Concussion – why you should see your chiropractor after a head trauma

''Temporary unconsciousness or confusion caused by a blow to the head”. The primary symptoms of concussion include headaches, difficulty in concentrating, memory issues, trouble with balance and coordination. Although most commonly caused by a blow to the head, concussion can also be caused by violent shaking of the upper torso or neck. Common incidents that result in concussion include falls, contact sports such as rugby or football, and road traffic accidents.

There are 3 levels of concussion:
Grade 1 - Mild: symptoms last less than 15 mins
Grade 2 - Moderate: symptoms last longer than 15 mins, but no loss of consciousness
Grade 3 - Severe: Loss of consciousness.
Effects are usually short lived, but in some cases can persist longer than expected, sometimes weeks or months, this is termed post-concussion syndrome.

What happens to the brain during a concussion?
Concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury. During the traumatic event the brain is shaken back and forth inside the skull. This can stretch and damage brain tissues and trigger a series of harmful changes within the brain which can affect normal function.

What happens to the neck during a concussion?
The neck can often be overlooked in a concussion but is very important to consider and have properly assessed following a blow to the head. The neck absorbs a lot of force during a concussion. If you've ever watched a contact sport where somebody has been concussed, watch the slow motion replay and pay attention to the stress put on the neck.
Several different things can be affected here. It is likely the muscles in the neck will spasm and become painful. The range of motion may become reduced and the neck will become stiff and painful. This can be due to the stress put on the joints in the neck during the trauma. If these joints misalign, it can then place pressure on the lower brainstem and the spinal cord, this can result in reduced mobility of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) around the central nervous system which can affect healing time of the brain tissues.

Why should you get checked by an Upper Cervical Chiropractor after a concussion?

Due to the nature of a concussion injury it is important to have your nervous system tested and cervical spine (neck) correctly assessed. Upper Cervical Chiropractors are specifically trained in this kind of analysis and are often able to help with recovery from concussion or post-concussion syndrome.

At Top Chiropractic we use a combination of detailed neurological assessment, paraspinal thermography, and CBCT or x-ray to fully assess patients spine and nervous system health and aid in the recovery process.

We typically find that patients will display abnormal neurological findings during physical examination and when referred for imaging we typically identify misalignment of the bones at the top of the neck. We can then start to make specific corrections based on these findings. We typically see improvements in nervous system function over time and reduction in symptoms of concussion.

If you or someone you know has recently suffered a concussion or plays contact sport where concussion is a risk why not book a complimentary call with one of our Chiropractors to see if the care we offer can help  https://calendly.com/elliott-41/15min?month=2023-03