Post-concussion syndrome is a little-known condition that can have an enduring impact on a person’s physical and mental health, as well as their cognitive abilities and behaviors.
What Is Post-Concussion Syndrome?
A concussion is a form of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, that occurs when a person’s brain undergoes a rapid back-and-forth or twisting motion. Common causes of concussions include blunt force impacts such as hitting your head against a hard object, being hit in the head by a fist or projectile, or experiencing a sudden jolt.
Usually, a person who suffers a concussion can expect to endure headaches, dizziness, minor cognitive impairments, and a variety of other short-term symptoms. Depending on the severity of the injury, these symptoms usually last from a few days to a week or two.
Unfortunately, not everyone recovers so quickly.
Some people continue to feel the effects of their concussion for months or even years. Medical and mental health professionals refer to this experience as post-concussion syndrome, or PCS. It is sometimes also called post-concussive syndrome or postconcussional syndrome.
How Common Is Post-Concussion Syndrome?
Concussions are surprisingly common injuries. One recent study reported a past-year prevalence of about 3.3% among adults in the United States and about 2.2% among those ages 17 and younger. This works out to more than 8.6 million annual concussions among adults and about 1.6 million among children and teens.
Since people often don’t seek medical treatment for concussions, it is difficult to determine how many experience the long-term symptoms that are characteristic of post-concussion syndrome. According to the Cleveland Clinic, experts estimate that about 15% of concussions result in PCS, though many researchers believe that the actual rate is much higher.
The 15% estimate would mean that about 1.3 million adults, 240,000 children, and teens develop post-concussion syndrome every year in the U.S. alone.
Symptoms and Causes
Many symptoms of post-concussion syndrome are similar to those of a typical concussion, except that they last much longer and may intensify. Also, the continued presence of these symptoms may also cause a range of additional physical, mental, and behavioral challenges.
What Are the Symptoms of Post-Concussion Syndrome?
Common symptoms of post-concussion syndrome include:
- Headaches
- Neck pain
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Blurred or double vision
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Increase sensitivity to light and sound
- Persistent fatigue
- Abnormal sleep patterns (insomnia or hypersomnia)
- Memory problems
- Difficulty focusing or concentrating
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Lack of motivation
- Uncharacteristic aggression
- Suicidal ideation
What Causes Post-Concussion Syndrome?
The one common element among people who develop post-concussion syndrome is that they incurred a mild TBI. However, with evidence suggesting that 85% of people with concussions do not develop PCS, it’s clear that other risk factors must be at play.
The next section addresses the personal and experiential factors that can increase the likelihood that someone who has a concussion will develop post-concussion syndrome.
What Are the Risk Factors?
Several traits and experiences can increase a person’s risk for developing PCS in the aftermath of a concussion. Including:
- Age: PCS is most common among people in the 20-30 age range.
- Gender: Post-concussion syndrome is more common among women and girls than among men and boys. However, some sources suggest that this may be due to female patients seeking medical care more frequently than males.
- History of head injuries: People who have had multiple concussions have an elevated risk of PCS.
- Developing a large number of concussion symptoms, or especially severe symptoms
- Experiencing concussion complications such as brain bleeding or skull fracture
- Having certain mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
How Is Post-Concussion Syndrome Diagnosed?
The process of diagnosing post-concussion syndrome can involve several steps, including:
- Physical examinations
- Brain imaging, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT) scans.
- Neurological tests, which can include assessments of the patient’s balance, gait, coordination, and reflexes
- Written or oral tests to evaluate the patient’s cognitive abilities
- Mental health assessments to identify mood-related concerns
- Vision and hearing tests
How Is Post-Concussion Syndrome Treated, And Is There a Cure?
Post-concussion syndrome is not typically considered to be a curable condition. Instead, treatment usually focuses on easing pain, managing symptoms, and helping people make the changes that will allow them to resume all normal activities over time.
Depending on a range of individual factors, a person’s care for post-concussion syndrome may include:
- Rest: One of the most important parts of treatment for PCS is giving the brain time to heal itself. This includes both physical and mental rest, so someone with post-concussion syndrome may need to take time away from school or work, then gradually resume these activities as their symptoms begin to subside.
- Medication: Prescription and over-the-counter medications can alleviate distress associated with intense headaches, nausea, and many other PCS symptoms.
- Physical therapy: Researchers have found that appropriate amounts of active physical therapy – which may include light jogging, stationary biking, sport-specific training exercises, and visualization techniques – can be valuable elements of care.
- Vestibular therapy: This is a specialized type of physical therapy that addresses challenges such as dizziness, balance problems, vertigo, and gaze instability.
- Occupational therapy: Contrary to a popular misconception, occupational therapy is not limited to work-related tasks. Instead, this type of therapy helps people improve their capabilities in all activities of daily life, such as personal care, getting dressed, cooking, and navigating stairways.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Though CBT does not directly address the brain injury itself, research indicates that its ability to address anxiety, depression, and other mental and behavioral effects of PCS can make it a valuable component of treatment.
What Is the Best Treatment for Post-Concussion Syndrome?
There is no single best treatment that works for everyone who has post-concussion syndrome. Due to the many factors that can influence the onset of PCS and the severity of its symptoms, approaches that are ideal for one person may offer little to no benefit to someone else.
If you are seeking treatment for post-concussion syndrome for yourself or a loved one, it is important to find a provider who can conduct a thorough assessment, then develop a customized plan to address your unique needs.
Contact Renewal Health Group to Discuss Post-Concussion Syndrome Treatment
Renewal Health Group offers a full range of customized services for adults. These services support those facing mental or behavioral health challenges caused by post-concussion syndrome. We also provide dual diagnosis programming to patients who have been living with addictions and co-occurring mental health conditions.
Treatment options at our centers in Southern California and Arizona include detoxification (detox), residential rehab, and multiple outpatient programs.
To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, please visit our Contact page or call us today.
Published: 5/29/2025
John Ingham is a nationally respected mental health and addiction recovery advocate with nearly a decade of professional and lived experience—from overcoming heroin and meth addiction to shaping public health policy alongside White House appointees, state legislators, and Nashville’s Ryan White Foundation. Based in Sparta, Tennessee, he has influenced landmark legislation (HB1486), lectured at UT Austin and Vanderbilt, appeared in an Emmy-winning documentary, and driven go-to-market strategies for behavioral health centers. A pioneer in telehealth and patient-centered care, John and his wife also steward a 7-acre homestead, and he looks forward to becoming a father in October 2025—all while building a legacy of truth, recovery, and community.
- John Inghamhttps://renewalrecovery.com/author/john/
- John Inghamhttps://renewalrecovery.com/author/john/
- John Inghamhttps://renewalrecovery.com/author/john/
- John Inghamhttps://renewalrecovery.com/author/john/
