January 2021

Suffering a concussion can be a serious injury – follow these steps to ensure a proper recovery!

How To Care for a Concussion

Suffering a concussion can be a dangerous injury. Though concussions are fairly common, the information available to the scientific community on preventative measures and post-traumatic healing is still developing. Even as the initial symptoms of a concussion heal, it may take time for the effects to fully wear off. The risk of post-concussive syndrome is also a risk and patients should keep an eye out for the warning signs while recovering from a concussion.

How can I recover from a concussion?

After a concussion, resting and returning to daily activities on a rolling basis with the direction of a doctor should be good enough to help an average person recover. The symptoms of a concussion can vary, but patients typically experience disorientation, confusion, or fatigue at varying degrees. A doctor will typically give the patient further direction if they sense that the concussion may be moderate to severe. It’s possible for a patient to develop post-concussive syndrome, in which case, doctors may recommend that you follow up with a trauma specialist. Most patients will recover at home, on their own. However, in cases of persistent concussion symptoms, hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been found to aid some patients who may be experiencing severe symptoms.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been used to treat concussed football players in an effort to decrease the severity of their headaches. Patients typically require 3-5 sessions but can begin to feel the positive effects within the first session. The use of HBOT in treating concussions is prescribed at the discretion of a specialist or the primary physician overseeing your condition. For patients who sense that they may be experiencing prolonged effects of a concussion, it’s best to contact a healing and recovery clinic to explore the options available to you.

How will I know if I should see a doctor after my concussion?

In some cases, patients can experience symptoms beyond the usual window of time a concussion would typically require to recover. When suffering from a concussion, it’s important to keep your doctors updated on your condition and to act quickly if you notice increasing effects over time. A concussion should improve over time and be treated immediately if symptoms begin to increase or worsen. Extended symptoms of persistent post-concussive syndrome that should cause you to contact your doctor include:

• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Loss of concentration or memory
• Insomnia
• Vertigo
• Disruption of sleep

Concussions are a time-sensitive injury and require the immediate attention of a medical professional. If the symptoms of your concussion continue to worsen or you develop new symptoms that could be post-concussive syndrome, contact a recovery specialist at HyperHeal to explore your post-concussive healing options.

Please note that the therapeutic benefits of hyperbaric oxygen treatment for concussions is well-documented and supported by on-going research for many conditions not yet approved by the FDA.