Concussion education / Melbourne & the Space Coast

Returning to Work After a Concussion on the Space Coast

Going back to work after a concussion in Melbourne, Palm Bay or Titusville? Signs you may need more time and how testing can help your provider plan.

Getting back to work after a concussion is a goal for almost everyone, and wanting to push through is natural. On the Space Coast, where so many jobs demand sharp focus, a careful return matters.

Work and commutes on the Space Coast

Many people on the Space Coast commute on I-95, US-1, Wickham Road, SR 520 and the causeways every day, and plenty work in jobs that demand focus: aerospace and engineering, healthcare, hospitality near Port Canaveral and Cocoa Beach, and skilled trades. Going back too soon after a concussion can make symptoms flare, while a careful, gradual return usually goes better.

Signs you may need more time

Headaches that build through the workday, losing focus in meetings, mistakes that are unusual for you, trouble with screens or bright lights and feeling worn out by midafternoon can all mean your brain needs a slower return. Tell your provider, who can guide changes such as shorter days or more breaks.

A return that respects your symptoms usually gets you back to full strength sooner than pushing through.

Common concussion symptoms

• Physical: headache, nausea, dizziness, balance problems, blurry vision, sensitivity to light or noise.
• Thinking: feeling foggy or slowed down, trouble concentrating or remembering.
• Emotional: irritability, sadness, anxiety.
• Sleep: sleeping more or less than usual.

When to go to the emergency room

Call 911 or go to the nearest ER right away for danger signs such as a headache that gets worse and does not go away, repeated vomiting, weakness or numbness, slurred speech, seizures, unusual confusion, one pupil larger than the other, or loss of consciousness. In the area, hospitals with emergency departments include Health First Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne and Parrish Medical Center in Titusville; in an emergency, go to whichever ER is closest.

Getting checked in Melbourne & the Space Coast

If symptoms are not severe but are not going away, start with your treating provider, such as your primary care doctor, chiropractor, orthopedist, pain management physician or physical therapist. Keep a short symptom diary to share with them. If they decide objective testing makes sense, they can refer you to Braintree. We are a mobile service: our team brings concussion and TBI testing to your provider's office across Melbourne & the Space Coast, so you are tested somewhere familiar. Your provider receives a physician-reviewed diagnostic report and decides on your care.

Not sure where to start? Call our help line at 813-709-3771. We can walk you through how testing works and help you think about next steps for getting checked and finding care. You can also read our guide for patients and families.

For local providers

If you treat accident or injury patients in Melbourne, Palm Bay, Titusville and Cocoa Beach, Braintree brings mobile concussion and TBI testing to your office and returns a physician-reviewed diagnostic report. You stay in charge of care. We diagnose. You treat. See how it works for providers or send a referral.

For legal teams

Personal injury firms serving Melbourne & the Space Coast can learn how testing at the client's treating provider's office produces objective, physician-reviewed diagnostic reports. Testing is ordered by the treating provider. See information for attorneys.

Frequently asked questions

Related: Concussion testing in Melbourne & the Space Coast | Concussion testing in Florida | For patients and families | Call 813-709-3771

Sources

• CDC: About mild TBI and concussion
• CDC HEADS UP: Concussion signs and symptoms
• NIH NINDS: Traumatic Brain Injury

This article is educational and is not medical or legal advice. If this is a medical emergency, call 911.