Conditions
Concussion care built on decisions, not just diagnosis.
Concussion is a functional injury. Normal imaging does not rule it out, and recovery depends on what the brain is asked to do next. Evaluation focuses on the full symptom picture and a staged plan back to school, work, and sport.
Evaluation
What a concussion visit covers.
- Detailed symptom inventory across physical, cognitive, emotional, and sleep domains
- Cognitive, balance, and oculomotor screening
- Review of the injury mechanism and prior head injuries
- Return-to-learn planning for students
- Staged exertional progression before return to sport
- Referral coordination when symptoms persist or another condition is suspected
Common reasons for referral
- Sport-related concussion
- Persistent or prolonged symptoms
- Repeat concussions and return-to-play decisions
- Concussion with neck or vestibular symptoms
- Second opinions on concussion management
Seek emergency care immediately
Worsening headache, repeated vomiting, slurred speech, weakness or numbness, seizure, unusual behavior, or loss of consciousness after a head injury are emergencies. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Request a concussion evaluation ↗ Second opinion ↗
General education only - this page does not diagnose a concussion or clear anyone to return to play. Individual decisions require an in-person evaluation.
The evaluation
How Dr. Goldwaser evaluates a concussion.
A concussion visit starts with the full symptom picture: physical, cognitive, emotional, and sleep, because concussion is a functional injury that normal imaging doesn’t rule out. Dr. Goldwaser inventories symptoms across all four domains, screens cognition, balance, and eye movements, and reviews the injury mechanism and any prior head injuries. The visit produces a staged plan: relative rest first, then return-to-learn, then exertional progression, each stage cleared before the next begins.
Treatment options
Concussion care is staged, not rushed.
Recovery follows the symptoms, not the calendar. The plan adapts as they evolve.
A · In-clinic care
What concussion care covers
- Symptom-guided management across physical, cognitive, emotional, and sleep domains
- Return-to-learn planning for students, with school accommodations
- Staged exertional progression for athletes before return to sport
- Clear criteria for advancing, or pausing, each stage
- Monitoring through full recovery, not just the first visit
B · Coordinated referrals
When the team expands
- Structural injury on imaging needing emergency evaluation
- Persistent vestibular or neck symptoms needing specialized therapy
- Prolonged recovery needing multidisciplinary care
- Any case where symptoms point past what the clinic can offer
If your recovery needs specialists beyond this clinic, the referrals are coordinated for you. You won’t navigate them alone.
Recovery
Clearance is earned in stages.
Return-to-learn and return-to-play decisions are criteria-based, never calendar-based. Each stage (school, light activity, sport-specific exertion, contact) is cleared only when symptoms allow, because returning too soon risks prolonging the recovery.
Have a question about concussions?
Send it through the practice contact form. The right team will respond. Please don’t include symptoms, diagnoses, test results, or other clinical information.