The CDC estimates that about 1.6 million athletes sustain concussive head injuries each year. Resulting symptoms range from headaches and dizziness to memory lapses and confusion. These symptoms can last weeks or months after the initial injury. Fortunately, there are many concussion treatments available today to help patients recover quickly and efficiently.
Different Types of Concussion Treatments
A concussion is a term used to describe any injury that causes the brain to move inside the skull. It can be caused by a blow to the head, such as from an object falling on you, a car accident, or even being hit in the face with an object. In some cases, it may not be obvious what has happened to cause your concussion. For example, if you fall down and bang your head against something hard, you could have a resulting concussion without realizing it.
Concussions are different than other types of head injuries because they don’t always show up immediately. You might feel fine one minute and then suddenly start feeling disoriented or confused the next. This is called post-concussion syndrome (PCS). PCS can last for days, weeks, or months and can get in the way of your daily life.
To expedite your concussion recovery and ensure that you return to a baseline state, it’s a good idea to seek out treatments near you. If left untreated, the effects of a concussion can last for long periods of time, causing susceptibility to more concussions and further damage. There are several different types of treatments available for people who suffer from concussions, which include the following:
Resting
Getting well-rested is one of the most important and effective parts of concussion recovery. Sleeping can help improve symptoms and will give your body time to recuperate. If you have a headache, dizziness, or confusion after your injury, rest as much as possible (even if that’s just relaxing on the couch). Try to avoid physical activity and computer/phone screens, which could worsen symptoms.
Gyrostim Therapy
Your sensorimotor system is what enables the body to understand and respond to the world around you. Your ability to perceive, understand, and react to incoming stimuli depends on the health of your sensorimotor system. This bodily system can be disrupted by TBI's (traumatic brain Injuries), thus leaving your body out of balance. Gyrostim is an innovative way to train your body and brain, and help it recover from damage or trauma. It helps you improve your performance by challenging the function of your sensorimotor systems.
DynaVision Therapy
By nature, DynaVision lends itself to be beneficial to patients overcoming the side effects of a concussion. The protocol helps improve cognitive processing speed and capabilities, hand-eye coordination, motor performance, and general awareness, all of which can be impaired by a concussion.
Neurofeedback Therapy
Neurofeedback is an effective drug-free treatment for almost any kind of mental illness. If your brain has been injured, then the rest of your body may suffer too. Neurofeedback works by using a positive feedback system, similar to the one used in Pavlov’s famous experiments. It helps you manage any unwanted responses to certain situations. Positive reinforcement helps people improve their performance at whatever they're doing. For example, if someone is playing a sport, positive reinforcement could help them perform better. Neurofeedback can also help alleviate pain by modifying the brain in areas that process pain. This can help with headaches and other painful side-effects of concussions and TBI’s.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT for short, helps you learn new ways to think about things so you can cope better with stress. CBT covers a wide range of activities that aim to help improve brain function and cognitive behavior.
Make sure to seek medical treatment immediately after a concussion. Consult with your doctor before undergoing any post-concussion treatments.
What Can McWhorter CNR Do for You?
Your mind has an enormous number of responsibilities and if even the tiniest bit of damage happens, your life can be seriously affected. A concussion, TBI, or any external force that causes dysfunction in the brain needs to be treated immediately and without restriction or limitation. At McWhorter CNR, we pride ourselves on offering the best concussion treatments and rehab programs in Colorado to help people recover from their concussive injuries.
There are no two brain injuries that are exactly alike. As such, a cookie-cutter strategy for treating traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and concussions won't get patients very far. At McWhorter CNR, we create an individualized treatment plan for each patient to properly address their needs. We take into account the specific details of you, your injury and your lifestyle when developing a personalized rehabilitation program for you. And we have many innovative therapies to properly treat your concussion and symptoms. From Neurofeedback to Gyrostim, we have everything you could need to get back to your best life.
Schedule an appointment with McWhorter CNR and see our concussion treatments in action.