Navigating the Maze: Challenges and Difficulties in Managing Concussion Patients

Adrian Rawlinson MD
4 min readSep 18, 2023

Concussions, often referred to as mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI), are a common occurrence in today’s fast-paced world. Whether caused by sports-related incidents, accidents, or falls, managing a patient who has sustained a concussion can be a complex and multifaceted challenge for healthcare professionals. While concussions are generally considered mild in comparison to more severe traumatic brain injuries, their management presents its own unique set of difficulties. This article explores the challenges and difficulties healthcare providers face when caring for patients who have sustained a concussion.

  1. Underreporting and Misdiagnosis

One of the foremost challenges in managing concussion patients is underreporting and misdiagnosis. Many individuals fail to recognize the symptoms of a concussion or downplay their severity, which can lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, healthcare providers might misdiagnose concussions as other conditions due to the wide array of symptoms they present. This can result in inappropriate treatment and potentially exacerbate the injury.

2. Heterogeneity of Symptoms

Concussions manifest differently in each patient, making them a complex puzzle for healthcare providers to solve…

--

--

Adrian Rawlinson MD

Entrepreneurial physician executive, strategic leader, and digital healthcare product innovator.