Concussion - Brain
Have you ever hit your head? Have you been in a car accident & suffered from whiplash? If so, you may have had a concussion. You may only have had short term problems. If you experience brain fatigue, memory problems, sleep disturbance, mood changes and generalized sensitivity to light and noise - you may actually be dealing with the long term effects of a concussion.
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury. It occurs after a fall or jolt to the head or neck. This jolt disrupts the function of the brain. Symptoms of a concussion can be varied and don't always include a loss of consciousness. There can be physical, emotional, psychological, and cognitive symptoms. Symptoms can last anywhere from minutes to months. If you have had a concussion previously each subsequent concussion can have larger and more profound effects.
In medicine we always talk about prevention is key. Even with a helmet you can still be affected by a brain injury. When it comes to skiing and other adventurous sports, it is hard to keep the relative risk of a concussion down to a zero. Also keep in mind that prevention in the concussion realm is preventing the long term effects of a brain trauma. This happens by starting treatment early and not just leaving it up to the great healer, time.
Early treatment for a concussion may actually lead to a faster recovery time. So just brushing it off & ignoring the injury may lead to an unnecessarily longer recovery time. We are lucky in Penticton to have practitioners well versed in concussion treatment.
Taking a multifaceted approach to concussion treatment can also be beneficial for a better outcome. Naturopathic medicine works on improving brain function by reducing inflammation, feeding the brain with nutrients to help it to heal & treating specific symptoms early to keep your healing optimal.
Some of the symptoms of a brain injury are due in fact to inflammation in the brain. Loading up on healthy fats found in walnuts, avocado, fish, MCT oil, olive oil are a great way to offset inflammation. There are
specific nutrients that are anti-inflammatory to the brain, including liposomal glutathione and curcumin.
Brain supportive nutrients also comes to play to give the brain an upper edge while healing. If your sleep has been impacted from a concussion, which it often does, melatonin could be an answer. Studies have shown that melatonin improvement in whole brain function and grey matter with the added benefit of improved sleep and less fatigue.
Since the brain is the conductor of the whole body, when it gets affected so do other organ systems. Some patients suffer from hormonal changes after a concussion, while others have a heightened fight or flight response. It is all too common for long term concussion sufferers to dip into depression or anxiety. Expedite whole body healing by using natural medicine to bring balance to your body while your brain heals too.
If you are in doubt that you may have a concussion get checked out so that you can start your healing journey.
References:
Grima NA, Rajaratnam SMW, Mansfield D, Sletten TL, Spitz G, Ponsford JL. Efficacy of melatonin for sleep disturbance following traumatic brain injury: a randomised controlled trial. BMC Med. 2018;16(1):8.
Published 2018 Jan 19. doi:10.1186/s12916-017-0995-1