Concussions come in all shapes and impacts.

Concussions and head injuries come from many different sources. Whether its helmet to helmet contact in football, repeatedly heading the ball on the soccer pitch, going down on your skis/board or traffic accidents it is common for us to bang our heads around. Concussions and mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (mTBI) are difficult to identify because we seem fine on the outside. Many concussions heal on their own, but those that don't lead to Post-Concussive Syndrome.  This form of brain trauma is making the news due to its prevalence among high performance athletes, but it’s not limited to the pros or veterans.

Maybe you don’t play high level sports but you do remember smacking your head on the playground, heading a ball too hard on the soccer pitch, or feeling foggy and spacey after a traffic accident.  Did you ever wonder if you had received a concussion?  Perhaps you dismissed that experience and felt it was a normal childhood struggle.  But maybe it was more.   

 

What is Mild Traumatic Brain Injury/POST CONCUSSIVE SYNDROME and what are the symptoms?

“Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) occurs when a sudden trauma, such as a blow or a jolt, causes damage to the brain. The damage can be just to one area of the brain, called a focal injury, or located in more than one area of the brain, called a diffuse injury.”(source)

Brain injuries can occur when the head strikes an object. Be it a windshield or the ground at a fast rate of speed, or when a flying or falling object strikes the head, each of these may cause brain injury. But you don’t have to hit your head to get a brain injury. “Whiplash” or even a percussive explosion such as occurs in combat may cause brain injury. 

One concussion is enough to cause TBI. With each successive concussion the risks for another injury multiply dramatically, doubling if not quadrupling the chances of a serious injury.

Post Concussive Syndrome (PCS) is a set of symptoms that may continue for weeks, months or years after a traumatic brain injury. 

 

Image of a man in emotional distress with his head in his hands.

SYMPTOMS OF A CONCUSSION ARE:

  • Nausea

  • Vomiting

  • Fatigue

  • Feeling light headed or dizzy

  • Trouble getting things organized

  • Blurred vision or eyes that get tired easily

  • Headaches or ringing in the ears

Most concussions heal on their own, but those who don’t can end up with Post Concussive Syndrome or a mild TBI.

 

SYMPTOMS OF POST CONCUSSIVE SYNDROME/mTBI:

  • Having trouble making decisions or solving problems

  • Trouble with self-control

  • Thinking, moving, speaking or reading slower than normal

  • Feeling easily confused or overwhelmed

  • Changes in sleep

  • Feeling sad or anxious

  • Being easily irritated or angry

  • Feeling tired all the time

  • Having trouble with memory, attention, or concentration

  • Being bothered by sounds, lights, or distractions

 

How We Can help

Neuro Colorado works to address your concussion symptoms. We are a Neurofeedback clinic based in Denver, CO using LENS, NeuroField and other traditional Neurofeedback treatments to improve the cognitive deficits, anxiety, emotional volatility, and depression associated with Post-Concussive Syndrome.  Neuro Colorado can’t heal damaged brain tissue, but we may be able to help reduce and, sometimes eliminate, the emotional and cognitive effects of brain injuries. Neurofeedback helps train the brain to function at an optimal level and brings patients to a place of freedom.