Can anyone explain to me how inflammation is related to the big picture of PCS? The neurologist put me on prednizone and while taking it I'm about 90%symptom free. It's like a window into being normal again. When off it, I'm a complete wreck.

Is inflammation causing all of these PCS issues? I thought it was something more sinister like axon tearing.

Isn't inflammation supposed to be the body's natural way of healing? Is it right to take that away or will I stall healing to keep fighting it?

I thought taking inflammation away would stall healing, but then why do I feel so well when it's gone?

HOpe these are not dumb questions. I need to understand the logic of what I'm doing and the loops aren't connecting. Thanks.

The prednisone may be acting on inflammation or it may be just replacing some corticosteroids that are being under produced by the adrenal cortex.

<Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex. Corticosteroids are involved in a wide range of physiologic systems such as stress response, immune response and regulation of inflammation, carbohydrate metabolism, protein catabolism, blood electrolyte levels, and behavior.

* Glucocorticoids such as cortisol control carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism and are anti-inflammatory by preventing phospholipid release, decreasing eosinophil action and a number of other mechanisms.
* Mineralocorticoids such as aldosterone control electrolyte and water levels, mainly by promoting sodium retention in the kidney.>

I would consider the prednisone to be symptom reducer but not necessarily a supporter or promoter of any healing mechanism. Hormone imbalances are common with PCS.

Be careful that you don't mistake 'feeling better' with recovery. When you can feel better without the prednisone, then you are recovering.

Inflammation occurs in the brain all the time.

The inflammation from a trauma would involve the nerve damage itself.

This is done by inflammatory cytokines of the Cox-2 series being released in response to the trauma trigger.

Here is a link a poster on PN found that shows diagrams and pictures of nerve damage. If focuses on peripheral nerves, because that is where most of the research is, but it diagrams how the injuries can involve inflammation.
http://www.georgiapainphysicians.com...od2_slides.htm

Under the subheadings of inflammatory response and peripheral sensitization, these chemical cytokines are listed there.

There are drugs in the pipeline called ampykines, which block glutamate release in certain central brain disorders, and these may prove useful for brain injured patients as well. I believe they are not yet available for general use yet.

Because glutamate is inferred to be the largest problem released by damaged neurons, it would be prudent to avoid all MSG in your diet and food choices. MSG is very hard on the nervous system.

Thank you. That helps to broaden my understanding. I'll look at the link today about nerve damage - only have about an hour in me today and have to focus on work. From a quick scan of your comments though I can see once again as it keeps presenting itself that rest/sleep is really the only current cure - and of course a huge component even if future drugs can assist.

A few of my clients are medical researchers and they have specifically worked on neuro regeneration. They seem think they are quite a few years away from helping us out.

thanks again.

So I wrote a lengthy reply and then just deleted because I rambled. I guess even with the extra info, I'm not sure if I should be taking the prednisone. I don't want to just mask issues. I want to heal.

BTW, about glutemate. MSG is some nasty stuff and I don't touch it. I wish everyone knew about it. It gave me stroke-like migraines in my 20s and 30s. I haven't had it in over a year and have been completely headache free. Until now with the concussion of course...

One thing to remember about Prednisone. Many doctors use a system of every other day in an attempt to get the body to sense the absence and try to make the corticosteroids it needs. Long term use can cause some psychological problems.

If you have to pay full price for it, ask if you can get it from a vet supply. It is much cheaper and exactly the same. My beagle was on it for 14 years. I tried getting it at Walgreens when I ran out and it cost 3 times as much in human use packaging.

is MSG in soy sauce??.

Read the label. Different companies have different recipes. If it is Kikkoman soy sauce, it does not have MSG per say. It is made with a fermentation process to get the flavor. The online sources suggest that the fermentation process produces “processed free glutamic acid (MSG)”

Be careful, MSG can be hidden under natural flavor, hydrolized protein contains processed free glutamic acid (MSG) Here is a web page that may help: http://www.truthinlabeling.org/MSG.Aliases.Exposed.htm

I have been sensitive to MSG for a long time.

Axonal/neuron-injury leads to mass release of neurotransmitters and cellular content. The cellular content stimulates inflammation to "clean" up the lost cells. Some neurotransmitters (like glutamate) when extracellular and Ca2+ ions (when intracellular) case damage on its own if in to great concentrations.

These are toxic and cause some "unneccesary" damage.

The inflammation itself cause damage to healty neurons but is not at all as destructive as it can be in a bacterial infection (bacterial meningitis etc).

Either way.... I think theory behind the idea of treating a concussion/mtbi/tbi with immunodepressants/anti-inflammatory meds are valid.

You should listen to your doctor and report your progress to him.

The concern you have about the debri not being cleaned up properly in your brain and that would cause prolems are unlikely. The cleanup-process will continue later (even after youre off the antiinflam meds) and scartissue instead of dead neurons arent doing to much of a different for your functioning.

If you feel anxious, you should have your doctor explain better.

Emil (med. student)

Thank you. That's more along the lines of what I was thinking and hoping. Thus, taking away the inflammation can work but it's complicated for sure. We will see. I'm a few days into the prednisone and all is great - hopefully will be better after too. thanks.