[The complex course of a concussion and an exceptional diagnosis]

Concussion without loss of consciousness is common in every sport, but it occurs more often in high-impact sports such as handball or soccer. Concussion should be diagnosed early to protect the athlete. It is not easy to diagnose a concussion, but tests like the SCAT-5 can help. After the diagnosis, the athlete should undergo a return-to-sports procedure. Multiple concussions can cause long-term neurological deficits known as chronic traumatic encephalitis. If symptoms persist or clinical deterioration occurs, various differential diagnoses, some of them life threatening, have to be ruled out. In our case, a 29-year-old professional handball player was diagnosed with concussion and distortion of the cervical spine. Due to increasing symptoms and partly severe deterioration, the patient saw several doctors and underwent several diagnostic procedures. The correct diagnosis was made four weeks after the trauma. Today the player is playing handball on a professional basis again without any restriction.