Hi there,

I've having a persistent long-term concussion symptom that I can't quite seem to get a handle on, and wondering if anyone had any ideas or experience with this.

I got my concussion over 2 years ago and I'm now largely doing fine, little to no cognitive issues. However, I have a persistent tension in my head and neck - I would call it muscle tension, around the whole head and in the eyes. It feels like many layers of tightness that have folded over on themselves, getting more and more dense each time. I think it's related to anxiety.

I wouldn’t describe it as a headache but I’m sure it’s a similar mechanism to people who get tension headaches after a concussion, where the sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system predominates over the parasympathetic (rest and digest) system, and you get tightness and tension because of this dysregulation.

Probably the most annoying effect is that if I lay down on one side of my head for too long, the other side will start to pull and stretch, eventually coming painful. I haven't slept on my back for about a year and a half for this reason.

I've tried everything I can to get the tension to open up completely, including massage, taking magnesium, meditation, hot/cold showers, acupuncture, weighted blankets, etc. but it's still there. Currently looking into getting botox to help loosen it.

Has anyone experienced this, and does anyone have other ideas about how to address it? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Quality Physical Therapy?
Quality Chiropractic
Or Upper Cervical care? - It doesn't take much to cause a misalignment in the C1 C2.
Trigger points ? - I posted some info for another TBI/PCS member in a recent thread.
*A tight muscle with trigger points in it cannot be stretched out/resolved until the trigger points are resolved..*

There are good care providers and not so good, sometimes it takes awhile to find the really good ones..

I assume you tried different pillows and such..

Welcome BlackDogRedDragon.

Focus on your neck. Do you have tender spots at the bony area behind your ears? Your sleep posture issues yell NECK.

80% of concussions include neck trauma.

Imaging rarely shows the trauma. Self-care by trying various postures and pillows can help. Can you sleep in a recliner with your head straight?

I sleep on my back with almost no pillow. I cannot have my head tilted forward by a pillow. It causes neck inflammation and problems. I roll the sides of my pillow uo around my ears so my head does not roll to the side.

It took me years to find the right sleep position so my neck could become stable again.