And the original thread was from a year ago.

I'm seeing a combination of a Chiropractor and Osteopath to treat neck injury and PCS – I'm 10 weeks since injury and 24/7 headaches. Making slow progress, but some progress.

2 things to note:
1) The chiropractor never does any twisting manipulations, or "cracking". He uses a device called an ArthroStim, and it sends gentle pulses out. He has been using this on my C1 and C2
2) The osteopath is trained in the European style, which is apparently very different from the North American style. It's more gentle, and more appropriate for head injures from my knowledge.

About a month and a half from now I reach my 4 year mark and I still don't know what to do, it is very discouraging.
Good Luck, I hope you find your solution!
Live Long and Prosper,
Margarite

My daughter has now received four months of treatments from mmtr, at first 3 times/week, and now 2 times/week. It has been eight months since her head injury. It is a 3-phase approach, where she initially gets treatment on the myoworx machine, which facilitates the muscles to be massaged more effectively. Then there is deep tissue massage and trigger point release of the muscles that they have determined to be causing her particular symptoms, whether they be light sensitivity, tinnitus, headaches, etc. It is the only thing that makes her feel better, and is helping her get better. She has not fully recovered and continues to experience various symptoms, but to a lesser degree than previously, when she was unable to enjoy anything life had to offer. She has only recently started going back to restaurants, albeit quiet ones on Mon-Wed, as well as a family gathering or two. She went to a hockey game and was quite unwell afterwards, so that was too much for her. She is testing her limits and realizes that she needs lots of rest before and after doing anything that could exacerbate her symptoms. If you are anywhere near Guelph Ontario, it is worth giving them a call to see what they say. If you have been suffering from pcs for years, and doctors tell you all you can do is wait it out, then you have nothing to lose by looking into it. You might get pieces of your life back. We feel fortunate to have found this clinic, and have it close enough to home that she can be treated regularly. Others fly in for a two-week intensive treatment schedule to get them started.

Paola,

I doubt your daughter will see a drastic improvement in over-stimulation limits from the MMTR treatments. They are not designed for the deep neurological problems. The web site lists the PCS symptoms they hope to treat.


Headaches
Nausea
Dizziness
Fatigue
Light/Noise Sensitivity
Blurred Vision
Tinnitus
Ear Pain
TMJ – Jaw Pain or Dysfunction


The symptoms related to occipital and cervical inflammation are the focus.

The light and noise sensitivity will hopefully improve after the other symptoms have improved first. Light and noise are a slow improvement because they are likely related to axonal injuries that heal slowly.

I wish MMTR had more information about their system.

Hope she continues to improve.

My best to you both.

Hey Mark,
I do not mean to be rude or disrespect you, but every post I have read on Post Concussion you seem to degrade there suggestions and derail there hope of getting better. I have had post concussion for almost 4 years now and to see how you put down hope for people is very disheartening. I have been around the country for treatment and suffered the consequences of head trauma through head and neck injuries in sports, so therefore I feel I can post this opinion. I have had headaches, nausea, dizzyness, eye complications, cardiovascular complications(heart rate flucuation, blood pressure, etc). Hope is all we have and to see you being negative about any treatment any individual suggests is in my opinion, not what this board should be about. I understand you have been educated on this subject and have suffered great trauma throughout your struggle, which I have a great amount of respect towards your struggle. I see how you do try to offer insight, but to think your situation is the same as everyone's and to say this treatment or that treatment will not work is not helpful. An individual could see your statement and not try a certain treatment because you feel it does not work. Every individual's post concussion situation is different which you have stated in past posts, so therefore who can say which treatment will work and which won't? I hope I did not offend you as this was not my intention. Cheers to all who are fighting and struggling through the hardships of post concussion and head/neck trauma. Always try to dwell on the positives you have in your life as of course this is much easier said than done.

You appear to have missed my comment that the MMTR protocol would likely help with the neck and occipital inflammation related problems. The other cognitive oriented symptoms would be slower to recover.

There are plenty of clinics that are eager to take patients money with vague promises of treatment. I find it difficult to support their claims when some are outright illegal. MMTR made/makes comments about FDA approval but they have no such approval and are abusing the FDA approval concept.

I'd be interested to hear what treatments you have found to be helpful. Your cluster of symptoms sound like an inflammation problem is your upper neck/brain stem. I have had problems with low BP and pulse that appeared to be related to upper neck inflammation. Once I resolved the inflammation, the BP and pulse returned to normal. I have learned to be very careful with head/neck position if I fall asleep sitting up like in a car.

A professor/MD at the University of Tasmania used to have a "diagnostics by physiology" course online that was very good at pinpointing causes by using a matrix of physiological symptoms.

Very few doctors are good at such diagnostics because it requires a broader knowledge set than is common is any specialty or general practice. Some neurosurgeons can put the puzzle together or even the exceptional physiatrist but this is rare.

I agree 100% with companies taking advantage of people, as this world revolves around money! It's BS that many do this, with slim chances of relief for the individual, but continue to tell them they will see results when alls they want is another check.

Your right when you say upper neck cervical/brainstem Mark, damn your good, haha. I was actually ok for awhile, after the initial year or two of chronic PCS symtpoms, and then did U at Buffalo's gradual exercise program. Which, I could run twice a day eventually again.

After I saw a upper cervical chiropractor, which after a few treatments I felt much better, and headaches went mostly away and energy levels came back. However, this guy ended up correcting me wrong after I noticed my neck keep going out, and keep locking up/stiffness and became very painful.

I then went to a PT in Minnesota, who had helped a major league baseball player with post concussion by doing a variety of eye exercises along with some neck exercises if you will. I went there, he said he could help me and the result was a complete return of alot of my symptoms, and my eyes could not take TV, computer, or pretty much anything. 6 weeks I sat in a dark room again, and you know how frustrating this is, especially when I thought I had gone through the worst.

I have currently been going to Cherry Hill, NJ with Dr. Greenberg for over a year now.... receiving prolotherapy/PRP injections in the base of my skull and cervical spine. The problem is I cannot afford to keep flying and receiving expensive treatment that insurance does not cover, but what choice do we have ya know? I have seen improvement....Slow but improvement none the less. I can say Im quite a bit better now, but still know I could improve quite a bit more.

My eyes still bother me, but have gradually gotten a bit better over around 1 1/2 years....Fatigue always, not dead tired, but no spark of life. Heart rate fluctuates sometimes still, breathing difficulties(especially laying down or on my side), and of course exertion is still a problem with your head feeling like it is going to explode, haha.

If the prolo is going to work, it should have been showing good improvements long ago. The PRP should show improvement in about 6 weeks since 6 weeks is the normal heal time for tendons and ligaments.

There are plenty of deep tissue laser light therapies that should help with tendon/ligament healing. Check with local Chiros and some PT's. There are even at home systems that use a lower intensity light therapy to encourage healing.

There is a researcher who specializes in whiplash trauma at Oregon Health and Science. His name is Michael Freeman forensictrauma@gmail.com. He may have a recommendation for you.

I can understand how a PT could mess you up. Many PT's get too focused on range of motion exercises. I am surprised a PT was doing eye exercises. Have you had a vision assessment? Eowynn has experience with vision work.

I have to be very disciplined with how I turn my head and neck. I have had to be careful for 10 years or more. My left occipital condyle pops and sticks. If I let inflammation set in, I can be a mess.

I learned that doctors and PT's only help but can not cause improvement alone. I need to be 75% of the process.

Have you been assessed by a physiatrist? The right one can be a lifesaver.

My best to you.

What kind of a vision evaluation did you have?

You can find practitioners who will do Vision Efficiency Evaluations at http://www.braininjuries.org or http://www.nora.cc The VEE is different from a regular medical eye exam.