Concussion Care

The Rush Approach to Concussion Care

A head injury — especially a concussion — can be scary. It’s natural to worry about how the injury will impact your life, especially if you’ve had prior concussions or have severe or lingering symptoms.

For any head injury, it’s important to get medical attention right away to rule out any life-threatening complications, like bleeding of the brain.

Being evaluated by a concussion specialist is the best next step. Research has shown that the sooner you see a concussion specialist, like the experts at Rush, the sooner you recover. 

At Rush, we want you to know that whatever effects you’re experiencing after your head injury — including symptoms that last beyond the initial three-week recovery period — it doesn’t have to be your new normal. There are proven concussion treatments, and our multidisciplinary concussion team has the expertise to know which approaches can help you feel and function better. 

Rush Excellence in Concussion Care

• Complete concussion care tailored to you: You can receive comprehensive concussion care at multiple Rush locations. And your care will be deeply personalized, because no two people experience concussion the same way. Our experts take the time to understand the nature of your injury and symptoms, as well as your physical and mental health history, career, family and lifestyle. This comprehensive information enables us to set appropriate goals for your recovery, and create a treatment plan to ensure your safe return to work, school, sports and other activities.
• Active rehabilitation: At Rush, concussion treatment begins as soon as possible after the initial recovery period. Research shows that active rehabilitation is more effective in aiding recovery than a long period of rest. Our team of neuropsychologists, neurologists, primary care sports medicine physicians, physiatrists and physical therapists will work with you to address lingering symptoms like headaches or neck pain. And we'll gradually increase your activity level and help you regain any lost function, such as balance or coordination.
• Identifying concussion earlier: It's hard to diagnose concussion without a baseline test for comparison, and most people don't have one. The concussion team at Rush University Medical Center is using a new diagnostic tool called EyeBOX that doesn't require a baseline test. EyeBOX uses eye-tracking to confirm or deny a concussion in minutes — a fast and accurate diagnosis, so you can start treatment and feel better sooner.
• Convenient baseline cognitive testing: If you have not had an ImpACT cognitive test and want one, we offer this test at various locations across the Rush system for athletes 11 years of age and older. It’s recommended for those who participate in contact sports or have learning disabilities. Our experts use the information from baseline cognitive tests to assess recovery after a brain injury.
• Advanced balance training: If you experience lingering balance problems after a brain injury, Rush balance specialists can help. Experts with our vestibular rehabilitation programs use state-of-the-art assessment and training tools, like the Bertec System and the NeuroCom Balance Master. These innovative tools objectively measure your balance and identifies deficits, then train you to overcome those deficits. This training can help you regain your ability to safely move around, including avoiding falls.