Suggest treatment for pressure in the head after straining neck
Patient: Hi, This past sunday I was running near a pool, slipped and hit my head. However, the hit did not leave a bump and I did not have any signs of a concussion. Also later in the night, my friend and I were play wrestling and I think he strained my neck a little. One day later, I started to experience pressure in the back of the head and a slight feeling of being spaced out. Everything else, however, is fine. What do you recommend I do / how long do you think these symptoms will last. Thanks Doctor: Hi,  My best advice is that you be checked out by a doctor who is experienced in examining for and diagnosing concussions and traumatic brain injuries. Even though you say you had no signs or symptoms of a concussion you're not a trained expert.    Taking a direct fall on solid concrete while running and striking your head almost invariably causes symptoms of a concussion which doesn't mean you have to have lost consciousness or been suffering from major headaches immediately afterwards.    You may very well be exhibiting symptoms of what we call postconcussive syndrome and these can last from several days to several months and in rare cases, several years.   If you are feeling "spaced out" then, at the very least I would recommend getting a CT scan of the brain and if I were your treating or examining neurologist I would likely order an MRI of the brain which can demonstrate contusions of the brain much better than any other testing sequence.  Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.  Regards, Dr. Dariush Saghafi, Neurologist