What is a concussion and how do I get better? How do I recover? Can I ever return to my sport after a concussion?
These are questions I've been asked and I've even had to ask myself. In this post I'll be sharing about concussion managment and my own journey dealing with them.
Specifically we well address:
- What is a concussion?
- How to recover from a concussion
- How to test for a concussion
First off, what is a concussion?
A concussion in a traumatically induced transient disturbance of brain fucntion that involves a complex of pathophysicolical processes. In plain English, concussion is a specific type of brain injury after trauma (a fall, hit on the field, or even a whiplash injury). Additionally it is a functional condition not as much of a structural one, this is why concussion will not show up on imaging (MRI, CT, x ray).
How to recover from a concussion
Previously the thought process was to rest up for a long period of time after a concussion. This would typically last weeks to months. Current research has called that into question. It has been shown that "sub-symptom" exercise (walking, biking, strength training) increases brain recovery and function. For best results this must be done under the supervision of a trained professional.
How to test for a concussion
As mentioned before, concussion will not show up on a scan. The current standard exam is called the VOMs (Vestibular Occular Motor). It involves a series of head, eye, and neck movement and serves as a functional baseline. See attached video.
From the VOMs testing we can gauge what your custom treatment plan should look like and when you can return to your sport. If you have been dealing with a concussion or concussion sympotoms please contact the office. We will get to the bottom of this together.
Dr. Chad White is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With an extensive background in hockey, Dr. White has dealt with concussions and other injuries on and off the ice. He specializes in adding rehabilitation with his chiropactic treatment to improve human movment and return from injury.
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