Spanish
Korean
How to Fix a concussion with Georgia Upper Cervical Chiropractic.
This may be a bold statement, however, when it comes down to it, healing from a concussion or any other condition requires the body to do it. We often explain to patients that no matter what your condition, disease, or syndrome is, if you are to get well, you need to do things that both support and increase the bodies healing potential. The body can heal if it is given the right materials and has the proper nerve supply. In this article, we will discuss how you can heal from a concussion and discuss current research, symptoms involved in concussions, and give you real live people that have recovered.
Hockey player Sidney Crosby suffered from several concussions the first of which occurred in 2011. His career was in jeopardy until he met a chiropractor, Dr. Carrick. And then again, another famous sports star, Jim McMahon made national headlines following his recovery from post-concussion syndrome by receiving chiropractic care, upper cervical chiropractic care, with Dr. Scott Rosa. These two high-profile cases are a microcosm of what is transpiring in American sports. Sadly, few cases with concussions receive proper spinal care to recover fully.
How Common Are Sports-Related Concussions?
According to the most recent research, Jim McMahon and Sidney Crosby are not alone:
Sports Concussion Statistics (1 ):
- 3,800,000 concussions were reported in 2012, double what was reported in 2002
- 33% of all sports concussions happen at practice
- 39% — the amount by which cumulative concussions are shown to increase catastrophic head injury leading to permanent neurologic disability
- 47% of all reported sports concussions occur during high school football
- 1 in 5 high school athletes will sustain a sports concussion during the season
- 33% of high school athletes who have a sports concussion report two or more in the same year
- 4 to 5 million concussions occur annually, with rising numbers among middle school athletes
- 90% of most diagnosed concussions do not involve a loss of consciousness
- An estimated 5.3 million Americans live with a traumatic brain injury-related disability (CDC)
Even though many who suffer from this condition eventually become asymptomatic, they still should be checked for upper cervical spine misalignment. In the article below we will discuss exactly what upper cervical chiropractic care is and why you should get checked following head trauma. Determining whether you suffered from a concussion can be difficult. Concussion symptoms can take several days to surface. Below is a list of symptoms that concussion sufferers may experience within hours or days of a concussion.
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Sensitivity to loud noises or bright lights
- Confusion
- Double or blurry vision
- Cognitive Confusion or delayed processing time
- Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy
- Emotional ups and downs
- Headaches
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sleep problems
- Loss of consciousness
- Anxiety and depression
Anyone that has had a head injury and is experiencing these types of symptoms should consult their medical doctor or chiropractor immediately.
The Problem – “How To Fix A Concussion”
Unfortunately, it has been our experience in practice that Post-Concussion Syndrome(PCS) patients receive little to no help in the mainstream medical arena. Fortunately, there are other forms of care that are successful in helping the body recover its health. Upper Cervical Chiropractic is one form of alternative care that has proven successful in the treatment of post-concussion syndrome(PCS). Dr. Mike Flanagan published a comprehensive article in 2015 which gave a detailed explanation of how an upper cervical spine injury can cause a plethora of symptoms throughout the human body. To summarize, Flanagan considers the head-neck junction as a “choke point” for neurological interference to the brainstem. Once this area is structurally injured it has widespread ramifications on the body's function and health it can easily explain how post-concussion symptoms can be caused by neck injury.
So how to fix post-concussion syndrome? Georgia upper cervical chiropractic has the goal of correcting spinal misalignments in the upper neck to allow for normal neurological function. In our offices, we have had many recoveries from post-concussion syndrome. Instead of drugging the patient, the upper cervical chiropractic goal is to allow for normal nervous system function by correcting the neck injury that resulted from the concussion. This is the missing link that mainstream medicine fails to recognize in post-concussion syndrome recovery. Our doctors are specially trained to locate the problem, and analyze the best way to fix it- “How to fix a concussion.”
This is why it is critical for patients and parents of children who have suffered from concussions to do their research. How to fix a concussion requires looking outside of the mainstream for answers. Ask those who have gotten well and you will find other than time, the great majority fixed their concussion with the care that helped the body function better!
Why Chiropractors Are One Of The Best Providers To Consider When You Need To Know How To Fix A Concussion
If you are currently under medical doctor care it would be wise to have your case co-managed with a chiropractor. Chiropractors are specially trained to deal with the fallout that comes with a neck injury precipitated by a concussion injury.As a rule of thumb, Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) may evaluate, diagnose, and manage concussion patients. The pre-requisite management skills for a concussed athlete can be supported by additional education.
Chiropractors are specifically interested in trauma to the human frame. And their entire schooling is designed to locate analyze and correct misalignments of the spine Because the area of injury in the case of a concussion is at the skull and/or upper cervical spine, chiropractors who utilize precise X-ray analysis of the occiput and cervical vertebrae (Upper Cervical Chiropractors), and work to specifically reduce misalignments in this area, should also be incorporated into the health care management of any concussion patient.
The Research – How To Fix A Concussion
A review of the chiropractic research literature and post-concussion syndrome(PCS) shows promise for concussion patients. There is a massive data bank of patients that have anecdotal recovery from post-concussion syndrome. The medical establishment frowns upon anecdotal evidence, however in the last ten years, notable literature has been published confirming testimonial accounts of PCS recovery following chiropractic care.
In 2015 Vernon and Marshall published a paper in Physical Sports Medicine that implicates neck injury in the cause of Post-Concussion Syndrome. (5)
Ellis M, Leddy J, Willer B. Physiological, vestibular-ocular, and cervicogenic post-concussion disorders: an evidence-based classification system with directions for treatment. Brain Injury. 2015; 29(2): 238-248. (6)
Why Georgia Upper Cervical Chiropractic – How to Fix A Concussion
Georgia Upper Cervical is a unique chiropractic procedure that focuses all of its attention on the skull-neck junction. Georgia Upper Cervical Chiropractic is tailored to help those with the post-concussion case. The goal of Georgia Upper Cervical is to determine whether the upper four bones in the neck are aligned or misaligned. Once determined there is a spinal problem, precise joint (articular) x-rays are taken to determine the direction of misalignment and joint angle. Once these factors are worked out they are used in a precise, gentle, correction to restore joint motion and normal neurology. When the neck joints are in motion the central nervous system can function better. Better function means better healing. The patient is monitored over time to determine whether a spinal correction is needed or not. While the correction is in its normal position healing occurs. We have an old saying in upper cervical work- Nature Needs No Help Just No Interference.
“Upper Cervical practitioners hypothesize based on their success in addressing many health conditions that the misalignment of the atlas is blocking communication to various parts of the body and thereby affecting the body’s own ability to correct the problem. “
Dr. Nick Tedder is located in Dacula GA and services the communities of Atlanta, Auburn, Austell, Braselton, Buford, Cumming, Dacula, Duluth, Dunwoody, East Point, Flowery branch, Gainesville, Grayson, Hoschton, Hamilton Mill, Johns Creek, Lanier Islands, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Norcross, Suwanee, and Winder.
References:
Sports Concussion Statistics
The role of the cervical spine in post-concussion syndrome
Leave a comment