Historically the prevailing wisdom has been that
concussion injuries from blows to the head were self limited conditions. This
meant that with a little rest, the concussion would heal itself in a few weeks. Concussion symptoms, if they persisted were
called post-concussion syndrome. This condition, it was felt, would rarely last
more than six months. Boy were we wrong with our thinking of concussion and its
long term effects. Research in the past decade has lead us to redefine
concussion as traumatic brain injury. Brain trauma can occur from automobile
accidents, sports injuries, even playground falls, and can produce serious life
long problems for patients. Some of the persistent symptoms of traumatic brain
injury include recurrent headaches, dizziness and unsteadiness, brain fog,
fatigue and even cognitive impairment. What research has shown is that the
initial head trauma affects one part of the brain, but also can trigger brain
inflammation that spreads throughout the brain.
If this spreading inflammation is not stopped or if additional
concussions occur while the brain is in a state of inflammation it can actually
lead to a specific type of premature dementia, called traumatic encephalopathy.
So you can see brain injury is complex and requires comprehensive treatment. There are a number of natural substances that
have been shown to quell brain inflammation, specific exercises can often help
to restore impaired brain function secondary to brain trauma, massage of the
neck often reduces headache and balance training can be very effective in
reducing light headiness and dizziness.
~ George W. Kukurin DC DACAN
