| Scale | What It Feels Like (Symptom Description) | What To Do (Action Plan) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baseline/Very Mild A slight, fleeting "off" feeling or a mild symptom (e.g., slight pressure) is present but easily ignored. No impact on thoughts or actions. | PROCEED: Safe to continue all planned activities. Considered a safe baseline. Continue activities while monitoring. |
| 2 | Mild/Noticeable Symptoms are clear but manageable (e.g., dull headache, slight fog). You can still function without much difficulty. | PROCEED WITH CAUTION: Continue, but be mindful that you're near your limit. |
| 3 | Moderate/Distracting Symptoms begin to interfere with concentration. A constant headache or fog makes complex tasks harder. | PAUSE: This is your first warning sign. Stop your activity and take a short rest break until symptoms return to a 3/10 or lower. |
| 4 | Significant/Interfering Symptoms are intrusive and make tasks challenging. You may need to re-read things or feel an urge to leave stimulating places. Functioning effectively is difficult. A throbbing headache or dizziness makes focusing on screens or work very difficult. | PAUSE & STOP ACTIVITY: Stop your current activity and take a structured break (15-20 mins) in a quiet space. Do not resume until you are back in the Green Zone (Level 3 or lower). If a long rest doesn't bring symptoms down significantly, consider ending the specific activity (e.g., work) for the day. |
| 5 | Severe/Overwhelming You feel very unwell. A severe headache, nausea, or dizziness makes cognitive tasks nearly impossible. Strong need for a dark, quiet room. Symptoms are so severe you can't do much of anything. Pain or dizziness is intense, and you're focused only on coping with how you feel. | STOP & RECOVER/COMPLETE REST: Stop all productive activity for the day. Focus only on complete rest and symptom management. All energy should be focused on resting. |
| 6 | Critical/Extremely Severe You're in significant distress. The pain, dizziness, or nausea is profound and all-consuming. The most severe symptoms possible, such as an excruciating headache or extreme disorientation. | REST & CONTACT/EMERGENCY: Rest immediately and contact your doctor/physio to report the severity of your symptoms. This warrants immediate medical attention. |