Concussion
Concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) usually caused by a bump, jolt or jolt to the head, or by a hit to the body resulting in the head and brain to move quickly
A Concussion is a brain injury, and not one presents the same as the other.
This movement causes a multiple changes to the brain tissue, damage to the brain cells and changes in the chemical and metabolic make up of the brain cells. This results in altered function and communication to the body, hence why effects can be far reaching. Therefore concussions are a complex injury; one that needs specialized assessment and treatment skills to develop a evidence based, comprehensive healing plan. No one concussion presents the same, therefore a holistic, whole body approach is necessary.
Concussion Truths
Concussion is not a visible injury. Indeed the initial hit, bump, fall, impact is visible but what happens after cannot be seen on imaging. Like if you broke your leg an Xray would show this and you wold be given a timeline for recovery. With concussion this is not so simple, there is no one size fits all recovery or treatment guideline or ‘time to heal’. Concussion symptoms are vast and variable; such as intense fatigue, hearing and vision issues, headaches, dizziness, nausea, memory issues, difficulty focusing/ concentrating, mood swings and emotional outbursts, And this is only to list a few! All of these can be confusing to the patient and their family, as they can vary and change daily, lasting weeks, months or years.
The research has indicated the importance of advocacy and communication; highlighting that social support and networks are a predictor of positive outcome and recovery. Because the individual journey is so different person to person it is so important that one is followed by a care provider to ensure needs are met as they evolve and change.
Providing a safe space for support and treatment is essential. Working through cognitive, functional, physical and exercise based rehabilitation is the approach I take to ensure individual goals are met and return to daily life/sport is at the forefront of recovery.