Concussion Therapy
Ever been hit in the head? Or maybe you got rear-ended while you minded your own business at a stop sign. Or you played way too much football in high school. Perhaps you have had a concussion.
While a concussion is the most common and least serious type of traumatic brain injury, it’s something to take seriously. The word concussion comes from the Latin concutere, which means “to shake violently.” A concussion is often caused by a sudden direct blow to the head. However, there’s a misnomer: you should have also lost consciousness to be diagnosed with a concussion. That’s not always the case.
According to the CDC, an estimated 173,285 people 19 years and younger were treated in ERs from 2001-2009 for concussions related to sports and activities. Other causes include falls, auto, biking accidents, and even my friend’s case, a social worker who had one of her students throw a stapler at her head. Kids….I swear…
Concussion Causes and Other Risk Factors
The brain is surrounded by spinal fluid and encased in the protective shell of the skull. When you have a blow or bump to the head, the impact can jolt your brain. Sometimes, it literally moves around in your head. Have you ever been in an auto accident? Whiplash diagnoses are almost guaranteed, but no one thinks that a concussion may have happened, but that violent jolting back and forth when you’re hit can jumble up the brain a bit.
The result is your brain doesn’t want to work right. If you’ve had a concussion, vision may be disturbed, you may lose equilibrium, or you may fall unconscious. In short, it’s confused.
Concussion Symptoms
Concussions can be tricky to diagnose. Though you may have a visible cut or bruise on your head, you can’t see a concussion. Signs may not appear for days or weeks after the injury. Some symptoms last for just seconds; others may linger for days, weeks, or even years.
There are common physical, mental, and emotional symptoms a person may display following a concussion. Signs of traumatic brain injury include:
- Confusion or feeling ‘spacey’ (brain fog, anyone?)
- Slurred speech
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headaches
- Balance problems or dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Sensitivity to light
- Sensitivity to noise
- Irritability or other behavior or personality changes
- Difficulty concentrating
- Loss of memory
- Fatigue or sleepiness
- Loss of consciousness
- Slowed response to questions
- Problems with sleep
- Depression
Types of Concussions
Doctors rank, or grade, the severity of concussions based on things like loss of consciousness, amnesia, and loss of equilibrium. There are three grades:
- Grade 1: Mild, with symptoms that last less than 15 minutes and involve no loss of consciousness
- Grade 2: Moderate, with symptoms that last longer than 15 minutes and involve no loss of consciousness
- Grade 3: Severe, in which the person loses consciousness, sometimes for just a few seconds
Concussion Recover with MPS Therapy
We are pleased to offer a proven solution to concussions with MPS Therapy at Michigan Massage and Wellness. By treating the cranial sutures on the skull and specific acupuncture points on the body, Concussion Therapy using MPS has been shown to reduce the symptoms of concussions such as headaches, pain, hand tremors, and even mood.
In a study that the Concussion Recovery Center performed, the results were astounding after a single session:
- Cortisol (stress hormone) was reduced by 47%
- Cognitive functioning improved by 47%
- Brain fog was reduced by 41%
- Headaches were reduced by 33%
- Ringing in ears was reduced by 47%
- The King Devick Test (considered a gold standard in evaluating for concussions) reaction time reduced 6% (which means they could answer the questions quicker).
Whether you were knocked out with a softball that was lobbed at you last week, or you played football in high school and have nagging, chronic aches and pains, or you’ve been in a car accident, and that neck pain is not getting any better, consider seeking concussion therapy treatment.
In Good Hands,
Rebecca Tamm, LMT