Have you noticed any changes in personality, or increased irritability in your loved ones? It’s possible they may be suffering from a concussion that they’re unaware of. Many people may not notice all of the signs of a concussion, so our Chiropractor at Revivelife™, Ian Anderson, has highlighted some of the most common symptoms, as well as what he can do to help! The role of a chiropractor in the event of an an athletic concussion is to assess, evaluate and manage the people who have sustained the injury. Conventional Chiropractic Care may effectively treat whiplash and mechanical headaches, which are often part of the symptoms that occur at the time of a concussion.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF AN ATHLETIC CONCUSSION
Immediately after a head injury, symptoms can include:
· Confusion
· Headache
· Fatigue
Within 24 hours, these symptoms are common, but all diminish significantly within 48 hours:
· Slow mental response
· Impaired balance
48 hours to 16 days after the trauma, these symptoms appear:
· Enhanced sensitivity to light and sound
· Sleep disturbance for seven days
RECOMMENDATIONS
Most people recover spontaneously from concussions within one week but still require cognitive and physical rest. Working at the computer, watching television or exposure to brights or flashing lights and images should be avoided if they are provocative in terms of triggering headache, dizziness or blurred vision.
Other recommendations include:
· Light aerobic activities like walking.
· Consume protein – “A recent study showed that having certain Branch Chain Amino Acids, the building blocks of proteins, following a concussion can improve cognitive deficits created by the injury”(1)
· Curcumin – 480 mg, 3X/day (to reduce inflammation)
· Alpha-lipoic acid – 600mg, 1-3 /day (to improve mitochondrial function)
· Coenzyme Q10- 100mg per day (to improve mitochondrial function)
To see if these recommendations are right for you, or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call Revivelife at 613-829-7100 or email info@revivelife.ca
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention also offers excellent online courses regarding concussions, you can visit their website at www.cdc.gov/concussion
References:
(1) Headway Foundation. Recovery Tips. 2016
(2) Elkind, Jaclynn A., Miranda M. Lim, Brian N. Johnson, Chris P. Palmer, Brendan J. Putnam, Matthew P. Kirschen, and Akiva S. Cohen. “Efficacy, Dosage, and Duration of Action of Branched Chain Amino Acid Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury.” Frontiers in Neurology Front. Neurol. 6 (2015): n. pag. Web.