This is a post where we tell you not to come see us. If any of the signs below fit, please stop reading and get to an emergency room.
Why we're sending you elsewhere
A concussion is a brain injury. Diagnosing and managing one is a medical job, and so is ruling out something more serious, like bleeding inside the skull. A chiropractor's office isn't set up for that, and we don't treat concussions. Our job after a crash is the spine and the soft tissue around it, once head injury has been dealt with.
You can hit your head in a crash without knowing it. You can also get a concussion without hitting anything at all, because the brain can be jolted inside the skull by the sudden stop.
Go to the ER or call 911 for any of these
- Passing out, even for a few seconds
- A headache that is severe or keeps getting worse
- Vomiting more than once
- Confusion, memory gaps, or not recognizing people or places
- Slurred speech, or trouble finding words
- Unusual drowsiness, or being very hard to wake
- One pupil larger than the other
- Weakness, numbness, or loss of coordination
- A seizure
- Clear fluid or blood coming from the nose or ears
This list isn't exhaustive. If something seems wrong to you, or to someone who knows you well, trust that.
What to tell the ER
Say how the crash happened: speed, direction, whether you hit your head or were jolted, and whether you blacked out for even a moment. Mention every symptom you've noticed, even ones that seem unrelated, like nausea or ringing in your ears. If someone was in the car with you, bring them. They often notice confusion before you do.
Milder signs still deserve a doctor
Not every concussion looks dramatic. After a crash, you might notice things like a lingering headache, feeling foggy or "slowed down," trouble concentrating, sensitivity to light or noise, dizziness, or sleep that's gone strange. None of these is an emergency by itself, but they're reasons to be evaluated by a physician, ideally soon, and to tell the person examining you exactly how the crash happened.
Don't drive if you're dizzy, foggy, or having trouble focusing. Ask someone to take you. Once a doctor has cleared you, getting back to driving and work after a crash covers the practical side.
Children and older adults can show these signs differently, and sometimes more quietly. With either, lean toward getting checked. And once a doctor has examined you, follow their instructions about rest and returning to normal activity. That's their call to make, not ours.
If you're not sure whether it counts
A decent rule: if you're debating whether a symptom is serious enough, treat that as your answer and get it checked. Call your doctor or a nurse advice line, or go in. Nobody gets turned away for being careful with a head injury.
Timing matters too. Head-injury symptoms can appear hours or even a few days after the crash. If you start feeling foggy, headachy, or off a few days later, don't assume it's just stress. Get evaluated.
What about the neck?
Neck strain and concussion often travel together, since the same jolt can cause both. After a medical provider has checked you and cleared anything urgent, it's reasonable to have your neck and back looked at, and depending on what an exam finds, care may include gentle spinal adjustments. Headaches that stem from a strained neck are one thing we can examine. See our guide on headaches after a car accident for more.
If you're not sure where to go, our breakdown of ER, urgent care, primary care, and chiropractic may help. And if the crash was recent, what to do in the first 72 hours walks through the first few days.
Our auto injury page explains how we work with patients from Milwaukie, Gladstone, Oregon City, and Oak Grove, and our contact page is the easiest way to reach the front desk.
Cleared by a doctor and still sore?
Once head injury has been ruled out, we can examine your neck and back.