Most concussions are mild and highly treatable. The best way to prevent long-term problems is to seek treatment right away. “When seeking treatment for a suspected concussion, sooner is better,” Dr. Trbovich says. “We recently published a study that showed patients who are initially evaluated within the first week of their concussion recovered faster, meaning they felt better sooner. The sooner we can evaluate, the sooner we can initiate the treatment plan.”  Health care professionals typically start with an exam to determine if the patient has a concussion and identify the type of concussion. Knowing the type of concussion helps to determine the best way to treat it. “A couple of decades ago, patients were told to go home and rest until they felt better. We have learned that this does not work most of the time. Now, we are able to do comprehensive, detailed evaluations and we can target specific impairments and symptoms with different therapies and behavioral management strategies,” says Dr. Trbovich.  Physical and mental rest are important for recovery with certain types of concussions, but patients often need more specific treatments, such as physical therapy, vestibular therapy, and even physical workouts. For people suffering from headaches, over-the-counter pain relievers are often recommended, although these sometimes aren’t effective or may cause rebound headaches.