Concussion Treatment
LiveActive Sport Medicine Health and Performance is an official Complete Concussion Management™ clinic in Toronto, Ontario. Concussions have become the focus for both professional and amateur athletes around the world, and LiveActive Sport Medicine Health and Performance strives to be at the forefront of concussion diagnosis, concussion management, and rehabilitation. We utilize a comprehensive, multi-modal approach to concussions, based on current advances in concussion research.
LiveActive prides itself on using a team based approach to care to reduce wait time, offer best in class concussion treatments, and all-in-house recovery team.
Using evidenced based exertional testing, combined with symptom management and activity progression, acute and chronic concussions can be treated at LiveActive.
What is a Concussion?
A concussion is a disruption in neurological functioning following a significant impact to the head or elsewhere on the body. This causes a biochemical imbalance within brain cells as well as decreased blood flow and temporary energy deficits within the brain. Individuals who sustain a concussion frequently complain of a headache, feeling “out of it”, feeling off balance and dizzy. They may also have neck pain, mood and sleep changes and difficulty thinking, remembering and concentrating. Light, noise and “busy” situations may make them feel worse.
The current recommended approach is ” Recognize; Remove; Rest; Rehab”
Following a suspected concussion, a player should be immediately removed from play, assessed and placed on complete rest in order to recover from the energy deficit. This is particularly true for children and adolescents and in recreational sports where on-site trained medical care is usually absent. For non-sport concussions, stopping all activities and starting complete rest is also necessary. Assessment by a trained and knowledgeable health care professional is recommended within the next 24-48 hours to confirm whether or not a concussion has occurred.
Concussion Treatment
LiveActive Sport Medicine Health and Performance is an official Complete Concussion Management™ clinic in Toronto, Ontario. Concussions have become the focus for both professional and amateur athletes around the world, and LiveActive Sport Medicine Health and Performance strives to be at the forefront of concussion diagnosis, concussion management, and rehabilitation. We utilize a comprehensive, multi-modal approach to concussions, based on current advances in concussion research.
LiveActive prides itself on using a team based approach to care to reduce wait time, offer best in class concussion treatments, and all-in-house recovery team.
Using evidenced based exertional testing, combined with symptom management and activity progression, acute and chronic concussions can be treated at LiveActive.
What is a Concussion?
A concussion is a disruption in neurological functioning following a significant impact to the head or elsewhere on the body. This causes a biochemical imbalance within brain cells as well as decreased blood flow and temporary energy deficits within the brain. Individuals who sustain a concussion frequently complain of a headache, feeling “out of it”, feeling off balance and dizzy. They may also have neck pain, mood and sleep changes and difficulty thinking, remembering and concentrating. Light, noise and “busy” situations may make them feel worse.
The current recommended approach is ” Recognize; Remove; Rest; Rehab”
Following a suspected concussion, a player should be immediately removed from play, assessed and placed on complete rest in order to recover from the energy deficit. This is particularly true for children and adolescents and in recreational sports where on-site trained medical care is usually absent. For non-sport concussions, stopping all activities and starting complete rest is also necessary. Assessment by a trained and knowledgeable health care professional is recommended within the next 24-48 hours to confirm whether or not a concussion has occurred.
What are Red Flag Concussion Symptoms
A “red flag” is meant to indicate danger, or high alert. In concussions, red flags are helpful to ensure there are no more serious injuries present, like bleeding into the brain or brain swelling. If “red flags” are present, immediate medical care should be sought.
Here are the “Red Flags” or “Danger Signs” according to Centre for Disease Control, Atlanta, USA
- Look very drowsy or cannot be awakened
- Have one pupil (the black part in the middle of the eye) larger than the other
- Have convulsions or seizures
- Cannot recognize people or places
- Are getting more and more confused, restless, or agitated
- Have unusual behaviour
- Lose consciousness (a brief loss of consciousness should be taken seriously and the person should be carefully monitored)
Danger Sign Concussion Symptoms for Adults
In rare cases, a dangerous blood clot may form on the brain in a person with a concussion and crowd the brain against the skull. Contact your healthcare professional or emergency department right away if you have any of the following danger signs after a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body:
- Headache that gets worse and does not go away
- Weakness, numbness or decreased coordination
- Repeated vomiting or nausea
- Slurred speech
Danger Signs and Symptoms of Concussions for Children
LiveActive’s collaborative care ensures our sport medicine doctors and our therapy team collectively establish the plan of care. Effective treatments like ultrasound guided injections in collaboration with exercise can help acute and chronic injury alike.
- Have any of the danger signs for adults
- Will not stop crying and cannot be consoled
- Will not nurse or eat
Concussion symptoms without red flags
If there are no red flags then rest at home is the best medicine in the first day or two. Then it’s time to have the concussion assessed. The off field assessment, often in your health care provider’s office will include a variety of assessments to gather information about how the athlete/ person feels, balance, memory, coordination and eye movements.
Studies have shown that activity, both mental and physical, in the immediate 1-3 days following a concussion can delay the process of recovery. This may mean no school or work, no sports and no activities that make the symptoms (how the person is feeling) worse.
Another major concern surrounding concussions comes from the energy deficit that occurs in the brain following injury. When the brain is in this low energy state, scientists have established that the brain is extremely vulnerable to additional trauma, where even smaller impacts can lead to another concussion. These second concussions can cause severe brain injuries with potentially permanent or fatal outcomes.
Concussion Case Study
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How Long is Concussion Recovery Time?
The time when symptoms go away or improve does not always mean the brain has fully recovered. Individuals may feel better within days of a getting a concussion. In order to know when the brain has fully recovered and out of this “vulnerable period” testing different aspects of current brain function can be done. This post injury assessment is multi-modal and evaluates symptoms but also memory, concentration, balance and proprioception, eye movements, reaction time and strength, all shown to be impaired following a concussion. For individuals in high-risk sports (e.g. football, hockey or rugby) or who have completed a baseline test, computer based neurocognitive testing may also be performed.
Fortunately, the concussion recovery time for about 80-90% of people is less than a month. Many recover in about 2 weeks. Younger athletes generally take longer. Each concussion is different, so a person’s concussion recovery time may take a little less or a little more time.
Patients not recovering in this time frame require a re-evaluation and adjusting the rehab protocol to address any persisting symptoms.
Treatments for a Concussion
- Buffalo Treadmill Test
- Vestibular Ocular Motor Screen
- Manual Therapy
- Acupuncture
- Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition Guide
- Sleep Hygiene
- Vestibular Therapy
- Vision Therapy
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