Understanding the Glasgow Coma Scale: How Brain Injury Severity Is Measured

Understanding the Glasgow Coma Scale: How Brain Injury Severity Is Measured in Kansas City

After a head injury, healthcare providers need a fast, reliable way to assess how serious the brain damage might be. That’s where the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) comes in.

The GCS is a scoring system used around the world—including emergency rooms right here in Kansas City, Overland Park, Lee’s Summit, Shawnee, Liberty, and Blue Springs—to help doctors evaluate a patient’s level of consciousness after a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

What Is the Glasgow Coma Scale?

The Glasgow Coma Scale measures a person's responsiveness in three key areas:

1. Eye Opening

2. Verbal Response

3. Motor Response

Each area receives a score, and the total adds up to a number between 3 and 15:

• 13–15 = Mild TBI or Concussion

• 9–12 = Moderate TBI

• 3–8 = Severe TBI

This helps emergency providers make quick decisions about care, imaging, and monitoring.

Breakdown of the GCS Score

👁️ Eye Opening (1 to 4 points)

• 4 – Opens eyes spontaneously

• 3 – Opens eyes in response to voice

• 2 – Opens eyes to pain

• 1 – No eye opening

🗣️ Verbal Response (1 to 5 points)

• 5 – Oriented and converses normally

• 4 – Confused speech

• 3 – Inappropriate words

• 2 – Incomprehensible sounds

• 1 – No verbal response

🖐️ Motor Response (1 to 6 points)

• 6 – Follows commands

• 5 – Localizes pain

• 4 – Withdraws from pain

• 3 – Abnormal flexion (decorticate posture)

• 2 – Abnormal extension (decerebrate posture)

• 1 – No movement

Why the GCS Score Matters

The GCS helps determine:

• Need for imaging (like CT or MRI)

• Level of monitoring required

• ICU admission vs. observation

• Urgency of neurosurgical intervention

• Prognosis and long-term recovery planning

A low GCS score after injury often means more intensive care is needed and carries a higher risk for complications.

GCS in Mild TBI (Concussions)

Many patients we see across North Kansas City, Raytown, Gladstone, and The Plaza score between 13 and 15 on the GCS. This is considered a mild traumatic brain injury, even though symptoms like:

• Headache

• Memory problems

• Brain fog

• Dizziness

• Fatigue

Limitations of the GCS

While the Glasgow Coma Scale is valuable, it has limits. It doesn’t assess:

• Visual tracking or eye movement dysfunction

• Balance and vestibular problems

• Cognitive function or attention

• Post-concussive symptoms that appear days later

That’s why we often combine GCS findings with:

• VOMS testing

• CNS Vital Signs or other neurocognitive tools

• Balance testing

• Vestibular and vision evaluations

We Help Kansas City Patients Understand and Recover from TBI

Whether you or a loved one experienced a mild concussion in Overland Park or a moderate TBI in Liberty, understanding the GCS score is just the first step. At our clinic, we provide individualized concussion care focused on long-term recovery, not just short-term symptoms.

Call Dr. Lance Stevenson at 816-226-7476 today to schedule a post-concussion evaluation. We serve patients across the Kansas City area with advanced testing and targeted recovery programs for all levels of brain injury.

Special thanks to Complete Concussions for their training and educational resources. To learn more about comprehensive concussion treatment options, visit completeconcussions.com.

Disclaimer:

This blog is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace medical advice. If you have experienced a concussion or other injury, please consult a qualified healthcare provider. Always follow the advice and treatment plan given by your medical professional.

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