What to Expect When Suffering a Concussion and How to Help You Find That “Light At the End of The Tunnel”
Concussions can often strike unexpectedly, catching us off guard in moments when we least anticipate them. The symptoms they bring can be highly incapacitating, influencing our ability to work, exercise, participate in sports, and can even impact our emotional and cognitive responses to friends and family. If you’re grappling with these challenges, understand that your symptoms are common and valid, and there’s a scientific rationale behind their occurrence. The reassuring news is that there are numerous strategies available to help you regain control of your life. The concussion therapists at Foundation Physiotherapy are dedicated to providing the support you need.
What Exactly is a Concussion?
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that arises from a sudden blow to the head OR a forceful jolt to the neck/whiplash. It’s important to note that you can experience a concussion WITHOUT any direct impact to your head.
A concussion occurs when nerve tissue within the brain undergoes microstructural damage due to an acceleration/deceleration type of force, resulting in shearing and stretching of brain tissue. I want to reiterate that this can happen WITHOUT head trauma. What that means is that your concussion is still valid even if you didn’t hit your head. It is also important to understand that a concussion can still be present, even if advanced imaging tests like an MRI fail to detect one. That is because, these tests are very poor at finding structural damage sustained from brain injuries. A functional diagnosis of concussion is typically established through physical testing conducted in a clinical setting by your doctor, a trained physiotherapist, or a chiropractor.
Symptoms to Expect
- Neck Pain and Headaches
- A concussion occurs at approximately 70G’s of force, whereas neck injuries/whiplash occur at around 5G’s of force. Given these figures, it’s likely that every concussion will coincide with some degree of neck pain, stiffness, or functional impairment. Certain headache types can stem from injured or strained neck muscles (tension headaches) or originate from the stiff neck joints (cervicogenic headaches).
- Decreased Mood/Energy and Cognitive Function
- The physiology behind this can get technical, but to simplify – following a concussion, disruptions in cellular membranes of nerve tissue lead to a influx of calcium ions and an outflow of potassium ion, in a process known as nerve depolarization. The brain attempts to restore this ion balance through ion pumps (Na+/K+ pumps). This process involves the need of significant amount of energy in the nerve cell. Energy to the brain is further depleted as a result of a decreased in blood flow to the brain after a concussion. To make matters worse, concussions also inhibit the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls gut motility and digestion (among other functions). If you are not absorbing nutrients and energy from your food, the outcome is an energy deficit in the brain at a time when it needs it most. This will lead to heightened irritability, fatigue, sluggishness, and reduced overall function.
- Vertigo, Dizziness, and Decreased Balance
- The inner ear’s vestibular system detects angular and linear head movements by monitoring the movement of suspended crystals within its canals. When these crystals become dislodged within the wrong canal (often due to a sudden jolt to the head or neck), the result is vertigo. Moreover, the vestibular system integrates inputs from the visual system and neck position sense to provide the brain with information of where it is in space. Concussions can disrupt any of these systems, causing conflicting information to reach the brain, thereby leading to symptoms like vertigo, dizziness, and impaired balance.
How Can Chiropractic Care or Physical Therapy Aid in Concussion Recovery?
- Sub-Threshold Exercise Prescription
- Diet education and advice
- Meditation and Relaxation
Remember, after a concussion your brain isn’t getting the energy it needs to heal. Exercise increases blood flow and energy supply to the brain. These exercises must be customized depending on each patient’s impairments, ensuring they don’t trigger or exacerbate concussion symptoms. A proper diet optimizes energy intake from the digestive system and pairing good diet with meditation and relaxation will help stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system that is underachieve following a concussion.
Chiropractic Care or Physical Therapy can help with pain, dizziness, balance issues and vertigo
Managing neck pain, recommending exercises, and offering vestibular rehabilitation are all essential components of concussion recovery. Our team of specialized concussion physiotherapists and chiropractors can assist you with these aspects, aiding in symptom alleviation helping you return to living your best life!
Call Foundation Physiotherapy Today to book your concussion appointment!
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