4 months ago when I fell during a parade with my high school band.  My mom took me to the ER and I was diagnosed with a concussion. I had a CT scan and nothing was out of the ordinary, and it seemed to just be a mild concussion.
4 months later, I'm still having issues. I'm a junior in high school and concentration and memory issues made me switch out of all of my honors classes into regular ones and drop both math and science completely. I can still barely focus on anything school-related and I have a complete lack of motivation to do anything related to my schoolwork. I don't understand how a mild concussion can take so long to heal. I know people on the football team who have gotten knocked out and have severe concussions that lasted only a month. All I did was fall over and I didn't even hit my head, so why is mine so much worse now?

[caregiver222]

I am very curious how any physician diagnosed you with a concusion as you state you "didn't even hit my head". One of the key questions is whether there was a loss of consciousness and if so, did it take place before the fall or as a result, of the fall. If you did not hit your head I do not see how you could have had a concusion. It is possible there was another neurological event responsible for the problem. There are also liability issues for the school if this took place as a school activity and there are long-lasting problems. The school should be eating every cent of your medical bills, for starters. I would suggest you document these problems with a consult at a teaching hospital that specializes in brain injuries, ask them about an MRA/MRI (not a CT), and have your mom consult an attorney regarding school liability.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
A concussion can last for weeks or maybe years after the head injury. The symptoms too vary from person to person. Headache, confusion, memory loss, dizziness, nausea vomiting, slurred speech and fatigue are common. Delayed symptoms include depression, irritability, sleep disturbances, seizures, loss of smell etc. A doctor generally looks for focal neurological or generalized neurological symptoms that would show there is a pressure on brain somewhere. In absence of these symptoms and based on the history a diagnosis of concussion is given. So, please get another neurological examination to rule out any other problem. Learning ways to memorize things and cope with concussion will help. Please ask your doctor about it. Take care!

The medical advice given should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a doctor who can examine you. The advice may not be completely correct for you as the doctor cannot examine you and does not know your complete medical history. Hence this reply to your post should only be considered as a guiding line and you must consult your doctor at the earliest for your medical problem.