Rough road a trigger for PCS symptoms?
 

Friends -

Fortunately, after falling numerous times during a recent ski trip, my headaches have all but disappeared. However, each time I hit a bumpy or rough patch of asphalt in my car, they return. The intensity increases driving over particularly rough sections of road. I ran over a bump on the interstate several nights ago and the "shock" felt as though it was transmitted directly to my head. Ouch!

Any advice? Should I stop driving?

Has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks in advance.
nb

I don't drive, but you may be in area where you have to.
Any chance of a sudden stop or accident has me concerned.
I had one in a taxi some months back (sudden stop).

Yes, I have experienced this many times. We purchased a car only after driving it across railroad tracks to see how much motion was transmitted to the seats.

When I know the road is bumpy, I reduce the impact to my head by sitting forward. If my back is not against the seat back, it can absorb the impacts much better.

I learned this technique riding roller coasters. I love roller coasters but some just shake too much, primarily the wooden type. If I sit with my back off the seat back, my upper body can absorb a great amount of the vibration.

I experienced a serious jarring driving back from skiing at our local ski area. (Bogus Basin) The last 10 miles get rutted with ice and can be brutal. The road up to the mountain also has 156 sharp turns. Between the two, I have determined that getting to this ski area is more than my brain can handle. Too bad because I can see the ski area from my front porch.

Hunching your shoulder forward also helps a bit but not as well as sitting away from the seat back. The curve in the upper spine helps absorb a lot of impact forces. If your seat has a recline feature, you can move the seat back a bit so you can sit with less contact. This can be tiring, especially if you need to hold onto the steering wheel to stay upright but it helps immensely.

My best to you.

Thanks Jeffrey.

Mark - this is great advice; I will give it a try. By continuing to drive while my brain is apparently extra sensitive post-injury, am I doing myself more harm?

Thanks.
nb

You want to avoid anything that causes a return or increase in symptoms. Healing happens best when you are at minimal symptoms. Getting good rest, nutrition, and avoiding relapse triggers such as bumps etc. Getting drunk is also a serious relapse trigger and well as staying out late and getting physically and mentally exhausted.

As the old adage goes: Doc, I always end up feeling lousy after I do such and such. Doctor responds, Stop doing such and such.

It is not brain surgery to understand the cause and effect of PCS and our triggers. It just takes a bit of afterthought in the beginning and forethought later as we learn to take better care of ourselves.

btw, a serious relapse of symptoms or increase in symptoms may indicate that you have injured your brain further.

Post Concussion Symptom
 

This is my first contact with this site, also the first time that I have heard of anyone with similar symptoms to what I am experiencing.
After a short time driving, my brain feels as if it is being shaken, and I have to stop and rest. My car (Toyota Matrix) seems to be particularly bad, and the roads are rough in winter, but this does not happen in some other cars.
I am searching for a car which does not affect me, driving six hours yesterday in a Malibu, but am afraid that the brain effects may be cumulative.
When young I was concussed three times, have had labyrinthitis twice though I have had no symptoms for a long time - until now.
Comments will be appreciated.

Hi Anthony - I know exactly how you feel. I also drive a smaller sedan that gets great gas mileage but seems to react to every little bump in the road!:)

Rough pavement is bad but what really works me are compressions. By this I mean when there is a slight incline in the road, usually before a bridge, then a quick drop-off on the other side. Driving over this at highway speeds causes a rapid up/down that I'm really sensitive to right now. Occasionally, I'll get a quick pain in my temple along with the "down".

I think its the stimulation of driving itself. I feel that same shook up feeling after driving even 10 mins to the chiropractor!

rough road a trigger for PCS symptons
 

Similarly, I have found that riding over bumps in the road causes immediate head pain and far worse symptoms a few hours later. I now travel slowly, and only on the smoothest of roads. That seems to make a big difference.