Concussion one month ago question
 

I have searched online for answers to this question and found this forum. The reason that I am coming here to ask is that my husbands concussion doctor is out of town for a week and a half and it isn't an emergency.

My husband was in a car accident one month ago which resulted in a concussion. He wasn't given a protocol to follow until 8 days after the accident. He had not had any headache or nausea for 2 weeks, just monitoring fatigue and taking breaks. He is not back to work full time. On Friday, he got very nauseous and then his headache pressure got worse throughout the day. He did end up in the er because his doctor made him go but he just got sent home. After 18 hours in bed he seemed back to where he was before.

The question is because he was doing really well and we couldn't identify what would have cause any agitation to his brain but, we both have bad colds and he also had a fever. Is there reason to believe that the coughing and sneezing could have agitated his brain injury?

Hello,
I recall many mentioning coughing, sneezing making them feel worse..

And some also feel Ok for a few weeks after the injury, then the symptoms become more bothersome..

So it could be a combination of both making for more issues.

Feel free to read the sticky threads and other posts while waiting for more replies.

krisgrt,

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

Yes, coughing and sneezing can exacerbate symptoms. Often, concussion symptoms are combined with a subtle neck injury. The sneezing can aggravate that. You were right to go to the ER. They probably did a basic neuro exam and cleared him to return home. I am surprised they did not do a CT Scan. It is commonly done to rule out problems and reduce hospital liability. He must have passed the neuro exam with flying colors.

A fever also stresses the brain.

Quiet rest is best but bed rest is not usually necessary. One wants to have just enough stimulation to keep good blood flow through the brain.

I find an easy chair or recliner allows for the occasional nap between simple activities.

My best to you both.

Thanks for the quick replies. He has not had an MRI or CT since the accident. The ER doctor said that they would only do a CT if it was an emergency and he was showing signs of a brain bleed. Since he wasn't, they recommended a followup with his doctor and an outpatient MRI. They did do a simple neuro exam, nothing at extensive as the doctor treating his concussion. She is a sports medicine doctor that treats college athletes as well and is follows a strict concussion protocol.

He is under treatment of a chiropractor for the whiplash.

If they did not see a need for a CT Scan based on his neuro exam, there would not usually be a reason for an MRI. Some find that normal chiro techniques of "twist the head and pop the neck" are too aggressive for concussion related upper neck injuries. If he experiences head aches and tender spots behind his ears, he might need to ice his upper neck. Check out the sticky at the top called Vitamins, Post # 101 from Nov 2014 has the latest info. It has lots of info besides the vitamin regimen many of us use.

If somebody wants to post a link to the proper page, please do.

Here's the link to the updated vitamin post #101 that Mark has mentioned above.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post1106982-101.html

.

Kris,

I am 10.5 months out and have acquired my first cold that has involved sneezing and coughing, it has definetly affected my head.

It is a bad enough result now so I can't imagine what it would have been like earlier.

Bud