Ifyouhavetoomanyofthosesymptoms, they'lldiagnoseyouwith a concussionandsendyouhomewiththeadvicetorest, avoidbrightlights, andessentiallywaittorecover.
Butmanyconcussion-relatedsymptomsaren't necessarilytheresultof a braininjury.
A headachecouldactuallybetheresultof a neckinjury; dizziness a consequenceofaninner-earproblem; andunexpectedfatiguecouldbeduetoemotionaltrauma, oreven a symptomofpreexistingdepressionratherthanrecentinjury.
It's kindoflikeif a doctorweretodiagnoseyouwith "chestpain" andprescribe a generictreatmentwithoutdeterminingifthepainiscomingfromyourheart, yourlungs, oryourribs.
Andevenwhenthesymptomsarecausedby a braininjury, there's a smallchancetheinjurycouldbemoreseverethan a concussiondiagnosisimplies.
It's partlybecause a concussionissimpler—doctorscanask a fewquestions, diagnosethepatientwith a concussion, sendthemhome, andmoveon, andinlotsofcases, thepatientwillbefine.
It's partlybecause a simplediagnosisbenefitsinfluentialsportsorganizations, wholikethatathleteswithconcussionscanbeclearedtoreturntoplaymuchsoonerthaniftheywerediagnosedwith a moresevereinjury.
And, it's partlybecausetheconfusionaroundtheterm "concussion" mucksuptheavailabledata, sowedon't exactlyknowhowbigof a problemitis.