Concussions and Chiropractic
Concussions are mild head injuries or mild traumatic brain injuries. Regardless of the name, it is when the brain shakes back and forth inside of the skull, causing mild damage. This can occur from contact sports, road traffic accidents, injuries from work. But really anything that causes a violent shake to the brain.
Most of head injuries that occur like this produce no long-term damage to the brain it can cause disruption to brain function. It is reported that around only 10% of those with concussions involved a loss of consciousness. So, it is important to not to use this a sole indicator of concussion.
What Are Other Indicators of Concussions?
Head injuries can leave people with a wide range of symptoms. The most common including dizziness, headaches, nausea, confusion, inability to process or retain information, visual distortion, or sensitivity to light.
What Happens to the Neck During Concussions?
The neck is very often overlooked during a concussive injury, but it is equally important to ensure the neck, brainstem and brain are checked to be working correctly. If you have seen a concussive blow or if you have experienced one, then you will know the amount of strain and force that goes through the neck. Whether that be in a whip lash motion or compressive.
This can affect the neck in many ways, it is very common for the muscles to spasm, become stiff and painful. Joints in the neck can be stiff, sore and can misalign. With the upper neck this can put pressure on the lower brainstem and the spinal cord. In turn putting pressure on the cerebrospinal fluid which is a fluid surrounding the spinal cord and the brain, this can affect the healing time for the brain.
Further down in the cervical spine, this can affect similar structures, but it can also cause damage to the discs between the vertebrae. Potentially creating disc bulges or herniations which can then put pressure on the nerve roots which provide information back and forth to the upper limbs.
Why You Should Get Checked By Your Chiropractor After A Concussion
It is very important to have your spine and nervous system checked after a concussive episode, especially if any of the symptoms mentioned above persist and affect your daily function.
At TopChiro we test all the relevant neurology related to your incident. We use digital X-rays within the clinic when it is required to understand potential damage and cater to your needs to get you back to your best utilising specific Chiropractic adjustments. Improving the spinal function and optimising your nervous system over time, reducing the effects of the concussive symptoms.
If you or someone you know has suffered from a concussion and would to book an initial examination, please book with Dr. Alex here.
Find Out More!
Neck Pain - here
Low Back Pain Recovery - here
Dizziness – here
Whiplash and Whiplash-Associated Disorder (WAD) - here
Lumbar Spine and Sciatica - here
Upper Cervical Misalignment and Malformations - here
Sports Injuries - here
Arthritis - here
Trigeminal Neuralgia - here
Lumbar Instability - here
Spinal Surgery - here
Stress Management - here
Sleep Issues - here
Hypermobility - here
Pregnancy - here
Chiropractic Care for Babies - here
Menstrual Cycle - here
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) - here
Hypothyroidism - here
Hyperthyroidism - here
Diet Guidance - here
Vitamin C - here
Referred Pain - here
Poor Posture - here
Dowager's Hump - here
