Concussions have been a hot topic for a while in sports, and rightfully so. It used to feel as though only contact sports like football were a common place for such injuries, but we now know that almost any athlete can find themselves dealing with a concussion, or concussion like injury.
What Causes a Concussion?
Concussions are caused by forces that are applied either directly to the skull or by a whiplash effect created during trauma. Not to be too graphic but picture your brain shifting inside your skull. When you get hit the brain will shift in the skull and collide with the inside of the cranial cavity. As you can imagine, this will cause pain, swelling, cognitive processing issues, decreased reaction time, visual disturbances, etc.
Concussions were always managed with rest, which is a good start. Rest will allow the brain time to heal without exerting it with everyday tasks. However, this should only be one piece of the recovery puzzle. You will also want to focus on proper hydration (with water), omega-3 fatty acids (the brain uses these as fuel), anti-inflammatory diet (decrease inflammation in any way possible), and chiropractic care.
Chiropractic and Concussions
Chiropractic for concussions will help by increasing blood flow to the brain which will allow your brain to rid itself of the waste products caused from the healing process. It is also rare to have a concussion without some trauma to the cervical spine. Muscle balance, mechanics, and improved overall movement will be vital to recovery as well.
Through my experience in both Athletic Training and Chiropractic, I have learned quite a bit in the way of managing athletes who suffer from a concussion. I have also learned a lot from personal experience, as I have had 7 myself.