/ Concussion and post-concussion syndrome explained

Concussion and post-concussion syndrome explained

A lot of people think that you need to fall unconscious when you experience a bump to the head to experience a concussion but that is not true. You can remain conscious the entire time and still experience a concussion. Did you know that you can also experience a concussion without even hitting your head?

What is concussion?

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that is caused by a bump or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move back and forth rapidly.

Signs of a concussion may include symptoms such as headache, nausea, dizziness, brain fog, memory issues, mood swings, confusion, vomiting, fatigue and loss of coordination. While concussion may result in you being unconscious, you can have concussion while being conscious.

A lot of concussions will spontaneously heal in two weeks, but 20-30% of people have ongoing symptoms that last longer than the expected recovery time (one to two months), which is termed post-concussion syndrome.

Clinical consultation with an osteopath

Treating concussions and post-concussion syndrome requires additional training and experience to diagnose and treat these conditions. Therefore, ensuring that your osteopath has advanced training and experience in the field of concussion and post-concussion management and rehabilitation is important in helping you get the best care.

During a consultation with an osteopath for concussion and post-concussion syndrome management, your osteopath will take a thorough case history to help ensure that a correct diagnosis has been made and/or help to form a diagnosis.

Some assessments/tests that may be performed include but are not limited to:

Vestibular assessment screening and tests
Balance tests
Gait assessment
Neck and jaw assessment
Exercise intolerance testing

Osteopathic approach to treatment

After a thorough assessment, treatment will be targeted towards improving the systems that have been found to have deficits.

Treatment may include hands-on treatment to the neck, shoulders and adjacent areas. Vestibular rehabilitation exercises and balance exercises are often used if you are experiencing dizziness or balance problems.

Lifestyle factors are addressed to determine their role in your presentation and how best to manage those factors.

Expected outcomes

Over the course of treatment, you should see a correlation between your exercises, treatment and your symptoms.

As your exercises improve and progress and the mobility and tension in your body improve, your symptoms should also improve.

If you are improving with your exercises but your symptoms do not change, then the treatment may need to be altered to better address your condition.

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What is osteopathy?

Osteopathy involves clinical care of the neuro-musculoskeletal system, which is made up of the bones, muscles, nerves and other tissues that support your body and control its movements.

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