Rarely is consultation warranted in the ED once the diagnosis is made. Outpatient referral is the cornerstone of treatment. Outpatient care is the cornerstone of treatment and involves multidisciplinary teams that provide testing and treatment, including cognitive rehabilitation, psychotherapy, stress management, vocational counseling, and pain management. A neurologist, physical medicine specialist, primary care physician, or psychologist specializing in these disorders usually coordinates treatment. This approach is particularly important in young adults, who have a higher incidence of head injury than do others.
Most patients recover fully.
Patients who are not better within 1 year will probably not get better. Education about the usual symptoms may be helpful. Discussions concerning preparation for the graded resumption of vocational and academic routines may lessen PCS persistence. Patients are likely to experience difficulty with symptoms when neurologic examinations, psychological assessments, and physical examinations reveal limited evidence of or explanation for the persistence of the symptoms. Practitioners may be confused about complaints when objective evidence is not present.