Concussion Center treats Chesterfield adults whose concussion came from a crash, a fall or work. That includes people who never lost consciousness and were told the scan was normal. No referral is needed. The office is east of Chesterfield along the I-64 and Page corridors.
For a concussed teenage athlete, Chesterfield is one of the better-served places in the region. Washington University Orthopedics runs concussion testing in Chesterfield. Sports medicine practices in the area also do careful work. That coverage is real — and it is narrower than it looks.
Is concussion care different for adults than for athletes?
Sports concussion pathways are built around a certain person. That person has a baseline test on file and a trainer who saw the hit. They have a graded return-to-play protocol and a season to get back to. Almost none of that applies to a 47-year-old rear-ended on Olive. That person has no baseline, no witness, no protocol, and a job that will not pause.
Adults also present differently. Recovery is slower on average. Migraine and disrupted sleep that were there before the injury are common. And metabolic conditions that affect healing — diabetes, obesity, sleep apnea, vascular disease — are routinely left out of the athlete studies the whole field is built on. See how we approach treatment.
What if nobody saw the injury happen?
A sideline check has an observer. A crash on the highway usually does not. That missing witness gets treated as a missing injury, when it is only a missing witness — and it is why the history has to be taken carefully rather than checked off.
Do you need a sports medicine program or a concussion clinic?
If your child is an athlete with a baseline test and a return-to-play question, a sports medicine program is a reasonable place to be. Now say you are an adult hurt in a crash, a fall or at work. You never lost consciousness. You were told the scan was normal and to give it time — that is the patient we are built around. See why no loss of consciousness changes nothing.
Related reading: concussion treatment for Bridgeton, MO patients and concussion treatment for Florissant, MO patients.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the best doctor to see for a concussion?
It depends on the injury. A young athlete with a baseline test is well served by a sports medicine concussion program. An adult hurt in a crash or a fall is different, particularly with persistent symptoms and no loss of consciousness. That adult needs someone who will examine the vestibular and oculomotor systems directly. They should not just manage a return-to-play timeline.
Can you recover completely from a concussion?
Most people do. In high-school surveillance data, 83.4% of concussed athletes had symptoms resolve within a week. A minority do not. Being in that minority is not evidence the symptoms are imagined. See long-term effects.
Do I need a referral?
Not with us. Some concussion clinics in the region require a doctor’s referral before they will book you. You can call us directly.
What is best for concussion recovery?
For an adult, an exam matched to how the injury actually happened. That means testing the vestibular and oculomotor systems directly instead of managing a return-to-play timeline. It also means accounting for what slows adult recovery. Migraine and disrupted sleep that were there before both slow it. So do metabolic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, sleep apnea and vascular disease.
How do you know if you have a concussion from a car accident?
Often you cannot tell on your own. Many adults hurt in a crash never lost consciousness and were told the scan was normal. Neither one rules out a concussion. There is no baseline test and usually no witness. So the answer comes from a carefully taken history and a direct exam of the vestibular and oculomotor systems.
How do I get to Concussion Center from Chesterfield?
Concussion Center
4477 Woodson Rd, Suite 105, St. Louis, MO 63134
Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Chesterfield is west of the office along the I-64 and Page corridors; most patients come east on Page and exit at Woodson Rd.