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Post Concussion Syndrome Treatment in Atlanta

Post Consussion Syndrome Treatment Atlanta
Upper Cervical Chiropractic Atlanta

What Is Post Concussion Syndrome?

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that occurs from a force to the head, neck, or tailbone. Furthermore, post concussion syndrome occurs when someone continues to suffer from concussion symptoms long beyond the expected recovery time. It is difficult to put an exact timeline on the healing process of an injured brain; however, most concussions are expected to heal within a few weeks to a month. 

Post Concussion Symptoms and Signs

  • Headaches

  • Dizziness

  • Brain fog

  • Memory problems

  • Fatigue

  • Sensitivity to light and sound

  • Ringing in the ears

  • Trouble sleeping

  • Changes in emotional health

Treatment For Concussion

The majority of concussion treatment is focused on testing and imaging to rule out major problems like a brain bleed. After testing there is often a lack of supportive care offered to heal an injured brain.

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 Standard treatments involve:

  • Rest 

  • Decreased stimulation

  • Reduced activity 

  • Observation

Post Concussion Syndrome Treatment

Thankfully, more health professionals are beginning to focus on neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to recover. These health professionals offer a variety of cognitive, vestibular, and visual therapies to support a patient’s post concussion recovery. Some examples of these health professionals include physical therapists who perform vestibular therapy, vision therapists, and functional neurologists. If your concussion is from a tailbone injury, it is important to see a pelvic floor therapist.

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At Evolve Wellness Center, we offer a variety of treatments to support Post Concussion Syndrome recovery including:

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  • Upper Cervical Chiropractic

  • Craniosacral Therapy

  • Cranial Release

  • Meditation

  • Binaural Beat Sound Therapy

The Missing Link

What most people don’t realize is that any time an injury is forceful enough to damage the brain, it is also forceful enough to damage the upper cervical neck. The upper cervical neck is made up of the first two bones in the spine and the skull. This complex, highly mobile joint is very susceptible to injury. 

 

When a head injury occurs the weight of the head and the weight of the torso often get shaken or flung into different directions. The neck is the “glue” in the middle of these two battling forces. This means that head injuries often exhibit considerable force and strain on the neck, resulting in misalignment of the upper cervical spine.

 

After standard imaging and observation most people are expected to move on with their lives as their brain heals. But what about the neck misalignment?

Upper Cervical Chiropractic & Post Concussion

Upper cervical chiropractic care is an excellent addition to the post concussion recovery healing journey. Not only will the treatment allow the muscles, ligaments and joint capsules to heal from the force of the head injury, but it can also take stress off the nervous system. Proper upper cervical alignment is crucial for a healthy brain and spinal cord.

 

If the upper cervical region is misaligned it can cause adverse tension on the spinal cord. Upper cervical misalignment can also disrupt the flow of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which bathes, nourishes, and detoxifies the brain. If this CSF is not able to properly flow in and out of the head it can lead to delayed healing and ongoing symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, and dizziness.

Signs & Symptoms of Upper Cervical Misalignment after Concussion

  • Neck pain

  • Headaches

  • Dizziness

  • Jaw or Facial pain

  • Ringing in the ears

  • Shoulder pain

Concussion Recovery

The recovery process from a concussion can be a long, complicated journey. There are various health professionals that can assist in the recovery process. After an initial injury or head trauma it is crucial to visit your primary care, urgent care, or emergency department to rule out any severe complications. If a head injury is followed by loss of consciousness, disorientation, nausea, vomiting, or extreme fatigue, it is crucial to see a doctor immediately. 

 

After serious complications have been ruled out, the next step is starting the rest and recovery journey. On this journey it is important to consider treatment of the brain, eyes, neck and even the emotional/mental trauma aspect of the injury. No one health professional can treat all of these systems thoroughly. This means it is important to have a team of supportive health care professionals. Some supportive care options include:

 

  • Functional Neurologist & Vestibular Physical Therapist: these practitioners specialize in exercises and therapies to help the brain and vestibular system heal from concussion. 

  • Vision Therapist: these practitioners specialize in exercises and therapies to strengthen the eyes. The eyes are closely integrated to the brain and brainstem, and they are often affected by concussions. 

  • Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist: These practitioners specialize in pelvic floor therapy to help release sand retrain the muscles around an injured tailbone.

  • Upper Cervical Chiropractic: this method of chiropractic is specialized to correct the first two bones in the neck and it involves NO twisting, popping or cracking of the spine. 

 

Upper cervical chiropractic is a crucial part of post concussion syndrome treatment. Head injuries and traumas are likely to cause an upper cervical neck misalignment. Upper cervical treatments can restore the upper neck to proper alignment, and prevent a host of post injury health problems like neck pain, migraines, brain fog, etc. 

 

Proper upper neck alignment has a profound effect on nervous system function. The upper cervical neck houses the transition point of the brainstem and spinal cord. Upper neck misalignment can cause stress on the nervous system. A stressed out nervous system has a decreased capacity to heal and repair the body. An aligned upper cervical neck gives the body the resources it needs to heal as quickly and as well as possible. The nervous system is the foundation of every other process in the body and the upper cervical spine has the greatest influence on the health of the nervous system.

Learn More About Upper Cervical Treatment of Post Concussion Syndrome HERE

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