This information may cause people to focus and dwell on the idea that their brains are permanently damaged. It appears that even the expectation of symptoms may contribute to the development of PCS by causing individuals with mTBI to focus on symptoms and therefore perceive them to be more intense, to attribute symptoms that occur for other reasons to the injury, and to underestimate the rate of symptoms before the injury. Diagnosis
The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) and the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders have set out criteria for post-concussion syndrome (PCS) and post-concussional disorder (PCD), respectively. The ICD-10 established a set of diagnostic criteria for PCS in 1992. In order to meet these criteria, a patient has had a head injury "usually sufficiently severe to result in loss of consciousness" and then develop at least three of the eight symptoms marked with a check mark in the table at right under "ICD-10" within four weeks. About 38% of people who have a head injury with symptoms of concussion and no radiological evidence of brain lesions meet these criteria. In addition to these symptoms, people that meet the ICD-10 criteria for PCS may fear that they will have permanent brain damage, which may worsen the original symptoms. Preoccupation with the injury may be accompanied by the assumption of a "sick role" and hypochondriasis. The criteria focus on subjective symptoms and mention that neuropsychological evidence of significant impairment is not present.
Post-concussion syndrome (PCS) is a set of symptoms that may continue for weeks, months, or a year or more after a concussion – a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). About 15–30% of people with concussion develop persistent or prolonged symptoms associated with the injury. Prolonged concussion is defined as having concussion symptoms for over four weeks following the first accident in youth and for weeks or months in adults.A diagnosis may be made when symptoms resulting from concussion last for more than three months after the injury. Loss of consciousness is not required for a diagnosis of concussion or post-concussion syndrome.Though there is no specific treatment for PCS, symptoms can be improved with medications and physical and behavioral therapy. Education about symptoms and details about expectation of recovery are important. The majority of PCS cases resolve after a period of time. Signs and symptoms
In the past, the term PCS was also used to refer to immediate physical symptoms or post-concussive symptoms following a minor TBI or concussion. The severity of these symptoms typically decreases rapidly. In addition, the nature of the symptoms may change over time: acute symptoms are most commonly of a physical nature, while persisting symptoms tend to be predominantly psychological. Symptoms such as noise sensitivity, problems with concentration and memory, irritability, depression, and anxiety may be called late symptoms because they generally do not occur immediately after the injury, but rather in the days or weeks after the injury. Nausea and drowsiness commonly occur acutely following concussion.