Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho
Concussions and concussion like events are a process, not a single event. The cascade of chemistry can start slowly then hit hard.
I agree with Jo*mar. There is a lot of upper neck trauma that can be caused by the intense shaking.
I suggest you find somethings to keep busy with that do not trigger headaches. Manual tasks and crafts can be very good. The brain needs good blood flow to recover. It is also imperative that you get good sleep. Naps or resting during the day can disrupt proper sleep atnight so avoid daytime naps.
Screen time is not a problem if the visual is not too stimulating. Same goes for audio stimulation such as gentle music or diaglogue. A good rule is if you need to reread a line of text or did not understand what you heard, stop and find a different activity.
Being afraid of activity will increase stress/anxiety levels and slow your recovery.
What kind of work do you do ? Maybe there is a way you can return to partial days or work with frequent breaks.
I suggest you plan on staying off the ice for an extended period. No contact means you can still fall and smack your head. The reaction and balance skills of PCS make it a risk.
Ice is magnitudes more dangerous that a shaking roller coaster.
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Thank you for your detailed reply Mark!
To answer your question, I work in advertising. I'm in the creative department. Me and my partner come up with marketing ideas and present them to clients etc. There is stress involved for sure. I think the plan is whenever i'm ready to come back, they will gradually increase my hours. I think i'll start off with working only 3 hours a day for the first week and increase and decrease the following weeks according to my body's response. So I'm glad my work is sensitive to my medical condition.
I will look into manual tasks and crafts. I have a mandella coloring book lying around somewhere. Maybe that will help blood flow. I have also found that reading books and books with lots of images didn't flare up any headaches or other symptoms. Maybe my eyes get strained a bit but not too much. Listening to soothing music or podcasts also seem good.
Follow up question about me staying off the ice for an extended period of time. Do you mean I should stay off till I'm completely symptom free? I love playing hockey and its a big part of my life (stress management, enjoyment, achievement etc) so right now it's hard and sad for me to think that I might have to give up on playing hockey...maybe for good.
And i'm also dealing with anxiety knowing that I might have to deal with PCS for a uncertain amount of time. Does anxiety/stress really slow down recovery like you stated?