A concussion, known as a minor form of traumatic brain injury (TBI), is an injury that results from trauma to the head. When the trauma occurs, it causes the brain to move rapidly within the skull, causing it to slam into the inner part of the skull. Reasoning it is considered mild is that concussions typically do not cause permanent damage to the brain or any of its cells. It can possible, however, for concussion symptoms to persist for weeks, months, or even years. This has the potential to be debilitating for the individual, as it can have a profound impact on his/her quality of life and ability to function.
Luckily, most symptoms of a concussion resolve in a reasonable amount of time. During that time, though, the symptoms can be highly uncomfortable. Some of the most common symptoms of a concussion include headaches, neck pain, confusion, vision changes, memory loss, nausea, and fatigue, though not every concussion sufferer will experience the same symptoms. Different people experience different symptoms with a concussion is uniquely different and dependent on several factors including what kind of trauma was sustained. There is a common misconception that you only have a concussion if you lose consciousness during the trauma. This is simply not true, as it is very possible (and very common) to get a concussion while maintaining your consciousness.
Therefore it is so important to be evaluated by a health care professional if you experience any type of trauma to the head, even if you feel completely fine in the moment. Sometimes concussion symptoms don’t start until days or even weeks following the incident. Knowing the kinds of symptoms concussions cause can help you identify an injury and empower you to maintain dialogue with your health care provider about how your situation is developing. The biggest takeaway should be that any type of injury involving the head or brain should be treated with the utmost seriousness. There is no such thing as being too cautious with these types of injuries.
At the Springfield Wellness Center, it is common for our chiropractors to see patients who currently have a concussion. Remember, the spine must be in good alignment for the nervous system to heal and function optimally. If there are barriers to normal function, such as subluxation in the spine, the brain, spinal cord, the entire nervous system simply is not able to heal in the same way. Understanding that our bodies heal from the inside out, and not the other way around, is essential to overcoming the obstacles that concussions can cause.
