What You Feel

• Expect disorientation and lost sense of time
• Watch for blurred or double vision
• Notice head pressure and fullness
• Track nausea and mental fatigue

The Impact

• A blow accelerates the brain rapidly
• Brain slams against the skull
• Then rebounds the opposite direction
• Force damages cells on contact

Chemical Cascade

• Stretching shears and disrupts brain cells
• A chemical flood follows the hit
• Swelling disrupts normal function
• Communication between cells breaks down

Functional Shutdown

• Brain areas temporarily shut down
• Thinking and memory degrade
• Balance and coordination falter
• Recovery starts only with rest

Field Causes

• Take a direct blow to the head
• Absorb a blast wave nearby
• Survive a vehicle collision
• Land a hard fall or impact

Performance Hit

• Expect slower reaction time
• Make worse decisions under load
• Lose situational awareness
• Struggle with short-term memory

First 24 Hours

• Symptoms peak between eight and twenty-four hours
• Make rest the priority
• Avoid further impact
• Monitor for worsening signs

The Long Road

• Improve gradually over two to seven days
• Recover fully within one to four weeks
• Accept that some stay symptomatic
• Watch for prolonged cases over months