Is inflammation to blame for my symptoms after a concussion?
December 7, 2022
Inflammation is a major contributor to the effects of a concussion, but it is not the entire story. Initially, inflammation causes reduced blood flow that slows neurological signals within the pathways of our brain and between our brain and body. Eventuallly, inflammation diminishes and we are left with the aftermath of damage that has occurred. This has the potential to impact many regions of the brain, most commonly the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS' main job is to send blood flow where we need it, when we need it - quickly and efficiently. If this does not happen, we may experience symptoms of brain fog, light headedness, dizziness, dizziness upon standing (orthostatic intolerance, orthostatic hypotension, POTS), headaches, migraines, fatigue, light and sound sensitivity, vertigo and more. The brain is the part of our body that is most sensitive to problems in our ANS due to it's location in our body - it is the only organ above our heart that needs to pump against gravity. We only have 5-6 L of blood, which is not enough to be everywhere at once. Therefore, we must have a very precise autonomic nervous system to pump blood flow to the brain that supplies it with the oxygen (energy) needed to thrive, not just survive. Post-concussion syndrome is often accompanied by dysautonomia that interrupts normal blood flow to our brain. Concussions are one of the most common disruptors to ANS function.
We can help! The doctors at Portland Chiropractic Neurology are functional neurologists and have fellowships in concussion/brain injury and rehabilitation, dizziness and vertigo rehabilitation, and have undergone a year-long training program in autonomic nervous system function. They have many years of experience and are equipped to restore symptoms associated with concussion and dysuatonomia that are impacting your every day life through specific neurological treatments such as tilt table, nerve stimulation, vestibular rehab, eye movement retraining, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, chiropractic care, physical rehabilitation, and more. We are located in Portland, Maine and see patients from all over the state and New England. Please feel free to contact us with any questions at info@portchiro.com
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