What Is a Concussion? How Doctors Define It

While many people can recognize a concussion when they see it, it can actually be a challenge to define exactly. That’s partially because a concussion is another name for a “mild” traumatic brain injury (TBI) — and it’s not always easy to determine what counts as mild. 

“There are a lot of definitions of what a concussion is. It's kind of mind-boggling; it sort of adds to the confusion of what concussion is,” says Steven Flanagan, MD, chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Langone Health. 

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Written by:

Lauren Smith, MA

Lauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.

Reviewed by:

Sanjai Sinha, MD

Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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