Concussions

What are Concussions?

A concussion is a mild brain injury that can’t be seen on routine imaging. It affects the way a person may think and remember things, and can cause a variety of symptoms.

Causes of Concussions

Concussions can occur due to a variety of reasons, such as sports injuries, falls, motor vehicle accidents, or other traumatic events.

A severe impact to the head or body can result in the brain moving rapidly within the skull causing the brain to experience sudden acceleration and deceleration forces, resulting it to bounce or twist within the skull, this leads to a concussion.This movement can result in stretching and damaging of brain cells and tissues, disrupting normal brain function.

Common Concussion Symptoms

If you have recently experienced an impact to your head or body, look out for these symptoms:

• Headache or pressure in the head

• Nausea or vomiting

• Dizziness or loss of balance

• Sensitivity to light or noise

• Brain fog, Confusion or difficulty concentrating

• Fatigue or drowsiness

• Tinnitus or ringing in the ears

• Double or blurred vision

• Emotional instability

Delayed concussion symptoms

Most of the time it is easy to connect the cause-and-effect of a concussion. If a person has recently experienced a traumatic head or body injury and then starts experiencing concussion symptoms, it’s typically easy for a clinician to diagnose them with a concussion. 

There are, however, some situations where concussion symptoms are more difficult to spot. Every case is different, and some symptoms may not be immediately apparent. For example, memory loss may not be noticeable at first. In some cases, concussions can cause brain injuries that take time to affect a person’s day-to-day life.

FAQ ABOUT Concussions

What to do immediately after a concussion?

In the first 24-48 hours encourage rest. This means limiting stimulating activities such as video games, intensive cardiovascular exercise, busy settings, intensive mental work.

After which, there will be a gradual return to activities depending on tolerance. By tolerance we are referring to increasing symptoms related to the concussion such as headache, dizziness, emotional irritability.

Average recovery time for a concussion?

The timeline for recovery from a concussion is one of the most difficult components. Unlike injuries to muscles, ligaments, or bones where the recovery timeline is highly predictable, recovery from concussions is highly variable. This is because the symptoms of a concussion are more related to changes in the electrical and chemical conductivity of the brain (like the software of a computer) than a physical injury. This is also why concussions cannot be identified with any scans. 

One study found that nearly 50% of patients recovered within 14 days, 77% within 4 weeks, and 96% within 8 weeks. The timeline for recovery from a concussion is dependent on the severity of the initial symptoms, past history of concussions, gradual reintroduction of symptom-inducing activities, general health and fitness.

Kara S, Crosswell H, Forch K, Cavadino A, McGeown J, Fulcher M. Less Than Half of Patients Recover Within 2 Weeks of Injury After a Sports-Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A 2-Year Prospective Study. Clin J Sport Med. 2020;30(2):96-101. doi:10.1097/JSM.0000000000000811

When to consult a specialist

Concussions are tricky in that there are no tests to specifically identify a concussion. As such, unless other concerns are present, a concussion on its own doesn’t typically require immediate medical attention.

\While concussions are generally self resolving, seeing a physical therapist early in the concussion can be helpful in providing strategies to manage symptoms as well as coming up with a rehabilitation plan to get a patient back to daily life.

The other time when patients with concussions will come to see a physical therapist or a doctor is creating and implementing a return to work plan. Your physiotherapist will work with you to create a streamlined plan that considers the patient’s individual symptoms and work demands.

How can Physiotherapy, Chiropractic and MAssage Therapy Help with Concussion

If you're dealing with a concussion, our team at Pursuit Physiotherapy, including our Victoria chiropractor, is here to help support your recovery with a holistic approach. Our interdisciplinary team collaborates to provide a comprehensive assessment and tailored treatment plan.

Physiotherapy can help you assess your injury and current function, and provide you with manual therapy and neck-specific exercises to help improve your mobility, strength, and function. Physiotherapy can also include IMS dry needling and manipulation to lower the sensitivity of the muscles and the nervous system, provide pain relief and regulate muscle tone in the area.

Chiropractic Care focuses on optimizing musculoskeletal function through techniques like massage, joint mobilizations, manipulation, and personalized home exercise programs.

Massage Therapy employs various techniques, including deep tissue work, joint mobilization, and relaxation methods to alleviate symptoms and promote healing.

If you're looking for the best physiotherapist in Victoria, feel free to give us a call at 250-363-9707 to schedule your appointment with one of our physiotherapists, chiropractors or massage therapists at our new clinic located in Victoria BC.