DeanBJJ,

We had a heartbroken mother here on NeuroTalk some years ago. Her son went to a concert and spent the night headbanging. He almost died from the damage he did to his brain. He eventually was committed to a mental hospital because he could not control his behavior and had residual brain injury symptoms that prevented him from being able to take care of himself.

There have been many cases of serious brain injury from headbanging.

The brain has two primary fluid systems, blood flow and cerebral spinal fluid. Both are regulated by a complex systems of shunts/valves. These can become disabled by excessive stress.

Second Impact Syndrome is a failure of these fluid regulating systems. A person suffers a concussion/mTBI and this system becomes challenged. Improperly regulated fluid pressures cause headaches, and the various neurological struggles/symptoms. Another impact/stress before this fluid regulating system restores proper function can be deadly. Second Impact Syndrome has killed many and seriously injury many others. A world champion snowboarder named Kevin Pearce almost died. Read his story. He talks about how he has to moderate risk.

Headbanging can challenge these same fluid regulating systems. It can also prevent your upper neck from becoming stable.

If you think it is normal, then return to doing it. See how you tolerate it.

To be direct, your past experience with headbanging could have put you at a higher risk of your recent concussion experiences.

BTW, My neck instability allowed my neck to get inflamed when stressed. That inflammation caused my brainstem/autonomic nervous system to be challenged by poor blood flow. When this happen, my blood pressure can drop to dangerous levels. My breathing control can fail and I stop breathing. Central Sleep Apnea has plagued my for 22 years. I manage it my keeping my upper neck healthy and by not sleeping with poor head and neck posture. It took me almost 3 years to regain neck stability.

Regarding roller coasters...

I love roller coasters. When I ride a wooden roller coaster, I sit forward so my upper back is not impacted by the shaking seat back. My upper back absorbs the quick movements and I have no problems.

On steel coasters that go much faster, are smoother, but have higher G forces, I hold myself in the safety guard so my head does not impact the guard or seat back.

Regarding PT and such overstressing your neck...
The occiput to C-1 and C-1 to C-2 joints are not faceted like the other vertebra. They do not self center into normal position. They are held in place by ligaments and tendons. When those ligaments are stretched and/or torn, they do not heal readily. Normal movements continue to stretch them. The standard PT protocol is to work on range of movement.

You can believe me or deny me. Doctors do no often discuss these issues because they have no objective way to diagnose these problems. MRIs, CT Scans, and such will not show these. A few concussion experts started to highlight neck issues about 5 or 6 years ago.