The Invisible Injury: Understanding Concussions
Today, we're diving into a topic that is far more common and complex than many realize: the concussion. It's often called an "invisible injury," and for good reason. Unlike a broken bone, you can't see the damage, but its effects on the brain and mental health can be profound. We'll be covering what a concussion actually is, how to spot the signs, what puts you at risk, and the long-term consequences. And, of course, we’ll discuss how an emerging treatment, PrTMS, can offer hope for recovery.
So, let's start with the basics. What is a concussion? A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by a jolt, blow, or bump to the head. It doesn’t necessarily require a direct blow to the head, but can happen if you are traveling in a car and go from 70 mph to zero in an instant. It can also happen from a sudden whiplash-like movement that causes your head to move rapidly back and forth. This rapid movement causes the brain to slosh around inside the skull, leading to a temporary disruption of normal brain function. Your brain consistency is much like that of unset jello. Any rapid or jarring incident could cause disruption, despite it being bathed in a cushioning liquid, your cerebrospinal fluid or CSF.
If you think of your brain like a computer, a concussion is like a sudden power surge that causes the system to reboot, but not quite correctly back to its standard baseline. It doesn't mean there's bleeding or structural damage in most cases, but rather, a metabolic and chemical cascade that throws the brain's delicate systems out of balance.
Because the injury is to the brain, the symptoms are wide-ranging and can affect your physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being. It's crucial to be able to recognize the symptoms in yourself and others.
The Physical Symptoms:
A headache or a feeling of pressure in the head.
Nausea or vomiting.
Dizziness or problems with balance.
Blurry vision or sensitivity to light and noise.
Feeling sluggish, hazy, or foggy.
The Cognitive Symptoms:
Difficulty with concentration or memory.
Feeling slowed down.
Trouble thinking clearly.
Emotional Symptoms:
Irritability or sadness.
Anxiety or nervousness.
More emotional than usual.
It's important to remember that symptoms can appear immediately after the injury or develop over the next few hours or even days. If you suspect you or someone you know has sustained a concussion, please seek medical attention immediately as any blow to the head with or without loss of consciousness should have medical imaging to rule out a brain bleed, which can be a life-threatening condition.
So, what activities put you at risk? Concussions are commonly associated with contact sports like football, soccer, and hockey. But you don't have to be a professional athlete to be at risk. Everyday activities can lead to concussions, including:
Falls, especially in older adults and young children.
Car accidents.
Bicycle or motorcycle accidents.
Skiing, snowmobiling, or snowboarding accidents.
Even something as simple as a fall in the kitchen when you hit your head.
The key is any activity that involves a blow to the head or a sudden, forceful movement that shakes the brain.
Now, let's talk about the long-term effects of a single concussion versus multiple concussions.
For many, a single concussion resolves on its own within days or weeks with proper rest. But for a significant blow to the head, about 10-20% of the time, symptoms can persist for months or even years! We call this Post-Concussion Syndrome. The symptoms I mentioned earlier—headaches, dizziness, anxiety, and trouble with concentration—don't go away. This can significantly impact a person's quality of life and ability to work, study, or enjoy social activities.
Now, when you sustain multiple concussions, the risks and consequences increase dramatically. Each subsequent concussion can make the brain more vulnerable and the symptoms more severe and longer-lasting. This is where we see a higher risk for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, (this used to be known as pugilists’ disease not unlike what Muhammed Ali had and other neurodegenerative issues. We're talking about long-term problems with memory, judgment, impulse control, depression, and mood swings. It’s a very serious concern, particularly for athletes.
I truly believe this is one of the most widely UNDERdiagnosed problems we are facing. In my 16 years of practice, over 90% of the people we had labeled with “treatment-resistant depression” when given an EEG, showed signs of an old or multiple healing concussions! And part of the issue is that you may have not had mental health struggles prior to receiving a blow to the head, then all of a sudden you can’t think clearly, are easily overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, and can’t sleep well. And if you DID carry a mental health diagnosis prior to your concussion they can worsen them all!
Given these serious potential outcomes, where does that leave those who are still struggling with the symptoms? This is where my practice's specialty comes in, and I want to introduce you to a promising treatment that we’ve discussed in previous podcasts: PrTMS, or Personalized repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.
Traditional treatments for concussions often focus on symptom management. We might use medication for headaches or therapy for anxiety. We could tell patients to stay in a dark room with little to no light or sound stimulation or video screens. But for how long? That may keep you from having a headache or keep your ears ringing for a few days, but you cannot continue living in this way.
PrTMS takes a different approach. It uses magnetic pulses to stimulate specific, under-active areas of the brain that were injured by the concussion. How do we figure out which parts of your brain are underactive? We perform an EEG when you first come in, then on a weekly basis after that to monitor for signs of improvement. We use advanced brain mapping to pinpoint exactly where the dysfunction is, allowing us to create a truly personalized treatment plan for each patient. Standard TMS delivers treatment at one site, at one amplitude, as a one-size-fits-all treatment. PrTMS hones in to where your brain needs the most help.
Think of it like this: The concussion creates "misfiring circuits" in your brain's electrical system. Much like when you’re a runner and tweak your knee, until it heals properly, you cannot run as fast as you once did. PrTMS is a highly targeted and non-invasive way to use a magnetic field to essentially "rewire" those specific areas, restoring healthy brain function, allowing it to fire at your brain’s innate healthy speeds.
For many of my patients, PrTMS has been life-changing, alleviating the stubborn headaches, brain fog, and emotional distress that lingered for years after their injury.
So, what’s my final takeaway? A concussion is not just a minor bump on the head. It's a serious brain injury that demands attention and, if symptoms persist, specialized care.
If you or a loved one is struggling with persistent symptoms from a concussion, don't just live with it. Don't let your symptoms become your new normal. You deserve to feel like yourself again. I encourage you to seek out a professional who understands the complexities of TBI.
You can learn more about concussions, PrTMS, and other cutting-edge therapies on my website, www.andersonclinic.net, or by scheduling a consultation at my practice.
Thank you for tuning in to Psych Waves. Until next time, be safe, and take care of your most valuable and irreplaceable asset: your brain.