Post-concussion syndrome is diagnosed clinically, when symptoms following a head injury persist beyond the expected recovery period. There is no confirmatory test; imaging is typically normal, which does not mean the symptoms are not real. Assessment covers the injury, the timeline of each symptom, a neurological examination, and often specific evaluation of balance and eye movements.
Post-concussion syndrome is diagnosed clinically, when symptoms following a head injury persist beyond the expected recovery period. There is no confirmatory test; imaging is typically normal, which does not mean the symptoms are not real. Assessment covers the injury, the timeline of each symptom, a neurological examination, and often specific evaluation of balance and eye movements.
Persisting symptoms group into four areas that overlap. Physical: headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, sensitivity to light and noise. Cognitive: difficulty concentrating, slowed thinking, memory problems, described by most people as brain fog. Emotional: irritability, anxiety, low mood, emotional lability. Sleep: difficulty falling asleep, sleeping excessively, or waking unrefreshed. Sleep disturbance deserves particular attention because it worsens every other cluster, and treating it often improves the whole picture.
CT and MRI look at structure, and concussion is a disturbance of function rather than a visible structural injury. A normal scan is therefore expected and does not cast doubt on the diagnosis. This is worth stating plainly, because people are frequently told their scan is normal and infer that nothing is wrong or that they are not believed. Imaging is arranged when there are red flags rather than routinely, and it is performed externally since these offices have no imaging suite.
The history covers the injury itself, the timeline of each symptom, and what has been tried. Examination includes a full neurological assessment and often specific attention to balance and eye movements, since vestibular and oculomotor dysfunction are common and treatable contributors. Several maintaining factors are worth identifying: medication overuse headache from frequent analgesic use, untreated sleep disruption, deconditioning from prolonged rest, and untreated anxiety about the symptoms themselves.
Clinical Neurology Specialists has been physician-owned since 1998, when Leo Germin, M.D., FAANEM founded it. Five board-certified neurologists and four advanced practice providers see patients at the Las Vegas and Henderson offices, each with its own AANEM-accredited electrodiagnostic laboratory.
Clinical Neurology Specialists is an adult outpatient neurology practice for patients 18 and older. The practice performs no surgery and operates no imaging suite, infusion suite or interventional pain programme, and provides no emergency or inpatient care.
Physician-reviewed. Reviewed by the physicians of Clinical Neurology Specialists — board-certified neurologists, AANEM-accredited electrodiagnostic laboratories, physician-owned since 1998. Reviewed 1 August 2026. This article is general education for adults 18 and older and is not a substitute for a consultation.
Sources and further reading: MedlinePlus: traumatic brain injury; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; American Academy of Neurology.
Adults 18 and older, at the Las Vegas and Henderson offices. Call 702-804-1212 or request an appointment online.