Navigating the Health Care System

Your doctor or nurse practitioner will determine if you had a concussion. You may want to ask about:

• Whether your symptoms are typical and “normal” after concussion
• Expected timeline for recovery
• How to manage and monitor your symptoms
• What you can do to manage stress
• When and how you can return to your usual activities

Often it is helpful to see your family doctor or nurse practitioner 1-2 weeks after your injury to monitor your symptoms.

You may find it helpful to understand and manage your symptoms by recording a few things. This can include tracking your medication, which strategies are helpful for managing your symptoms, and questions for your family doctor.

You can work with your family doctor to develop, monitor, and revise your treatment plan by completing pages 4-6 of the document Information to Bring to Your Family Dr./Primary Care Provider [pdf].

Then, bring the completed document to your appointment with your family doctor.

If you have prolonged symptoms after concussion, your doctor or nurse practitioner may:

• Re-assess your symptoms
• Review your prescribed and over the counter medications/supplements, and the use of alcohol or marijuana, or other drugs
• Check for other health conditions that might be contributing to your prolonged symptoms
• Ask about emotional or social factors that might be affecting your recovery

Your family doctor or nurse practitioner may provide a referral to a clinic that specializes in concussion and/or other providers. The referral would depend on your injury, symptoms, pre-injury health, and the results of your medical exam and tests.

Your family doctor or nurse practitioner may also provide referrals to specialized individual providers for prolonged symptoms such as depression or anxiety, headaches or dizziness.