Acute Concussion Assessment and Management in the Emergency Department

Purpose of review This review summarizes how a concussion is defined and diagnosed. We seek to give physicians and other providers a better understanding of the tools available to help diagnose and manage concussion in the Emergency Department. Recent findings There is a paucity of research on how to diagnose and manage concussion in the Emergency Department. What has been done has demonstrated that there are patients with concussion who are not being diagnosed correctly or given proper discharge instructions on their condition. Most of the existing research focuses on sports-specific concussion. Summary Emergency Department physicians have an opportunity to correctly diagnose concussions and ensure patients have a plan for follow-up care and for gradual return to activity.