By Ben Thayer, Co-Founder & Co-Owner · 3 min read

Who this is for: Written for patients tracking symptoms day to day, and for the family members helping them remember.

Key takeaways

  • Rate each symptom from 0 (none) to 6 (severe), once a day, at the same time each evening.
  • Track four areas: physical, thinking, emotional and sleep.
  • Add specific examples, missed days and what made symptoms better or worse.
  • Ask a family member to add a column of their own.
  • It is a tracking tool, not a diagnosis. Bring it to every appointment.

How to use this checklist

After a car crash, fall or other head impact, rate each symptom from 0 (none) to 6 (severe) once a day, ideally at the same time each evening. Note the date and anything that made symptoms better or worse, and bring the completed sheets to every appointment with your treating provider. A week or two of ratings shows trends much more clearly than memory alone.

A week or two of ratings shows trends much more clearly than memory alone.

Physical symptoms

An open journal with a pen resting on a blank page
A simple daily symptom log gives the treating provider a clear trend.

Headache or pressure in the head, neck pain, nausea or vomiting (vomiting more than once is a red flag), dizziness, balance problems, blurred or double vision, sensitivity to light or noise, ringing in the ears, and feeling tired or low on energy.

Thinking, emotional and sleep symptoms

  • Thinking: feeling slowed down or "in a fog," difficulty concentrating or remembering, losing your train of thought, trouble finding words, confusion about familiar tasks
  • Emotional: irritability, feeling more emotional than usual, sadness, nervousness or anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, anxiety in cars or traffic
  • Sleep: trouble falling asleep, waking often, sleeping much more than usual, waking unrefreshed

Related in this series: Patient & Family Resource Center, Headaches Weeks After an Accident: When to Ask About Concussion and Sleep Changes After a Concussion. For the full overview, start with our guide, Recovery, Work and Family.

Daily life notes

Write down specific examples: "Had to stop reading after 10 minutes." "Got lost driving to the pharmacy." "Snapped at my kids twice." Note days missed from work or school and activities you have stopped. Family members often notice irritability, forgetfulness or sleep changes first, so ask someone close to you to fill in a column too.

Good days are useful information too.

Tips for accurate tracking

Physician in a white coat speaking with a patient
A neurologist interprets the report; the treating provider then receives a copy.

Rate how you felt overall that day, not just at the moment you fill it in. Do not skip days when you feel fine; good days are useful information too. If you cannot remember a symptom, leave it blank rather than guess. Keep the sheet where you will see it each evening, and use paper if screens bother you. Keep old sheets, because patterns over weeks matter.

Bringing it to your provider

Your provider can use your ratings to see whether you are improving, holding steady or getting worse, and to decide whether standardized testing would help. If testing is arranged, your checklist helps the reviewing physician understand your history. The checklist is a tracking tool, not a diagnosis; only a qualified provider can evaluate your symptoms.

Stop and get help now if

You have a worsening headache, repeated vomiting, a seizure, weakness or numbness, slurred speech, unequal pupils, unusual drowsiness or increasing confusion. Call 911 or go to the ER immediately.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I track symptoms?

A week or two of daily ratings is helpful; keep going if your provider asks.

What if I forget a day?

Just pick up again. Don't fill in from memory.

We diagnose. You treat.

Mobile, physician-reviewed concussion and TBI diagnostics for Florida providers and their accident patients. Reports go to a neurologist ahead of the neuro evaluation; the referring provider then receives a copy for advanced imaging and treatment recommendations.

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Sources

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