TBI / Concussion after a car accident
Concussion and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury After a Car Accident.
You don't have to lose consciousness to have a concussion. And many ERs clear patients who shouldn't have been cleared. If you're not feeling like yourself after a crash, you deserve a real evaluation.
What concussion actually is
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury caused by rapid acceleration-deceleration of the brain inside the skull. It doesn't require head impact — the inertial forces of a collision are enough. CT scans typically show nothing because the injury is functional, not structural.
Symptoms typically include:
- Headache, often worse with exertion
- Cognitive fog, difficulty concentrating
- Light or sound sensitivity
- Sleep disruption
- Fatigue out of proportion to activity
- Mood changes, irritability, anxiety
- Balance issues, motion sensitivity
- Visual symptoms (blurring, difficulty tracking)
Why concussions get missed
ER protocols are designed to rule out severe brain injury — bleeding, swelling, structural damage. They're not designed to identify mild TBI, especially when the patient is alert and oriented at the time of evaluation. "CT was negative" doesn't mean "no concussion."
Symptoms also tend to develop and intensify over the first 24–72 hours after the accident, well after most ER discharges.
How we evaluate it
Your initial visit includes:
- Detailed history of the accident and symptom progression
- Cognitive screening
- Vestibular and oculomotor testing
- Cervical spine evaluation (often co-injured)
- Symptom inventory tracking over time
- Referral to neurology or specialty concussion clinic for complex cases
How we treat it
Treatment addresses the multi-system effects:
- Vestibular and oculomotor rehabilitation — for balance and visual symptoms
- Cervical treatment — since cervical injury and concussion symptoms strongly overlap
- Activity pacing and graded return-to-function — protocols matched to symptom load
- Education and symptom management — for sleep, mood, and cognitive recovery
What recovery typically looks like
Recovery is highly variable. Many patients improve substantially within 4–8 weeks. Others have a longer course requiring sustained, structured rehabilitation.
PIP coverage
TBI / Concussion treatment is covered by your Texas PIP.
We bill your auto insurer directly. You pay $0 out of pocket.
Don't wait — tbi / concussion responds best to early treatment.
Call us to verify your PIP and book your exam this week.