cmer,

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

Your experience is quite common. People with PCS tend to become overly sensitive to the times that their head make contact with an object. Very few of these bumps are of even a sub-concussive intensity. The symptoms are PTSD like memorized/flashback symptoms.

There are two parts at play. One, people tend to forget the 'bonks' prior to suffering a lasting concussion. When they bonk their head, they may have noticed the bump but quickly discounted it as just an annoyance. Two, When someone with PCS is also struggling with anxiety, they tend to be a bit more clumsy because they are putting their attention in too many diverse areas. Sometimes, it is because they struggle to ignore other stimuli that previously they could easily avoid.

BUT, the frequency of minor bumps may increase but the intensity of those bumps usually does not. As one NT participant notes. He had to learn to put bumps into perspective. If he would not have paid attention to that type of bump prior to his concussion, there is not need to pay attention to it now.

What specific therapies are you receiving from your PT and cranial-sacral therapist? Is the CST with an osteopath?

If you have been reading for a while, most would have noticed that neuros are rarely much help with concussions.

From what you say about seeing multiple neuros and getting an MRI and CT Scan, and the idea that they gave you bad advice by not telling you to avoid activity suggests that you have become overly focused on every detail and needing to understand them all. This is common, especially for people who have a history of anxiety or sometimes a high drive in life. Both serve to make PCS worse.

You have not said what symptoms you are experiencing. Can you tell us about the your up and down symptoms?

Regarding your question about whether these minor bumps are causing damage. Nobody knows. They do know that some people are more sensitive to these bumps but they also see a correlation with this sensitivity and anxiety or other psychological characteristics.

If you are self-checking for symptoms, you will be more prone to notice symptoms. It can be a bad habit. The power of suggestion can be strong.

Have you been treated for any neck issues? Aggravating a subtle neck injury can manifest as a return of concussion symptoms.

Have you ever checked your blood pressure when you have a headache or other return of symptoms?