If this is an emergency, call 911. Go to an emergency department or call 911 right away for a headache that keeps getting worse, repeated vomiting, seizures, weakness or numbness, slurred speech, unusual confusion, one pupil larger than the other, or if someone cannot be woken. This article is general education, not medical advice, and it does not create a doctor-patient relationship.
The short answer
Concussion recovery: a typical timeline
- First days to about 4 weeksMost people recover in this window.
- Beyond about 4 weeksCalled persisting symptoms: a reasonable point to reassess.
- Months laterA meaningful minority still report symptoms or limitations.
Most people recover from a concussion within days to a few weeks. A meaningful minority still have symptoms months later. In one large US study of patients seen at Level I trauma centers, 53% of people with mild traumatic brain injury reported at least some injury-related limitation in daily life a year later, compared with 38% of people with orthopedic injuries (Nelson et al., 2019). If your symptoms have lasted beyond about four weeks, are getting worse rather than better, or you have been told "everything looks normal" without a plan, a second opinion can be a reasonable step. Its purpose is to review the diagnosis, check whether anything was missed, and help you and your own doctors decide what comes next.
Reported any injury-related limitation 1 year after injury
Why symptoms can persist
When I look at persistent post-concussion symptoms, I try to remember that "concussion" is a label for an injury, not a single disease. Months later, the same headache, dizziness or brain fog can come from several different sources. These include:
- Neck injury. Whiplash-type injuries can happen at the same time and can produce similar symptoms.
- Vestibular (inner ear and balance) or vision problems.
- Sleep disruption, mood changes and anxiety. These are common after injury and treatable, and they are not a sign that the symptoms are "all in your head."
- Less common structural findings that standard CT does not show.
The 2022 international consensus statement on concussion in sport advises against strict rest and supports early light activity and targeted rehabilitation. The 2021 VA/DoD guideline organizes care around the specific symptoms that persist. (Patricios et al., 2023; VA/DoD, 2021)
When to seek a second opinion
Consider asking for a second opinion if any of these apply to you:
- Symptoms have lasted more than 4 weeks (adults) with little improvement.
- Symptoms are getting worse over time, or new symptoms have appeared.
- You were told to rest in a dark room for a long period and have not been given a plan to return to activity.
- Your imaging was "normal" and you were given no explanation for your ongoing symptoms.
- You have had more than one concussion and are unsure about returning to sport or work.
- Different clinicians have given you conflicting explanations.
- You are considering an expensive or unproven treatment and want an independent view of the evidence.
New or sudden symptoms, such as a severe sudden headache, weakness or confusion, are not a reason for a second opinion. They are a reason to call 911.
What a second opinion can and can't do
It can:
- Review your records, imaging reports and timeline with fresh eyes.
- Tell you whether the working diagnosis fits the evidence, or whether other explanations deserve a look.
- Suggest questions, tests or specialist referrals to discuss with your treating doctors.
- Explain what the research does and does not show about options you are considering.
It can't:
- Replace your treating physicians or provide ongoing care, prescriptions or emergency care.
- Guarantee a new diagnosis, a different answer or a particular outcome.
- Perform a hands-on physical examination over video. Some findings need an in-person exam.
- Settle legal or insurance disputes. A medical second opinion is not a forensic or legal evaluation.
How a second opinion works
- Register interestJoin the waitlist. Bookings are not yet open.
- Send records securelyReports, imaging and notes by secure email or fax. Nothing through the website.
- Physician reviewDr. Hadanny reviews your records and the relevant evidence before the visit.
- Video visitA secure video consultation while you are in Florida, New York or Arizona.
- Written opinionA written summary for you to share with your own doctors, who continue your care.
What to prepare
The more complete your records, the more useful the review. Helpful items include:
- A short timeline: date and mechanism of injury, and how symptoms have changed since. Please keep it factual. You do not need to write an essay.
- Emergency department and urgent care notes from the time of injury.
- Imaging reports, and where possible the images themselves (CT, MRI) on disc or through a secure image-sharing link.
- Notes from neurology, sports medicine, physical therapy, vestibular or vision therapy, and neuropsychological testing.
- A current list of medications and supplements, including how often you take pain relievers.
- Your specific questions, written down. Three to five focused questions work best.
How records are sent: Records are sent through a secure, encrypted channel or by secure fax, using instructions we provide after enrollment. Please never send medical records or health details by regular email, web forms or social media.
Frequently asked questions
How long is too long for concussion symptoms? Most adults improve within about a month. Symptoms that last beyond that are often called "persisting symptoms." This does not mean something is permanently wrong, but it is a reasonable point to reassess.
My CT and MRI were normal. Does that mean nothing is wrong? Not necessarily. Routine CT is used mainly to look for bleeding, swelling and fractures. Concussion can be diagnosed even when scans are normal, and many people with ongoing symptoms have normal routine imaging. A normal scan is reassuring about some serious problems, but it does not explain the symptoms.
Is this a video visit? Yes. Second opinions are by secure video for adults located in Florida, New York or Arizona at the time of the visit.
Will you treat me afterward? A second opinion is a consultation. The written summary is meant to be shared with your own doctors, who continue your care.
References
- Nelson LD, Temkin NR, Dikmen S, et al; TRACK-TBI Investigators. Recovery after mild traumatic brain injury in patients presenting to US Level I trauma centers: a Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury (TRACK-TBI) study. JAMA Neurol. 2019;76(9):1049-1059. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2019.1313. (Erratum: JAMA Neurol. 2019;76(12):1520.) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31157856/
- Patricios JS, Schneider KJ, Dvorak J, et al. Consensus statement on concussion in sport: the 6th International Conference on Concussion in Sport-Amsterdam, October 2022. Br J Sports Med. 2023;57(11):695-711. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2023-106898. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37316210/
- Silverberg ND, Iverson GL; ACRM Brain Injury Special Interest Group Mild TBI Task Force members; ACRM Mild TBI Diagnostic Criteria Expert Consensus Group. The American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine diagnostic criteria for mild traumatic brain injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2023;104(8):1343-1355. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37211140/
- Carroll LJ, Cassidy JD, Cancelliere C, et al. Systematic review of the prognosis after mild traumatic brain injury in adults: cognitive, psychiatric, and mortality outcomes: results of the International Collaboration on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Prognosis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2014;95(3 Suppl):S152-S173. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24581903/
- Leddy JJ, Haider MN, Ellis MJ, et al. Early subthreshold aerobic exercise for sport-related concussion: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2019;173(4):319-325. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30715132/ (adolescent population)
- US Department of Veterans Affairs / Department of Defense. VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management and Rehabilitation of Post-Acute Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI). Version 2021. https://www.healthquality.va.gov/guidelines/Rehab/mtbi/
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms of Mild TBI and Concussion (danger signs). https://www.cdc.gov/traumatic-brain-injury/signs-symptoms/index.html
- Yuh EL, Mukherjee P, Lingsma HF, et al; TRACK-TBI Investigators. Magnetic resonance imaging improves 3-month outcome prediction in mild traumatic brain injury. Ann Neurol. 2013;73(2):224-235. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23224915/
Reviewer note: refs 1-5 and 8 were verified against PubMed records (authors, title, journal, year, volume, pages) on 2026-11-11. Author lists follow AMA style (first 3 + et al when more than 6 authors). Ref 6 was verified on the VA page. Ref 7 was confirmed by search, but the CDC site blocks automated fetches.
Video second opinions are not yet open for booking. If you would like to hear when they open, you can join the waitlist. We only ask for your name, email and state. Please don't include any health information.
This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship. If this is an emergency, call 911.