How Chiropractic Care May Be Able to Help with Concussion Recovery

Concussion is a common injury among people of all ages, but it can be so much more than just a headache. In fact, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a leading cause of disability globally. In Canada, 2% of the population lives with TBI, and there are 18,000 hospitalizations for TBI each year, according to Brain Injury Canada.

To help with recovery from a concussion, it’s important not to dismiss your post-concussion symptoms or mask them with medication without first uncovering the root cause.

Victoria family chiropractor Dr. Stephanie Louie says, “If you are unsure if you or your child may have a concussion, it is particularly important to be assessed right away to decrease any risk of long-term side effects.”

Along with medical care from your doctor, chiropractors can help assess and manage post-concussion symptoms, especially neck-related symptoms like neck pain, headaches, and dizziness. Here’s what you need to know about concussion symptoms, post-concussion syndrome and how a chiropractor in Victoria may support your recovery alongside your medical team.

Key Takeaways

Get assessed first – Any suspected concussion should be checked by a medical doctor or nurse practitioner, especially in children
Recovery takes time – For most people, concussion symptoms improve within 1-4 weeks, starting with 24-48 hours of relative rest and a gradual return to activity
The neck matters – Neck pain, headaches and dizziness after a head injury can involve the cervical spine, which is where a concussion chiropractor in Victoria may be able to help
ICBC coverage – If your concussion happened in a car crash, chiropractic care is pre-approved through ICBC for the first 12 weeks

What is a Concussion?

A concussion typically results from direct or indirect trauma to the head, but Dr. Louie reports that many patients with a head injury may have had a concussion without realizing it.

An underlying neck injury could be the culprit since those unexplained aches and pains could be traced back to the residual effects from a past injury that may have seemed like a minor incident. Maybe it was an especially hard tackle on the football field, or a slip and fall on the pool deck. It could be a distant memory when post-concussion symptoms strike.

No matter our age or fitness level, we’re all vulnerable to concussion at some point. In fact, Brain Injury Canada estimates that 200,000 concussions occur annually in Canada. For most people, symptoms improve within 1-4 weeks, but some people continue to experience symptoms for longer. Early assessment helps you and your health care team manage symptoms from the start.

What are the Symptoms of a Concussion?

Four of the most commonly reported symptoms after a concussion are headaches, dizziness, nausea and neck pain. Other clinical symptoms are:

Headache
Physical and mental fatigue
Migraine
Anxiety or low mood
Feeling depressed or tearful
Feeling frustrated or impatient
Neck pain
Back pain
Ataxia (walking becomes more difficult and uncoordinated)
Nausea
Dizziness
Vertigo
Light-headedness
Light sensitivity
Muscle pain
Noise sensitivity
Difficulty reading
Visual changes
Double vision (diplopia)
Blurry vision near objects
Pain behind the eyes
Slurred speech
Spatial disorientation
Forgetfulness (memory)
Taking longer to think
Sleep disruption

This is an extensive list, but by no means all-inclusive. People can experience concussions quite differently. As with any injury, it’s critical to pay attention to what your body is trying to tell you.

Sometimes, after a head injury, we need help to make sense of the messages we are receiving in our bodies. At Mind Body Spine, we’re here to help you understand your symptoms and get you on the path to recovery with an individualized treatment plan.

What is Post-Concussion Syndrome?

After a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), like a major sports injury, patients can develop what is known as Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS). There are so many variables that it’s impossible to predict who will develop Post-Concussion Syndrome. That’s why it’s worth having lingering symptoms assessed rather than waiting them out.

Recovery can take longer for people who have had a concussion before, and athletes in contact sports like boxing, football and hockey are at higher risk of another head injury. Because of this, they need to take the recommended downtime to heal.

Researchers have described six clinical profiles that concussion symptoms tend to fall into:

Cognitive fatigue
Vestibular symptoms
Ocular-motor (eye movement) symptoms
Anxiety and mood
Post-traumatic migraine
Cervical symptoms

Post-concussion symptoms can result from an untreated, underlying neck injury as well as the body’s attempt to protect itself from further harm and to find balance. This attempt to find balance can potentially affect your posture and alignment, leading to a secondary injury.

For instance, if you were in a motor vehicle accident and were left with pain in your right knee, your body would rely more heavily on your left knee. Over time, extra strain on your left knee and posture changes to avoid weight on your right knee can create an imbalance. This can feel an awful lot like you’ve also hurt your back, hips, leg, or even the initially uninjured knee.

If your concussion happened in a car crash, it helps to know that Mind Body Spine is an ICBC Chiropractic Care provider in Victoria. If you have concerns after an accident, we’re happy to help you feel better.

How Chiropractic Care May Support Concussion Recovery in Victoria

When we think of traditional chiropractic treatment, some of us narrow our focus to spinal care alone rather than through the lens of total-body health and wellness.

As a fully trained and licensed chiropractor with a Kinesiology degree from UVic, Dr. Louie works hard to connect the dots between a past injury and present concussion injuries or secondary injury symptoms like headaches and fatigue.

If you have experienced the common symptoms of concussion, total body chiropractic therapy may be able to provide relief. A 2014 randomized controlled trial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that combining manual therapy for the neck with vestibular (balance) rehabilitation helped people with lingering dizziness, neck pain and headaches after a sport-related concussion get medically cleared to return to sport sooner. Above all, your treatment plan often begins with rest and good nutrition. Dr. Louie says rest can be one of the best tools for recovering after a concussion.

“This means rest from activities that you may not even think can be doing harm. Rest includes limiting activities that require concentration and limiting screen time, whether it is a phone, tablet or TV. Work/school and physical activity should also be avoided,” says Dr. Louie.

From there, a gradual return to activities like prescribed home exercises and stability exercises is recommended. However, if symptoms return or worsen, step back to the previous activity level for at least 24 hours.

“As chiropractors, we are trained in the diagnosis, treatment and management of this type of head injury, and it is important to help a patient fully recover, so they can return to full function,” Dr. Louie says.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I See a Doctor or a Chiropractor First After a Concussion?
See a medical doctor or nurse practitioner first. Anyone with a suspected concussion should have a medical assessment to rule out a more serious injury, and symptoms like vomiting, a severe or worsening headache, a seizure, or weakness or tingling in the arms or legs need emergency care right away. Once you’ve been assessed, a chiropractor can work alongside your medical team to help manage neck-related symptoms.

Does ICBC Cover Chiropractic Care for a Concussion After a Car Accident in Victoria?
Under ICBC Enhanced Care, chiropractic treatments are pre-approved for the first 12 weeks after a crash, with no referral needed. You’ll just need your ICBC claim number and your Personal Health Number. If you need care beyond 12 weeks, your health care provider can work with your ICBC recovery specialist to see if you qualify for more.

When Can I Return to Sport After a Concussion?
Return to sport follows a step-by-step plan, with at least 24 hours at each stage, and you only move ahead when your symptoms stay settled. Before returning to full-contact practice or games, the Canadian guideline requires medical clearance from a doctor or nurse practitioner. Returning gradually helps protect you from another injury.

If you or a loved one is dealing with post-concussion symptoms, support from a concussion chiropractor in Victoria may help you get back to doing what you love. Based in Victoria BC, Dr. Louie and her chiropractic team at Mind Body Spine can create an individual treatment plan tailored to your specific symptoms and health history. Call us at 250-885-2320 or contact us online to book an assessment.

Concussion Recovery and Your Chiropractor in Victoria BC