Heather,

When I said bumps can be an anxiety trigger, this does not mean the symptoms are all in the head. The bump triggers a startle or anxiety response. Those anxiety chemicals trigger a relapse of PCS symptoms. The PCS symptoms are real just rarely triggered by the physical trauma.

There is a condition where the brain memorizes a reaction and restarts that reaction even when the physical trauma was not strong enough to cause it directly.

I do a lot of work with my hands and bust my knuckles. My brain got to the point where I would respond with ouch and a jerk away even when I missed busting my knuckles. Everything felt like I hit my knuckles except for the bruises and bleeding. The brain can do some strange things.

Some think it is sort of a PTSD symptom, like a flashback. It does not mean we are weak. But, understanding these reactions can help us retrain our brains to not respond so harshly.