JohnZ: my boxing concussion symptoms lasted about 8 months. I was completely fine afterwards (except for my neck stiffness, tension headaches, etc) until my hockey concussion. The hockey concussion was very minor, the symptoms subsided in a few days. After that, everything was fine until I started running a few months ago. Then these new symptoms emerged.

With my original two concussions I had all the typical symptoms. Nausea, dizziness, tiredness, vision issues, etc. But these new symptoms from running were/are very different. Its very hard to describe...its a mix between anxiety, the super crappy feeling you get before you're about to get sick, and muscle weakness. But I was never tired. That's what messed me up so much. I started thinking I was depressed or had anxiety or just down in the dumps. I couldnt even take my dog for a walk. I just wanted to go home. I was sooooo irritable.

Symptoms are much better since the neck treatment. I feel that things are returning to normal, and any symptoms I feel now are my body just adjusting to the change in blood flow to my brain. I tried 1 set of pushups the other day and felt really dizzy all night, but not in a way that worried me. I felt fine in the morning. I emailed my therapist and he said that is my body just trying to figure things back out. Tried 1 set of pushups again tonight, so far so good.

handsup: thats unfortunate, I hope that nothing serious comes of it. I still love watching boxing, but I have to tell you that maybe you need to re-assess whether or not its worth it to box. I would obviously never have boxed if I knew it would affect my life in such an impactful and negative way for over two years. I was contemplating going on disability at work at one point a few weeks ago. I was in a really dark place.

rob: Do you have this weird feeling of weakness/malaise/anxiety? I can't find ANYTHING online about anyone else having those symptoms post concussion. I found one post from 2006 on a forum where someone described having these symptoms when he started running a few years post concussion. That is it. I really wish I could describe what this feels like better, but I struggle to put it into words.

The gentleman I see (Drew) is not a doctor, but an Athletic Therapist. I've never seen that designation until now. He really seems to be a leader in the field, so I very much doubt that all Athletic Therapists would know what he knows.

The first treatment was to put my C1 back into proper position. He called it something like "muscle energy" technique; i.e. using my own muscles to move the C1. Chiropractors can adjust this manually, but he told me there are over 170 reported cases of tragic outcomes (patients going blind, severing nerves, severing arteries, etc) from this sort of manipulation. I would be VERY cautious about letting any chiro touch your neck.

The only way I can describe it is that he held my head at a certain position and told me to focus my eyes all the way to the left. We did this a few times, and I immediately had proper mobility in my neck afterwards.

In the second visit we really just did a lot of massage on my neck. I felt drunk again afterwards, but I am feeling better since. To be honest, I had the same feeling when I went for a massage and told the MT to focus on my neck. Maybe give that a try?

I'm guessing you are not in the Toronto area? I would look into athletic therapists in the area or try massage first and see how that works. But the problem is that I think that is a temporary fix. You might need your vertebrae adjusted, which might mean seeing a chiro. I haven't yet, but if you have time maybe google the techniques I described, maybe there are people in your area that know them.

I hope this helps. Let me know if it makes sense to you...

Take care,

Bas