Mark In Idaho,

Ah, thank you very much for your kind and informative reply. That is very good news to hear. I suppose my misinformation about concussions came partially from what I was experiencing - when each of these instances caused a sudden return of symptoms - and from doctors.

After reading and considering what Jomar has said, I realized that I am likely suffering from whiplash, and possibly something else neck-related. I have already began an effort to treat this, starting with daily icing and improving my sleeping posture. If you have any tips on sleeping well, please let me know!
I have removed pillows from my bed and am resting only on an inch of blanket, but am still waking up very sore. I know it may take some time, but would I benefit more from getting rid of the blanket completely, and laying flat on the mattress? I will also have to try to figure out how to help my GERD, as that has become a bigger struggle since learning to lay flat.

As for the anti-inflammatory diet, do you have any food recommendations or guides that might help me better choose what to eat? I have put in a good effort, but I am finding that I am just cycling through eggs, chicken, dark chocolate, berries (raspberries and blueberries), tuna, and green beans over and over again. If these are most of my options, I’ll roll with it! But, it would be nice to find some alternatives.

You are very correct about the anxiety. I have struggled with anxiety, depression, insomnia, OCD, and ADHD my whole life. I am also a survivor of neglect and sexual abuse, so I am guessing there is some level of PTSD thrown into this whole mix. As I look through the threads that other people have posted, I am learning about how these issues not only make it much harder to recover, but that I am not alone.

My neurologist recommended amitriptyline hydrochloride. What are your thoughts on this? I have been scared to take it as I have a little history wrongfully using medicine, and I was worried about how it might affect my injured brain.
I have always been a little stubborn about using medicine and wanting to find a way to resolve anxious tendencies through other methods. I’ve been trying to expose myself to the things that were previously triggering me - walking down the stairs, hugging others, and even just being outside. I put my hood up for the first time in a while yesterday, and walked in the rain while letting the water hit my head. It was great!

Instead of a concussion clinic, do you think I would benefit more from a PT? I know that they sometimes work with whiplash patients. If I need to get a diagnosis first to see if there are any other problems with my neck, such as a misalignment, what kind of doctor might you suggest? I know nothing about the spine.

For activities, I suppose most anything is alright so long as they do not put me at risk for another injury or severely aggravates symptoms. Are there any guides for noticing what aggravates symptoms? I feel like it should be obvious to me, but I am finding that it hardly ever is. I just notice that there may be triggers, as when I lay down at night, I realize that my head hurts quite a lot more than in the morning. My favorite thing is writing, so perhaps I should try that again.

My final questions to you:

I have heard that whiplash can cause concussions. Would the same force be required in that instance, or no? What would an example of that happening look like? I ask because if I know that if I educate myself on that, I can calm down more about all of these jerks/bumps/etc that are not concussions!

I have also heard that after the initial concussion, we are more susceptible to a second injury, and with less force. Would it become less than 60Gs, or does it the necessary impact force remain within the 60G-120G area?

Finally, what is an example of hitting your head on something that could cause a concussion? When I whacked my head on the metal door, I began developing some more issues with keeping track of what people are saying, and certain levels of what I believe to be derealization. Perhaps these cognitive issues stem from the neck injury, though, or even the chronic stress caused by my situation.

I apologize for how many questions I have, but as you said, there is so much misinformation out there! The only way to improve is to be truly informed, and I see all of what I am going through as a learning experience. Thank you very greatly for your time.