Extreme Head Sensitivity
 

I am 17 years old and live in Austin, Texas. My story starts last April 25, 2012 when I received my 5th concussion playing football. All 5 of these concussions happened over 3 years and were very minor, I never lost consciousness and gave each one time to heal. That last one on April 25, however, gave me a headache that lasted for a year.

That headache has just recently gone away, praise the Lord, but it has been replaced by a far worse symptom. After that last concussion from football I gave up football but still stuck with baseball, which was going fine until I got hit lightly on the head with an underhand toss. This normally should not have caused any harm, but because of my acquired vulnerability from previous concussions I believe it gave me another concussion.

That hit happened mid February of this year, about 10 months after my previous concussion from football. Since I got hit with that baseball I have not been able to run or do anything active, because if I do I feel like my brain shakes around in my head.

This sensitivity has gotten so bad I can't ride in cars because of the bumps in the road, can't go out with friends, and can hardly walk because the vibrations are sent up to my head and it feels like I can feel my brain shake.

If I lightly bump my head or have it shake one day, I will feel very bad for about 3 days, headaches, drowsnines, all that, but I will feel pretty good again after 3 or four days of rest.

It is also weird because this shaking of my brain I feel usually happens on the top part of my head, where I have never received a concussion or been hit with anything, all of my concussion have been on the front of my head.

It does not seem logical that I could suddenly go from be able to do so much to not being able to run from a light hit from a baseball. Please let me know if you have any insight as to what is causing this and what I can do to help it heal. Could it have anything to do with the cerebrospinal fluid in my head?

My life has been completely put on hold and I am desperately looking for help and will do anything to get better. I have given up contact sports altogether and am currently completely resting myself. I just want to have my life back and be able to do the simple things in life-drive places, go out with friends, and even play golf. Please let me know if you share a similar situation or have any advice or help. Thanks so much and best of luck with your own PCS situation.

Dan,

It sounds like you have a good idea of the triggers (level of impact or shaking) and what to do after. You may never find the actual cause/injury. That does not mean you can't stop these relapses. Learn new behaviors to limit these impacts and shaking events. It may take some time to develop a tolerance for head movement. It took me quite some time.

I have to be careful riding in cars. I have explained the techniques I use to limit the shaking. We actually test drove cars over railroad tracks and other bumps to see how I responded to the bumps.

I have a horrible time with speed bumps even at a slow speed.

Try to keep track of the situations where you are exposed to bumps and shaking. Post them and I will comment about any things I do to limit the impact on my brain.

My best to you.

head sensitivity
 

Hi Dan,

it is very possible that the extreme sensitivity on top of your head giving you the sensation that your brain shakes , is actually coming from your neck.

Indeed he first two upper vertebrae (C1-C2)are often involved in post concussion syndrome mimicking /adding to the actual symptoms of head injury -often giving headaches and even vertigo.

Do a Google research "occipital neuralgia" you might recognise your symtoms.

An experienced, careful chiropractor would be able to evaluate and treat you with this condition.

Do not despair. There is always a solution.
Pepa

"An experienced, careful chiropractor would be able to evaluate and treat you with this condition." is a gross understatement. Most 'run of the mill' chiros will be too aggressive with C-1, C-2.

It helps to be willing to shop around for the chiro who is experienced and careful. They are very rare but worth the effort to find.

Most chiros focus on Wellness and the money train it provides. The few chiros who can adequately treat a specific injury like upper cervical get lost in the crowd.

Treatment alone will not resolve this instability. You need to do extensive self-care and disciplined behavior modification while this instability heals and strengthens. No quick fix here.

I have the exact same problem after several concussions. I never hug anyone. If they slightly "bump" my head when our cheeks meet, I get concussion symptoms for about a week. Then I feel fine again. The same happens if I drive on very bumpy roads. Be careful and just accept that you are very sensitive. You'll learn to live with it.

Thanks Pepa, I researched occipital neuralgia and some of the symptoms do ring a bell, I did not find a whole lot on the sensitivity to movement though.

I really appreciate you pointing me in that direction as well as your encouragement. Like you, I believe there is always a solution.

Thanks for the advice Mark, I will be sure to continue to be careful with my movements to protect my head while I search for a solution. I understand that multiple concussions lead to increased sensitivity to movement but I also believe there is another cause of what I am feeling.

After doing some research I found a few videos on patients who had PCS for quite a while and had cranial adjustments done and become completely symptom free. After looking further into this, I read that if one of the 22 bones in the head are set off track through head trauma, they can lead to increased pressure and reduce blood and cerebrospinal fluid flow.

I then noticed that there is a noticeable dent on the top of my head where two of the major bones meet, also right where I get the weird feeling and where I most commonly feel my brain "vibrate".

Anyway just wanted to share that with you, I dont know if you have looked into that for yourself or have heard of it.

Girl from Norway, I am very sorry to hear you are going through the same thing. How long have you been this way?

Since 2008. It has been a lot better over the years (I'm not that sensitive anymore) but I still have to be very careful.

Hey since you guys haven't posted on this thread in a year I was wondering whether or not you all healed from this extreme sensitivity and no longer experience. I am experiencing the exact same thing that you described. Thanks.