Have you ever had a concussion? The effects of a concussion can have a dramatic impact on your daily life, but with proper treatment, you can heal faster and find relief from the painful symptoms and side effects.
Osteopathic treatments take a holistic view of your healing. An Osteopath can use manual manipulation techniques and recommend nutrition and lifestyle amendments to promote healthy physical and mental healing after an injury.
Keep reading to learn how Osteopathy can support healing after a concussion.
What causes dizziness and vertigo?
A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that often occurs after a hard bump to the head. Even though the injury is in your brain, you may experience symptoms throughout your body.
Osteopathy recognizes that the body is one interconnected system. This holistic approach can help you find relief from the side effects of your concussion while your injury heals.
Two common symptoms of concussion are dizziness and vertigo:
- Dizziness: If the part of your brain that controls your balance or your inner ear is damaged, you may feel dizzy. This is one of the most common and disorienting symptoms of a concussion.
- Vertigo: Vertigo is a dizziness where you feel you’re about to fall over.
Dizziness or vertigo may come on suddenly or be caused by moving your head. They often don’t last long but can be incredibly disorienting.
Other concussion symptoms
Your doctor or healthcare professional can diagnose a concussion. If you notice these symptoms after a hit to the head, talk to your doctor:
- Trouble remembering what happened right before the accident
- Looking confused or dazed
- Appearing confused over simple instructions (such as game plays they used to know by heart)
- Appearing clumsier than usual
- Taking longer to answer questions
- May lose consciousness (even briefly)
- Changes in mood that are not typical
The individual may also:
- Report a headache or pressure in their head
- Have trouble sleeping
- Have vomiting or nausea
- Experience balance problems or vertigo
- Be unusually sensitive to sounds and light
- Report feeling “not right”
After any hit to the head, watch the patient closely for several hours (or days) after the accident, as some symptoms may not appear right away.
Read this Concussion: Symptoms and Treatment guide from the Government of Canada for more details about concussion symptoms and warning signs.
How Osteopathy provides relief from concussion symptoms
Osteopathy is the holistic healthcare practice of supporting muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, nerves, connective tissue, and internal organs. A concussion can affect many of these systems, and a holistic approach to healing can help you heal faster and get symptom relief.
Here are a few ways Osteopathy can provide post-concussion care and support:
Pain relief
After a concussion, you may experience headaches or neck and back pain. These are common after a significant injury, but an Osteopath can help you find relief.
An Osteopath can use gentle muscle manipulations to relax these tense muscles, increase safe mobility, and support self-healing.
Boost blood and lymphatic circulation
Your circulatory system helps nutrients travel through your body, and your lymphatic system helps rid your body of toxins and waste.
Osteopathy can help increase the circulation of your bodily fluids, bring essential nutrients to the area of the injury, and promote healthy healing. It can also help flush any built-up fluids in your brain.
Restore physical balance
When you suffer a concussion, you often feel physically disoriented or unbalanced. This disorientation is due to injury or obstruction of the part of your brain that helps you maintain your equilibrium. It can also contribute to blurred vision.
Osteopathy helps realign your body’s systems to reduce tension, promote fluid flow, and clear any blocked nerves causing miscommunication in your body.
Reduce inflammation
A concussion often involves severe inflammation around the brain. While some inflammation benefits healing, too much can be painful and hinder healing.
Your Osteopath can support restoration of proper body functions, including adequate lymph fluid flow, so excess swelling and inflammation can be safely flushed from your body.
Support a healthy nervous system
Your nervous system plays an essential role in the communication function of your body. After a concussion, nerve signals can be blocked or damaged, so your brain can’t send communication signals throughout your body.
An Osteopath can gently manipulate your nervous system to remove blockages and promote healing so signals can pass more easily.
Help you sleep better
The physical and mental stresses of your injury and its effects on your life can cause you to lose sleep. Whether you can’t sleep because of the physical pain or your mind is feeling overwhelmed with the extra stress and life changes of the injury, Osteopathy can help.
Osteopathic treatments are gentle and can also help promote mental calm and relaxation. This relaxation can help put you in a more relaxed mood. You may even take a short, refreshing nap during your session!
How often should you see your Osteopath after a concussion?
Your Osteopathic treatment plan will be customized to your needs. Your Osteopath will start by asking questions about how the injury was sustained. They also will ask about the symptoms you’re experiencing, so keep a diary of symptoms and triggers to share with them.
Then, your Osteopath will perform a physical assessment and create a customized treatment plan to address your symptoms and health goals. This plan may include weekly or twice-weekly appointments for several weeks. Healing may take longer in some cases for more severe concussions.
If you’re already seeing other healthcare specialists for your rehabilitation and healing (such as your primary care doctors or neurologists), you can often also work with an Osteopath. Tell your healthcare team about your wish to see an Osteopath (and let your Osteopath know what other specialists are supporting your recovery).
Where to find an Osteopath for your concussion healing
At Thuja Wellness, my Osteopathic training and experience enable me to help you in your concussion-healing journey. Through Osteopathic treatments, I can help promote brain healing and help you find relief from your side effects and symptoms.
I aim to help you return to everyday life quickly after your injury.
Book an initial assessment online to get started.
