Doctor talks about new FDA-approved blood test for diagnosing concussions

The FDA has cleared a blood test to diagnosis a concussion, which is big deal for doctors and patients.

Dr. Jeremy Alland, who treats concussions through Midwest Orthopedics at Rush, spoke to ABC7 Chicago about the recent innovation.

Alland says that right now, concussions are found through clinical diagnosis.

"We usually ask questions about how an athlete's feeling, we usually do some form of a sideline assessment or using balance tests and memory-type tests," Alland said.

According to Alland, the blood test has been around for a few years, but only in a plasma quick-form. This new blood test will help doctors screen patients to see if something more serious could be going on, like a brain injury.

If you have a concussion, Alland says one of the most important things is to make sure you prevent scenarios where you could get another hit to the head.

Alland says that if your concussion symptoms get worse, check in with a medical professional.