Yes. A concussion can result from a blow or jolt to the head, but it can also occur when a force to the body causes the head and brain to move rapidly. Direct head impact is not required.
Concussion and mild TBI care
Concussion evaluation and treatment after a car accident in Arizona
You do not have to hit your head to sustain a concussion. The sudden force of a collision can rapidly move the head and brain, and symptoms may include headache, dizziness, balance problems, brain fog, memory or concentration difficulty, vision changes, sensitivity to light or noise, sleep changes and emotional symptoms. AZ Injury Doctors helps connect accident patients with providers who can evaluate suspected concussion or mild traumatic brain injury and coordinate symptom-specific rehabilitation when needed.
With approximately 125 providers and 75+ communities served across Arizona, our network can coordinate concussion care alongside neurology, physical therapy, trauma counseling, pain management and other injury services. Intake is answered 24/7 — but if symptoms are severe or rapidly worsening, seek emergency medical care rather than waiting for a callback.
25
Years treating injury cases in Arizona
125
Providers in the network
75+
Communities served across Arizona
40+
Law firms we work with
A concussion is a brain injury
Symptoms can be subtle — and they do not always begin immediately.
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury, often called an mTBI. It can occur after a bump or blow to the head, but it can also result from a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly.
Some people recognize symptoms immediately. Others notice them hours or days after the accident. Concussion symptoms can affect how you feel physically, how you think and remember, how you sleep and how you respond emotionally.
Because symptoms can overlap with neck injuries, migraine, vestibular problems, psychological trauma and other conditions, evaluation matters.
The goal is not simply to label every post-accident headache as a concussion. It is to understand the full symptom pattern, identify warning signs and determine what type of care is appropriate.
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What to watch for
Concussion symptoms can affect the body, thinking, mood and sleep.
Headaches
Headache is common after concussion, but headaches after a car accident can also have other causes such as neck injury or migraine. Persistent or worsening symptoms should be evaluated.
Dizziness and balance problems
Patients may feel lightheaded, unsteady, motion-sensitive or as if the room is moving. Some symptoms may involve vestibular or visual systems.
Brain fog and slowed thinking
You may feel mentally slower than usual, have difficulty following conversations or need more time to process information.
Memory and concentration problems
Difficulty focusing, remembering recent information or completing mentally demanding tasks can occur after a mild TBI.
Light and sound sensitivity
Normal lighting, computer screens, traffic noise or busy environments may feel unusually uncomfortable.
Vision problems
Blurred vision, difficulty focusing, eye strain or other visual symptoms may occur and can require additional assessment.
Nausea
Nausea may occur, particularly early after an injury. Repeated vomiting is a danger sign that requires urgent medical attention.
Fatigue
Patients may feel unusually tired, need more rest or find that normal physical or cognitive activities take more energy.
Sleep changes
Some people have difficulty falling asleep, sleep more than usual or notice changes in their normal sleep pattern.
Mood and emotional changes
Irritability, anxiety, sadness or feeling more emotional than usual can occur after concussion. These symptoms can also overlap with psychological trauma following the accident.
Know when it is an emergency
Some symptoms after a head or body impact need immediate medical attention.
Call 911 or go to an emergency department for serious or rapidly worsening symptoms such as:
- A headache that becomes worse and does not go away
- Repeated vomiting
- Seizures or convulsions
- New weakness or numbness
- Significant loss of coordination
- Slurred speech
- Increasing confusion, agitation or unusual behavior
- One pupil appearing larger than the other
- Loss of consciousness
- Extreme drowsiness or inability to wake normally
- Any other sudden or significant neurological change
Important: AZ Injury Doctors' 24/7 intake is for care coordination. It is not a substitute for emergency medical treatment.
Evaluation before rehabilitation
Concussion is diagnosed clinically — not by one single test.
Accident and symptom history
The provider may ask how the collision occurred, whether there was direct head impact, whether you lost consciousness, whether there was confusion or memory loss, when symptoms began and how they have changed.
Physical and neurological examination
The examination may include strength, sensation, reflexes, coordination, balance, gait and other neurological findings.
Cognitive assessment
When appropriate, the provider may assess attention, memory, concentration, processing speed or other cognitive functions.
Balance, vestibular and eye-movement assessment
Dizziness, motion sensitivity, visual symptoms and balance complaints may lead to more focused vestibular or oculomotor assessment.
Review of previous medical records
Emergency-room records, prior evaluations and existing imaging may be reviewed as part of the overall picture.
Referral or treatment plan
Based on the findings, the provider may recommend symptom management, rehabilitation, gradual return-to-activity guidance or referral to neurology, neuropsychology, vestibular therapy, behavioral health or another specialty.
A normal scan does not automatically answer every question
CT and MRI are not routinely used to diagnose a concussion.
Concussion is primarily a clinical diagnosis based on the history, symptoms and examination.
Standard brain imaging may be appropriate when a clinician is concerned about bleeding, fracture or another more serious structural injury. But most people with uncomplicated mild traumatic brain injury do not need routine CT or MRI simply to confirm a concussion.
That also means a person can have concussion symptoms even when structural imaging does not show an acute brain injury.
The treating healthcare provider determines whether imaging is appropriate based on the specific circumstances and risk factors.
“Comprehensive” means symptom-specific care
Different symptoms may need different specialists.
There is no single therapy that treats every concussion symptom. Comprehensive concussion care means evaluating which systems and functions have been affected, then coordinating the appropriate services.
Medical and neurological follow-up
Persistent or more complex neurological symptoms may require evaluation by a neurologist or another medical specialist.
Vestibular rehabilitation
Patients with dizziness, motion sensitivity or balance problems may benefit from vestibular assessment and rehabilitation when clinically appropriate.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy may be useful when concussion symptoms occur alongside neck injury, balance impairment or other functional limitations.
Cognitive or neuropsychological assessment
Persistent problems with attention, memory, processing or other cognitive functions may lead to neuropsychological or cognitive evaluation.
Vision-related assessment
Certain visual or eye-movement symptoms may require additional evaluation by an appropriately qualified provider.
Headache and pain management
Persistent headaches may require medical assessment to identify the likely cause and determine an appropriate treatment strategy.
Trauma counseling and behavioral health
Anxiety, mood changes, driving fear or psychological trauma may occur after the same accident and can be addressed through qualified mental-health care when appropriate.
Return-to-work and daily-activity guidance
Recovery planning may include a gradual return to work, driving and daily activities based on symptoms and provider guidance.
Recovery is active, not endless bed rest
Current concussion care uses a gradual, symptom-guided return to normal activity.
In the first day or two after a concussion, relative rest may be appropriate while symptoms are more intense. As symptoms begin to improve, patients are generally guided back toward light physical and cognitive activity rather than remaining completely inactive for an extended period.
The pace should be individualized. If an activity causes a meaningful increase in symptoms, the patient may need to reduce the intensity and progress more gradually.
Return to work, driving, exercise, school, sports, physically demanding jobs and safety-sensitive tasks should be guided by the treating healthcare professional based on symptoms, cognitive function and the risk of another injury.
Important: driving deserves particular caution when attention, reaction time, dizziness, vision or processing speed are affected.
When symptoms last longer than expected
Most people improve, but some need more specialized follow-up.
Many people with mild TBI or concussion improve over days or weeks. Some continue to experience headaches, dizziness, fatigue, cognitive difficulty, sleep problems, visual symptoms, mood changes or other concerns for a longer period.
Persistent symptoms do not necessarily have one single cause. For example, prolonged headaches may involve migraine, neck injury or other factors. Dizziness may involve vestibular, visual or neurological systems. Difficulty concentrating may be affected by sleep, pain, anxiety or the brain injury itself.
When symptoms persist or worsen after a return to normal activity, a healthcare provider may recommend more focused assessment or referral.
AZ Injury Doctors can help coordinate that multidisciplinary next step.
Related, but not the same service
Concussion care focuses on mild traumatic brain injury. Neurology is broader.
Concussion evaluation and therapy
This page is the primary service for suspected concussion, mild TBI and persistent post-concussion symptoms following an accident.
The focus includes headaches, dizziness, balance problems, brain fog, memory and concentration problems, light or sound sensitivity, vision symptoms, sleep changes and return-to-activity planning.
Neurology
Neurology evaluates a broader range of brain, spinal cord and nerve problems after an accident, including numbness and tingling, weakness, radiating or burning nerve pain, abnormal reflexes and persistent neurological symptoms.
A patient may move between concussion care and neurology depending on the findings.
Symptoms can overlap
Brain injury and psychological trauma can happen in the same accident.
Anxiety, irritability, sleep disturbance, concentration problems and emotional changes can occur after concussion. A frightening collision can also produce psychological trauma independent of — or alongside — a brain injury.
That is why symptoms should not automatically be attributed to one cause.
When appropriate, AZ Injury Doctors can coordinate concussion care with trauma counseling so neurological and emotional concerns can each be evaluated by the appropriate professional.
From symptoms to the right care path
We help coordinate the pieces.
01
Tell us what happened
Let us know how the accident occurred, when symptoms began, whether you received emergency care and what symptoms you are experiencing now.
02
Connect with an appropriate provider
Our coordination team helps identify a provider within the network based on your symptoms, location and current stage of care.
03
Complete the evaluation
The treating provider evaluates the symptoms and determines whether the next step involves concussion management, rehabilitation, diagnostic testing or another specialist.
04
Coordinate symptom-specific care
When indicated, AZ Injury Doctors can help coordinate neurology, vestibular or physical rehabilitation, neuropsychological evaluation, trauma counseling, pain management or other appropriate care.
A statewide injury-care network
Concussion symptoms often cross specialties. Our network is built for that.
AZ Injury Doctors is not a single concussion clinic. We coordinate accident-related care through a growing statewide network of healthcare providers and specialists.
Approximately 125 providers
Our Arizona injury-care network continues to grow.
75+ communities served
We do not publicly advertise individual provider identities or exact street addresses. Tell us your city or area and what type of care you need, and our team can help identify available options.
25 years of Arizona injury experience
Our network has decades of experience coordinating care for accident and personal injury cases.
24/7 intake
You can contact AZ Injury Doctors at any time to begin the coordination process. We respond within the hour and always the same day.
Personal injury and TBI cases
Concussion care and medical documentation can stay connected.
AZ Injury Doctors currently works with more than 40 law firms and coordinates medical care for patients involved in personal injury cases.
With the patient's authorization, relevant medical records, specialist evaluations, test results and treatment information can be coordinated with the legal team.
Medical providers determine diagnosis and treatment based on clinical findings. Attorneys handle legal advice and claim strategy.
Concussion care across Arizona
Looking for a concussion specialist after a car accident?
You do not need to know which individual provider to call before contacting us. Tell AZ Injury Doctors where you are located, what symptoms you are experiencing and what evaluation or treatment you have already received.
Our team can help identify current concussion, neurological and rehabilitation resources within the statewide network. AZ Injury Doctors works across 75+ communities in Arizona, but concussion-specific and specialist availability varies by area.
Frequently asked questions
Concussion care after a car accident
Do not ignore changes after a crash
Headache, dizziness or brain fog after an accident? Start with the right evaluation.
Concussion symptoms are not always obvious immediately, and they can overlap with neck injury, neurological problems and emotional trauma.
Tell AZ Injury Doctors what happened, what symptoms you are experiencing and where you are located. We can help coordinate an appropriate concussion evaluation and connect the next pieces of care when needed. Intake is answered 24/7 across Arizona — emergency symptoms require immediate emergency medical care.