Concussion Management
Our team of trained physiotherapists and chiropractors are here to help guide you post-concussion.
A concussion can occur from either a direct hit to the head, or from the head quickly moving back and forth, such as in a whiplash type injury. A concussion occurs due to shearing of the axons in the brain. The axons are like the highways of the nerves- they cause the nerves to fire whenever our brain tells our body to do anything- like movements, speech, or thoughts. When the axons shear back and forth, channels on them open all over the brain, causing an electrical storm of activity, and burning a lot of our stored energy. The resultant loss in our energy stores is what causes the lingering symptoms of concussion.
Concussion symptoms can include neck pain and headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, nausea or vomiting, light or noise sensitivity, feeling foggy, unbalanced or “off,” difficulty sleeping or concentrating, memory deficits, and/or feelings of increased anxiety or irritability. You do not need to suffer a loss of consciousness to sustain a concussion.
At Bloom Therapy a concussion assessment involves an evidence-based approach to locate the affected areas from the resultant loss of energy stores in the brain. Your physiotherapist or chiropractor will assess your neck, your visual, balance and vestibular systems. At a later visit, you may do a treadmill walking test to determine at what heart rate your symptoms come on at to create an individualized graded exercise program.
Your concussion treatment will involve whichever systems were determined to be affected through the assessment to create a personalized plan for you. It will also include education so that you can understand exactly what is going on in your brain to better assist in your recovery.
Physiotherapy services are NOT covered by Alberta Health Care or Worker’s Compensation Board (WCB)
+ What are red flags or reasons to visit the ER after a concussion?
If you have difficulty speaking or swallowing, double vision, numbness/tingling in the face or extremities, severe or worsening headache, seizures, decreasing alertness, or a loss of coordination, these are all reasons to go immediately to the emergency department following an injury.
+ How long does it take to recover from a concussion?
Reocovery from concussions can vary significantly from person to person, or injury to injury. It takes approximately 3-4 weeks for the metabolic changes in energy stores to recover in the brain following concussion. Symptoms may last more or less time, depending on severity and management. It is extremely important during this time frame to avoid sustaining another impact to the head which can then affect the already depleted energy stores.
+ Do you treat Post Concussive Symptoms/Syndrome (PCS)?
Yes we do! A PCS assessment will look very similar to an acute concussion assessment. Our team will determine which systems are most affected- visual and vestibular/balance, cardiorespiratory, or your cervical spine in order to create an individualized treatment plan for you.
+ Have questions regarding concussion management?
Email us theteam@bloomtherapy.ca and we will answer all your questions!
+ Interested in getting Concussion Baseline testing done for your team?
Email us theteam@bloomtherapy.ca.