Concussion Management in Glenwood Springs, New Castle, Carbondale, Willits and Eagle
Helping you find relief from post-concussive symptoms
What is a concussion?
A concussion is a type of brain injury that is caused by an impact or jolt
to the head. Symptoms can include:
Fatigue
Headaches
Neck, back and shoulder pain
Blurry or double vision
Sensitivity to light, screens, noise or crowds
Difficulty with attention, memory or a feeling of “brain fog”
Dizziness and imbalance
Sleep problems
Increased irritability or difficulty controlling emotions.
Most people will recover from a concussion on their own in a couple weeks
with a brief period (<48 hours) of symptom-limited rest followed by
a gradual return to normal activity levels. However, if you are one of
the 20-30% of people who have symptoms that persist for longer you may
have what is referred to as Post-Concussive Syndrome. These symptoms can
be very distressing and interfere with school, work, household responsibilities
and participation in the community. Our team of rehabilitation specialists
are committed to delivering superior care by accurately assessing your
unique combination of symptoms and delivering targeted interventions to
address your post-concussive syndrome.
To learn more about therapy for post-concussive symptoms and how it may
benefit you, reach out to one of our rehab locations at one of the numbers below:
A bump, fall or jolt to the head can make the brain move back and forth
inside the skull, causing unpredictable damage to cells and altered chemistry
in the brain. Because of this mechanism, it is possible for many areas
of the brain to be involved to varying degrees. This is why there are
so many possible symptoms, and why one person’s concussion can look
so different from another’s.
How is a concussion diagnosed?
It is not necessary to have a loss of consciousness to be diagnosed with
a concussion. Currently there is no one test that can definitively diagnose
a concussion. MRI or CT scans may be used to make sure there are no signs
of major brain damage or bleeding, but people can experience severe symptoms
of concussion even when brain imaging looks normal. Currently, concussion
is diagnosed by a physical examination and presence of post-concussive symptoms.
Who is at risk for post-concussive syndrome?
Anyone who has experienced a forceful impact to the head can develop post-concussive
syndrome. Prior history of concussion or head trauma increases your risk,
and having more severe symptoms immediately after the head impact event
can sometimes predict more serious or more long-lasting symptoms.
How are concussions treated?
Best practice for early treatment usually involves a period of relative
rest that includes preventing additional head impacts (such as removal
from sports games or practice) and some reduction in usual levels of stimulation
from screens, loud noises, busy environments and heavy physical exertion.
We know through research that too much rest can actually delay healing,
so absolute or symptom-limited rest should be used for no more than 48
hours. With relative rest, people gradually increase their activity levels
while keeping their symptoms at or below a tolerable level, and over time
are able to return to normal daily life. When symptoms are still limiting
usual activities after 2-3 weeks, rehabilitation is indicated.
In rehabilitation, treatment for concussion is based on the specific symptoms
that a person is experiencing. Therapy treatments are designed to promote
healing by activating the different body systems that are involved, provoking
a moderate but temporary increase in symptoms. With repeated practice,
the brain gets better at activating these systems and symptoms improve.
Therapy can be instrumental to guiding an appropriate level of activation
to optimize healing. Depending on your symptoms, different rehabilitation
disciplines may be recommended.
Physical therapy treatments may include:
Education on pacing strategies, relative rest, sleep hygiene and activity
modification to help with fatigue, headaches and brain fog.
Eye exercises to help with vision, headaches and fatigue.
Cardiovascular exercise carefully dosed to help with headaches, fatigue
and brain fog.
Vestibular assessment and treatment for symptoms of dizziness and imbalance.
Musculoskeletal interventions including manual therapies, strengthening
and stretching exercises to help with headaches and muscle and joint pain.
Gradual re-introduction of sport-specific movements to help with whole-body
readiness for full return to higher level activities
Occupational therapy treatments may include:
Education and practice with practical strategies to manage daily life while
recovering.
Techniques to manage stress and emotional symptoms.
Practice and practical support for implementing pacing strategies, and
sleep hygiene to help with fatigue, headaches and brain fog.
Rehabilitative interventions to address weakness, deconditioning or balance
impairments.
Speech therapy treatments may include:
Assessments for memory, attention and other cognitive problems, and objective
feedback on progress.
Assistance with strategies and tricks to manage issues related to decreased
memory and attention while recovering.
No two concussions are alike, and recovery from concussion is unique to
each individual who experiences it. Your rehabilitation team at Valley View will
develop an individualized program to help you on your road to recovery.
For local high school athletes, we will also coordinate with school athletic
trainers and pediatrics to help guide a safe return to play.
A prescription from your health care provider is required to begin therapy,
and it is important that you talk to them about any symptoms you are experiencing
so that they can help rule out other causes that might need medical management.
Your health care provider may recommend one or all three therapy disciplines,
depending on your specific needs and how you are progressing with your
initial therapeutic program.
Most people will recover from a concussion on their own in a couple weeks
with a brief period (<48 hours) of symptom-limited rest followed by
a gradual return to normal activity levels. However, if you are one of
the 20-30% of people who have symptoms that persist for longer you may
have what is referred to as Post-Concussive Syndrome. These symptoms can
be very distressing and interfere with school, work, household responsibilities
and participation in the community. Our team of rehabilitation specialists
are committed to delivering superior care by accurately assessing your
unique combination of symptoms and delivering targeted interventions to
address your post-concussive syndrome.
