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Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome For traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post concussion syndrome (PCS). |
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11-10-2017, 03:58 PM | #1 | ||
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Thank you for the reply. To be more specific, the lack of advice to avoid activity that could put me at risk of hitting my head again came from my PCP, not the neurologists. The one thing that all the neurologists have said in common is that it's of paramount importance to avoid another concussion in the first 3 weeks after the initial impact, preferably a full month. This is due to the brain being in a very vulnerable state after a concussion where it is very easily susceptible to another (It was even described to be by one neuro that don't feel bad that you sustained your 2nd impact from something so miniscule - to explain here my 2nd impact was sustained from literally just a high speed face plant while surfing. My head did not come in contact with anything but the water - 2nd impacts can come from things like slamming on the breaks while driving. Just your body moving forward and coming to a stop with the seat belt can be enough to cause your brain to come in contact with your skull again when your brain is in a weakened state (not to mention the likelihood of your head coming back in contact with your headrest). In any case, that's usually only possible in the first two weeks after an injury is what I was told. The month is to be on the safe side. Regarding symptoms, I sustained the first concussion while sprinting down the field while playing pick up football where I jumped up for the ball and got hit at my feet. In the air, I flipped around, and then hit the ground on my head and shoulders (no helmet). I feel lucky that this happened on one of the newer turf fields where there are little rubber pellets between the surface and what is probably most likely concrete below (as I believe the rubber pellets helped absorb some of the impact). If it had been a dry grass field or an older turf field, I think the injury would have been much worse. That night I had a tiny bit of nausea, but the feeling sick to my stomach feeling only lasted for about 45 minutes, so I was convinced it was just a minor case of food poisoning. The next morning I was told I looked "dazed" during the meetings, and my eyes were "wide open" whatever that meant. I also was feeling moments of dizziness while walking, especially if making sudden turns to the right or left. So I checked in with my primary care doctor. This doctor made me feel nothing but stressed out. Besides for what I mentioned above, she also told me that because I didn't go to the ER and get a CT scan I messed up and there was nothing I could do about it now. I actually felt like it wouldn't be the worst thing if I were to just hit my head again and then go to the ER and get a CT scan. Boy was that a mistake, and boy did I receive terrible advice. A couple of weeks later, the dizzy for a moment symptoms seemed to be going away, so due to the poor judgement I was subject to as mentioned above, and the fact that I almost felt like it wouldn't be a bad thing if I just knew that there was something wrong, I went surfing. The morning after the surfing accident, I became very confused in a meeting and couldn't remember what we we're talking about, and what people were saying. I also started feeling dizzy while looking at a computer screen, and noticed I was dizzy when I got up from my desk. I was also having some ringing in the ears, but not too bad. I called my girlfriend. We went to the ER. For the next month or so I was dizzy every time I moved my head. I literally couldn't have conversations with people. Just moving my head to indicate a yes or no gesture - things we all do without thinking about on a regular basis - made me dizzy. There are some concussion guidelines out there that say to start going for walks and getting outside after 48hrs. I couldn't have walked in even close to this amount of time because I was feeling dizzy any time I moved. But when the dizziness started to improve, I started walking slowly around the block while steadily increasing my speed and going for longer and longer walks. When the general dizziness improved, I was feeling the dizzy for a moment feelings again quite frequently (I was told this is considered vertigo or at least a type of vertigo?), and then a new symptom started that I have been calling brain-moving sensations. Not sure how else to describe it, but it would feel like the back of my brain would move in it's socket, and then suddenly stop - kind of like a knocking. Maybe this is sort of what intense throbbing feels like Idk. Throughout this time, I've getting headaches, not really that frequently, but when I do they just won't go away, and will last for 2-3 days despite taking acetaminophen, laying down in the dark with a wet, cold cloth on my forehead, etc. I had some constant aching in the back of my head, and tingling for some time though. I have also had some major issues with stress, and my ability to handle the stress was zilch. I also had some physical pain that was induced by the stress - chest pain even though I'm an otherwise healthy 28 yr. old male. I've had lots of memory issues, been very spacey in conversations, consistently was finding myself confused and lost (like why am I in the kitchen right now?). There were many times where I felt like I wasn't going to get better, and where I would never be able to do the things I'm passionate about again (like surfing, skiing and other outdoor activities). The first down came after the first up, at about the 5 month mark. I was swimming again, and had been swimming everyday for the past 3-4 weeks. My symptoms were decreasing, literally was going most of the day without feeling much. But then I swam into a wall. Not metaphorically, but literally. Head straight into the concrete wall. All my symptoms returned except the constant dizziness. Ended up taking another week off from work. The symptoms started didn't start going down again for about 3 weeks. I then started seeing a PT to work on my shoulder (which is from another injury, but the muscles between your neck and shoulders are all related). Around the same time I encountered a place in Canada online called Myoworx, for concussion recovery. I emailed them and my PT to see if I could do any form of treatment for my concussion. That's when they suggested CST, and my PT happens to be trained it in, so he is the one administering the CST. I have noticed most of my improvement to be located in the last month in a half or so - when I've been doing CST and exercising more (including some running on the treadmill and beach, but am still not supposed to run on pavement yet). This improvement also coincides with the fact that I am 6/7 months into my recovery. So perhaps the improvement is just subject to time like all the doctors - for the most part - say (which is difficult when you're trying to be proactive about recovery like any other sports injury). What you said about self checking symptoms, I haven't heard before. That is something that resonates with me though. I will do my best to avoid doing this. I have not been treated for any neck issues except a related back/neck spasm also by my PT. Also very interesting. Furthermore, I have never checked my blood pressure while having a headache. Why do you suggest that? Thank you. I also want to respond to some of the neurologist information on this site, and some of the other treatments I have tried, but I have to go - will write again tonight. Thanks, Cole |
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