Oh my gosh im so glad i found this. I suffered a concussion about 4 years ago. My pcs was awful for months. I hit my head on the kitchen counter the other day and immediately felt my traps tense up again with a headache! My anxiety was up the roof! I thought “not again!”
I have been suffering from this “concussion cliff” for years now! Thank you for explaining this, I never knew if all the micro-bumps where causing small sinister damage overtime. Happy to hear that isn’t true
@Complete Concussion Management Thank you for this video. I found your argument that multiple concussions do not lower the threshold of impact needed (expressed in g's) to generate subsequent concussions to be encouraging yet contradictory to other sources I have read. I personally have suffered several concussions and dealt with reccuring PCS. Now, sometimes when I receive even a relatively minor blow to the head, I experience a return of concussion -like symptoms (headache, light sensitivity, nausea). This has lead me to believe that my threshold (amount of force needed) for getting a concussion/mild TBI has decreased due to previous injuries.Your assertion that the light hits (below 70g) are probably not actually concussive but instead triggering a return of underlying, untreated symptoms (inflammation, neck problems, anxiety etc) is very comforting. That would mean that I am not getting re-concussed as I feared but merely aggravating untreated problems. However, other professionals and their studies on the subject seems to imply that multiple concussions DO INDEED LOWER THE FORCE NEEDED FOR SUBSEQUENT concussions. For example, a quick Google Scholar search turned up the following two articles. Writing in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, a certain Dr. Taylor says "it is now known that, after a concussion, there is greater susceptibility to sustaining another concussion and that subsequent concussions occur with less force and take longer to resolve." (doi i10.1503/cmaj.120039t) Similarly, another study from 2017 (doi 10.1089/neu.2016.4767) concludes, "findings from this investigation support the notion that magnitude of the injurious blow and those preceding it, along with time influence the threshold for concussion. To that end, greater head Impact Density (i.e., higher number and magnitude of impacts over time) appears to increase concussion risk by failing to allow for the cerebral tissue to return to pre-impact status between blows." Also, on more of an anecdotal level, most combat sports fans (myself included) can cite multiple examples of fighters with rock solid "chins" who seemed to be able to withstand tremendous punishment but, after sustaining a few knockouts, became much easier to knockout with even light of blows. Chuck Liddel or Frankie Edgar are just two examples of fighters with seeming unbreakable jaws who, after enduring a few KO's, rapidly became very easy to knock out. I am in no way, shape or form a medical professional or scientist. Also, I sincerely hope (for my sake and the sake of others dealing with concussion fallout) that you are correct and that (after >30 days) concussions do not lower your threshold for subsequent concussions. I really hope that I am not being re-concussed but just aggravating other symptoms as you argue. That being said, I am skeptical of your argument when other professionals don't seem to be in agreement. Could you please give more of an explanation of what studies led you to come to your conclusion? Thanks for reading to the end!
I saw this comment and immediately thought...too long...not reading it. But I did. I'm going to try and keep it brief though. Risk for subsequent concussions, and lower threshold for injury, are two separate things. There are several studies which show that those who've had a previous concussion are at greater risk for getting another one...but here's the issue - there are too many variables to be considered. Because these studies are done in an athletic setting, we don't often account for things like playing position (i.e., wide-receivers get more concussions than linemen)...so WR are more likely to get their first concussion and also more likely to get subsequent ones. Is this because their brain is more susceptible? Or because they continue to play a higher risk position? We also don't take into account risk taking behaviour - players who fight in hockey are more likely to get concussed...and are more likely to get concussed again if they continue playing a hard hitting/fighting game. Body size is another one. Game awareness is another factor - some players know where everyone and everything is and can get out of the way. Others always seem to get caught off guard. The only research which has looked at actual G-forces required for 1st vs. subsequent concussions have found that those forces are the same. It is speculated that previous concussions can lower threshold but we actually have little to no evidence that it does. The only thing that may be a factor in lowering threshold is when repeat concussions are happening in close proximity to the initial injury. metabolic recovery takes 22-30 days to resolve. Another concussion prior to that may result in reduced threshold (but again not much evidence here). In addition, the metabolic recovery of those subsequent injuries moves from a 30 day recovery to a 90-120 day recovery. So if this does indicate lowered threshold, now this athlete has a window of 3-4 months where another smaller hit could cause another concussion...and now what happens to the recovery window? Does it extend to 2-3 years? We actually don't know. But this is one theory behind combat sport athletes with the "glass jaw". Perhaps, after not taking care of previous concussions, they have put themselves in a perpetual state of vulnerability where everything just knocks them out now. Again...not much evidence but rather a theoretical framework. This scenario doesn't apply however to most patients who are non athletes worried that every time they bump their head it's another concussion. It's not likely.
@@CompleteConcussions THANK YOU for reading and replying to my long-winded question. I really appreciate it! It means a lot. I hit my head lightly the other day (standing up after bending down to pick something up under a desk) . I thought nothing of it in the moment but a few minutes later I saw some "stars" for a second and then, a few hours later, I got a headache and sensitivity to light. I thought that it was almost impossible that I actually concussed myself from a relatively light hit but the familiar symptoms from my previous concussions are back. I just don't know what to think. My neurologist doesn't know if it was a concussion either or just enough of a jolt to "trigger" underlying migraines, inflammation, what have you. He's basically recommending what you say: rest, light exercise as tolerated, and supplements. Thanks again for the reply
@@petersoukup1980 Im the exact same way man. Dealing with the same shit. Vision gets worse, headaches all from bumps other people will be fine from. Went to different clinics and nuerologists for the same thing.
This helps with my anxiety so much. Just to have this explained in and talked through, I’ve felt like I’ve been going crazy. I’ve been dealing with post concussion syndrome for 2 years and a lot of little bumps like bumping my head on a cabinet or having a ball bounce and hit me in the face send my symptoms through a loop and make me feel like crap for a few days and I’m always worried that I hurt my Brian worse than it already was
Why is it that no other stressor increased my symptoms aside from getting hit in the head again? I went from being able to handle a pretty high cognitive load and nothing got in the way of that, to hardly being able to handle getting out of bed to grab a drink of water without feeling extremely disoriented after a somewhat mild bump to the head. I’d really like to believe all of this, but it just doesn’t seem to be the case for me. There are times i’ve hit my head in the past and it did end up being something that only increased my symptoms temporarily, for 24 hours or less (got kicked in the head at a concert, a friend goofing off accidentally kicked me in the head). But this feels extremely different.
Also, when I hit my head I originally thought to myself “there’s no way this is a new concussion, it must just be an increase in symptoms” but as the week went on the more I did the more I drastically backtracked until I became bedridden again. Which feels much more in line with the stages of a new concussion for me.
@@terrasmith1843 because different stressors affect people differently. Some people can't handle cognitive load and that sets them back. Others are fine with it and minor bumps do them in. If your nervous system is overactivated and sensing danger (this is related to the autonomic and inflammatory side of the equation...and some anxiety/PTSD elements), then a little bump is likely going to trigger this. It's just not physically possible to cause a concussion without a tremendous amount of force. A concussion is the result of brain cells stretching - it needs a lot of force to stretch them to the point of excitation.
@@terrasmith1843 I'm in the same boat as you. Have bumped my head hard-ish 6 times throughout the years, after my first concussion in 2016. I always thought I was just getting more concussions because the symptoms were exactly the same and lasted just as long as my first. But I always thought a 'normal' person (meaning a person who was never concussed in their life) would consider this just a hard bump to the head and nothing more. After healing from each hit to the head, I was able to function just fine at work, life, music, sports, etc. It's just when I hit my head, I am bedridden and disoriented for about 2 weeks. Sometimes a few symptoms last longer too. I wish I knew how to handle this but I don't really know where and how to start fixing the bottom pillar (ie mindset, nervous system, etc). I guess I need to do more research.
You could still have neck issues that have not been treated. Watch the other videos, your sympathetic system may be in overload, your body in inflammation because of your diet…..
Thank you for the video! I'm saving it to my favourites. After a car accident I suffered a concussion some years ago I live with that anxiety every day. PCS was awful, for the first time I felt what is it to lose control over my body. So I fear that so much I'm going crazy in the ways I'm trying to protect myself. Even a sneeze triggers me and I start experiencing symptoms.
Exactly what I needed! I had this question today and just happened to see this video as a suggestion. I suspect that my symptoms will be gone tomorrow after seeing this video!
You need to be more specific on what you want to see the research on. He did show some stats but I agree, I’d like to see more studies on why this population of patients end up getting hits to the head much easier even when they are not a sports player or a person getting into a bar brawl. They could just be a normal regular human, living your life because even in living and being normal, we will eventually get bumped and hit. Any daily activity could be a risk, driving, slip in the shower, falls etc
I was feeling great for several months. I hit my temple again a few days ago. It was so stupid.. I felt off balance dizzy and my head doesn't feel like my head ever since and felt that way immediately afterward.. It is now day three. I have been working on decreasing my anxiety but still feel very off. It wasn't a hard impact but my first concussion was on my temple and it was not a big hit either. Is my current nudge to my temple another concussion like the first one. My first concussion wasn't 70 g of force either but I was diagnosed with it. Thanks!
many docs take the approach of "you hit your head and you have symptoms = concussion". But what they don't consider are all of the other factors which can cause the same symptoms. This is where people go wrong - they spend their time focusing on "concussion" rather than addressing the underlying symptom drivers. Once we shift that, we can recover!
@@CompleteConcussions I'm so sorry I still do not understand your answer. Does a bump to the temple typically produce these symptoms? I was standing up and a low hanging light fixture bumped my temple. Grazed it as i was standing up. At first I was wondering if it was anxiety as that can be similar but I don't think it is. I've been self talking, grounding techniques, telling myself I'm okay, resting water, been eating well, high protein for weeks, supplements. Will this blip subside or is it back to square one. I just received treatment for occipital neuralgia caused by my concussion 2 years ago and I was finally able to engage in activities without pain. Now I'm foggy, dizzy, lighheaded. I have been addressing the other symptom drivers. Stress doesn't bring on my symptoms. Maybe my brain needs to catch up that I'm okay because my other hits producing a concussion were to the temple. The confusing parts were my first diagnosed concussion was not 70g but lower.
This is super helpful. Question for you…what do you think the g-force / rotational velocity is of standing up and hitting the top of your head on a piece of concrete? I stood up and hit my head on a concrete overhang in my apartment building’s garage. Felt all the usual concussion symptoms but I’m thinking that it’s likely just anxiety etc. rather than 70+gs. What do you think?
very helpful video thanks for posting this to youtube, the only thing that has remained unclear to me. Is I had PCS about a year ago it resolved, then I banged my head on a cabinet and all the symptoms returned. But why did my mood swing, sadness/depression return with it? That's the part that's weird to me.
Is there a point we can get to where we have recovered enough to not have a release at all. ⭐️ I want to keep healing until I know I can ease off on the recovery but I’m scared I will be stuck in a tiring healing routine forever
The first time I hit my head it was pretty bad. I was 5, I fell 4 feet from a treehouse and landed on a hard tree root on my right temple and it caused a subdural hematoma on the right side of my brain. I was in a children’s hospital for a little over a week and they couldn’t operate on my head since I was a small child and they told my mom that if they tried to operate on my head I would die, so we had to wait for it to get smaller. When they discharged me they claimed I had no cognitive impairment. My mom sister and I were also going through a domestic violence situation with my biological father and unfortunately eventually with my step father a bit later in life. Fast forward to when I was 17, I was having social and cognitive issues throughout my life and I was seen by a rehab facility finally and in the intake process they confirmed I had cognitive impairment. My rehab was cut short due to the domestic violent situation with my step father at the time and my family had to move. Fast forward even more, I’m 22 now and I’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia which my mother also has. I used to work as a kennel tech at my local humane society and last year I hit my head twice, a month apart. October and November. The first one I was in a kennel with a dog who was just excited and play biting but too much and was about to bite at my face and my natural reaction is to move my head back away trying to avoid getting bit but the concrete wall was right behind me and I was immediately dizzy and nauseous and had to be out of work for a week and had to go back but with work accommodations, I couldn’t be inside a kennel with a dog until I was cleared. The next month we had a litter of puppies in a kennel and I don’t remember i think I was going to try and take one out for a walk because they were old enough and I wanted to see how they’d do and long story short the puppers were trying to get out of the kennel all at once and I hate the kennel gate/door open the wrong way, and I wasnt paying attention to where my head was and I tried to close the gate quickly but I hit my head with the door somehow and I had basically the same recovery. I recently hit my head again, literally around the same time I did last year, on October 20th, and it was similar to what happened the first time a year ago. Another side note, I also got bit twice pretty bad by an aggressive dog that didn’t show any aggression before, I was trying to let him out into a play yard by directing him with his collar but the first thing he wanted to do was start fighting with other dogs next to him through their kennels and when I tried to pull him away with his collar he turned his head and bit me through my mud boot and my pants and punctured my leg, twice. Anyways because of that incident we had to use a slip leash for every dog when we let them outside, (we honestly should’ve been doing that beforehand tbh) and the last time I hit my head on the 20th, I let out a dog using a slip leash and she didn’t have any issues being let out or brought back in, but when I brought her back into her kennel she jumped up onto my shoulders and my back was up against the wall and her slip leash still on her neck, and she was actually acting all kissy and nice so it was hard to read how she was going to act, and I should’ve tried to get her back down before trying to take of the slip leash but it all kinda happened so fast. I tried to take off her slip leash while she was acting nice and still had her paw as on my shoulders and me up against the wall, she instantly switched up and started growling and tried to snap at my face and again my natural reaction was still to bring my head away but again like the first time, I hit the back of my head pretty hard against the concrete wall. I was taken to the ER, and had a ct scan and luckily they didn’t see anything. Ever since then my recovery time has slowed down a lot and I slept on and off the following week and now I sleep an average of 12 hours instead of 8 every night and I was already prone to headaches and migraines but they’ve just gotten worse and I think my hearing is extra strong now and I keep hearing a ringing noise.
8 weeks ago, my 16 year old son had a concussion playing futsal (4th concussion) ( at 6 year old, 7 year old, 13 year old and now at 16). We used one of the affiliated CCM affiliated clinic to treat him. He was symptom free within a couple of weeks and and then resumed to full contact soccer after 6 weeks after passing exertion test at said CCM clinic. Eight week after the fourth concussion, while playing competitive soccer, he received an elbow to his jaw. He reported being dizzy for a few minutes, subsequently missed an open net in very clumsy fashion. After game, broke out in tears, said his head and upper eyeball was hurting on the side where his jaw was hit and had glossy red eyes. Came back from locker 15 min after a shower and seemed almost fine with no head aches except for blank stare that lasted for another 30 min or so. He went back to school the next day for half a day. Did his homework that night with nothing unusual to report except that he seemed to struggle with eye focus while reading. He went back to bed early. He was back in school full time 48 hrs after the incident. He has reported waking up at night more often than usual but otherwise appears to be coping up well with the workload. Should the blow to his jaw be treated as a fifth concussion or could this be a case where symptoms flare up from the fourth concussion as discussed in your video? Finally I will say that his jaw presents minor swelling and is still tender after 96 hours. I guess I am wondering if the blow received might have been powerful enough for a concussion which I believe could be the case. I also wonder if a fifth concussion should mean the end of his soccer ´career’?
This video is pertaining to people who are having relapses in symptoms with vry minor hits (bumping on a counter, hitting a pothole while driving, etc.). This video is not talking about athletes who are getting elbowed in the face. I think you have to treat this as another concussion just to be on the safe side. As far as how many concussions is too many? We don't have a number. It comes down to a clinical decision based on a number of factors. Your CCMI clinic is likely the best resource to lean on!
@completeconcussionmanagement didn’t you say if you have a history of concussions less force is required to trigger a concussion? Wouldn’t the force threshold be different?
Thank you so much. Of course this is very subjective and hard to gauge, but do you think a volleyball spike hitting my head from about 20-30 feet could have produced enough force ?
Cognitive problems - like memory loss - in concussion and PCS are typically not associated with true cognitive problems. What I mean by that is that if we take all the people with PCS who self-report that they have cognitive problems and we actually test them on cognitive testing, we find that the overwhelming majority actually test normal. Meaning that although they report cognitive problems, they don't actually have any cognitive problems. And, in those who self-report cognitive problems, these are most strongly associated with mental health issues like anxiety and depression. So for cognitive problems, the areas we typically stress for patients is reducing inflammation (as inflammation in the brain is associated with reduced cognitive capacity), improved autonomic function (as this results in better blood flow), but the number one thing to work on is reducing anxiety and depression. Hope this helps!
I had one major concussion in 2011. Sucker-punched. Completely blindsided. Serious whiplash, luckily I landed on my elbow before my head hit the sidewalk. Mid-2014: Fell off my bike and did a very controlled tuck and roll. Didn't even think I touched my head, but it brought back symptoms for a month or so. Late 2016. Trunk of my car landed on the back of my head. Total fluke. The symptoms hit me about 5 days after the impact. I miss playing hockey. But, even going to a barber gives me terrible anxiety. I just want to play pick up hockey with the fellas and not live my life scared. It's not a contact league but. . you're right.. I think I'm standing on the edge of a cliff.
Hey Jeff, I’ve been dealing with similar issues. I got a concussion 5 months ago and every little bump or jolt to the head seems to send me back. I have the exact same issue with the barber thing actually. How are you doing now?
@@RedCarGuy123 Hey man. I’m actually doing a ton better now. It took awhile, but I’m back to doing most of the things I was doing pre concussion. I had a good PT that helped a lot with my neck and honestly I think the biggest part was just trying to train my body to relax after the small bumps and jolts I’d get everyday and to not worry about them as hard as that is. If you have any other questions I’d love to help, hate that anyone has to go through this stuff.
@@codycan27 that’s exactly where I’m at. Back to normal living. I just struggle with small bumps and constant worry I have to do this again. My family thinks I’m nuts but it’s hard to understand if you haven’t been there.
Dr. M, I overall respect your content. Id like to express a few concerns in regards to the video, which I did appreciate. Having listened to this in its entirety, it seems as though a lot of this is put back onto the person with pcs which from my personal experience they 💯 really do not have that kind of control. This is not a physiological injury. They would get beck to their normal self’s in a heartbeat if they could. Tbi’s are serious and complex injuries . Additionally, who’s to say the minor hits aren’t enough for the concussed or pcs patients to re- injure them? The jury is still out, no? These people are definitely not the majority and controlled studies don’t get run on them. They are in an extremely unique subset. I don’t believe we have enough supporting evidence to say either or. The set backs symptoms are extremely concerning and debilitating none the less. Lastly, how is it not brought up that even though headers, hockey checking, and boxing hits.etc regardless of their 18-20(+) g’s, that going through any of that is highly warranted to be in the subconussive category and is highly advised to abstain or avoid the sport all together till a specific age?
Hi Lisa - there are a few comments to make here. The evidence that we do have points to there not being a reduced threshold for injury for those who've been concussed previously or who hav PCS. If you understand concussion injury, you'd understand why this is. In order to get a concussion, the neurons have to undergo a significant stretching/sheering - this only happens at higher G-Forces. This we do have quite extensive research on. So no, minor hits are not reconcussing people. Second - subconcussive impacts are also kind of a made up term with no known threshold for injury or evidence of damage. It is purely a theoretical concept at this point in time - this is why I didn't mention it. This is in no way putting everything back on to the person with PCS and I'm not sure how you took that from this video...the fact is that PCS is caused from 5 main things (Autonomic Dysregulation, Inflammation/gut/hormones, visual/vestibular dysfunction, neck issues, and psychological issues (mood, anxiety, PTSD, etc.)) - these issues can trigger concussion-like symptoms in ppl without concussions. People with PCS already have dysfunction in one or more of these areas...these impacts can act like stressors that challenge these dysfunctions further. If you want to believe this is damaging your brain, go for it, but so far the evidence does not support that. And, after working with thousands of PCS patients, this can be fixed so that it stops happening simply by addressing the 5 underlying drivers.
@@CompleteConcussions Thank you for clarifying. As a whole, if concussion isn’t resolving, just extremely concerning. Ex: If a person with PCS has POTS( dysautonomia) which is and ANS issue, and POTS can not be cured then I’m not sure how PCS, can start to be resolved .
@@lisachristinaconfirmed5067 POTS is just extreme autonomic dysregulation and is also a treatable condition. So you start with treating the POTS to better regulate the autonomics...that's bottom of the pyramid stuff
@@CompleteConcussionsif your brain has already been concussed, isn’t it possible that the neurons aren’t fully back to normal after shearing has occurred and therefore the threshold for future concussions is reduced?
@@SkiingIsBelieving859 it's possible and that is a theoretical framework, however the evidence that we currently have does not support this theory. The evidence that we currently have suggests that repeat concussions occur at the same g-forces as first time concussions.
Tingling is not a typical concussion symptom - main causes to look into would be irritation/inflammation of the nerves that supply sensation to the scalp (the location of the tingling will help you figure this out), however often this is moreso driven by anxiety.
Hi sir, I was hit in the right ear by a freekick from very close and it definitely gave me a whiplash style concussion. I lost consciousness for just a quick second but was able to recover quickly. For a couple weeks now my head has been hurting when I got out and just run after about 20-30 minutes. How long should I still be concerned about this? I have a season coming up for soccer
I accidentally was pulling up my vacuum leaf blower from the vacuum and hit my head again so that it shook it slightly with a little bit of force. My first one was 1 week and 5 days ago by riding my bike downhill and hitting a stationary car. Is this a second concussion or would this not be enough force? Help I’m worried 😢
In a severe car accident I had a heavy brain contusion (so highest grade if a a concussion). That was 1987 in my beginning 20th. Now I'm getting 60. All these years I suffered from big loads of health problems. No doctor ever brought this in combination with the concussion/contision. Now ai find this by accident today. My question... Is it too late to get out of that 'water underneath the cliff' again? Since a longer time now it feels like I'm heavily stuck and nothing could make my situation better. So does it make sense or is it too late?
It's never too late! BUT...the longer it's been, the longer it takes to get out of the water. So you can make this change at any point, but you just need a consistent application of the right things for longer than someone who's only a year or two out.
I had a concussion 3 months ago, it was going well, but i bumped my head on a doorframe around my crown area, it feels hot and i had some pressure now I don't, i am scared I'll get the symptoms back tomorrow, doc i understand this is your job you get paid for but if you see this message could you tell me what to do? Im 18 so please help me
@CompleteConcussions That's what they had me do at vestibular therapy and I thought there was a risk of another concussion but they said no. Yet I have felt awful since doing the therapy.
My biggest question: is when I take a small bump and all my symptoms come back for a couple weeks, what kind of damage is that inflammation doing to my brain compared to a concussion?
No evidence that it does any....chronic inflammation can cause issues though. It's not the bumps that are the issue - it's the chronic inflammation so address that!
Hi there! This video has really helped me in the past few weeks since I've found it, so I want to thank you for that. I have a question about walking. When I get "snagged" on something and suddenly get pulled back while walking (I'm a pretty speedy walker, around 3-4mph) like a coat stuck on a hook, or carrying a suitcase that gets stuck in the street, I find that it really jerks me and sets me back into a cloud of fogginess. I'm wondering if you know whether or not that rapid deceleration while walking is enough to cause a concussion, like it is for much faster car crashes? I know this is a bit specific, so thanks in advance for your time!
Hi there - not likely high enough for another concussion however there are a few things that could be going on: 1. Your nervous system is in a state of hyperarousal - so it's sensing danger everywhere. A little jerk like that feels like impending injury to your nervous system - so it kicks into fight/flight and symptoms emerge. Or 2. You have neck dysfunction that is driving your symptoms and these jerks are causing the neck to react and tense up and the symptoms come on. It's just a sign that there is work to do! Google Concussion Fix, read some reviews, see what you think :)
Thank you for your comprehensive explanations! But I wonder whether this applies to both immediate and delayed symptoms? I often get a headache after doing exercise, but when I bump my head lightly, I will instantly have a specific lightheaded and fluttered feeling for a brief moment. I usually think the later is a very mild concussion while the former is just a flare up of symptoms.
If you are having headaches from exercise, you're doing it wrong (more as an FYI - this will hold back your recovery...so you gotta learn how to do this properly). As for the small bumps - these are not "very mild concussions" because there is no such thing. A concussion requires enough force to stretch the neurons enough to cause their channels to become pulled open. Small bumps could not do this. The issue here is that the symptoms of concussion look exactly like the symptoms of a bunch of different things (neck issues, anxiety, autonomic issues, etc.). These issues can flare for various reasons including stress, minor impacts, etc. So the symptoms you are experienced are likely just flares in these other issues because you have unaddressed underlying physiologic issues - which also fits because you get symptomatic with exercise (this points to an autonomic dysregulation likely)
I have very bad concussion anxiety. Dealing with feeling a bunch of little otherwise normal things can give me a concussion. Its awfuly and exhausting. My gf elbowed me in the head last night while she and i were sleeping. Woke up from it and wasnt able to get back to sleep probably because of the stress of it. Do you think something like that is hard enough to cause something, m
Of course yeah just wondering / concerned if a elbow to head could be enough to cause something. Even If it was an unintentional bump while sleeping. I know your probably annoyed by answering questions like that but my anxiety always gets the best of me.
This helped me so much! i had horrible anxiety I am still getting over after getting 2 mild concussions in a year. The other day i accelerated really fast in my car from 0 to 30 and was leaning forward, would this cause a concussion ? my head felt sore after but didn't have any other symptoms for the most part and that was. day ago
I answered this on another one of your comments however I'll do it again for others reading who may have the same question. The answer is no! It's not even close to being enough force (even to cause a whiplash injury). The fastest acceleration car in the world is a Tesla which can go from 0-100km/h in just over 2 seconds - this works out to 1.3 G. The average production car accelerating at full speed is well under 1 G. Concussion requires 70+ g's. So anyone reading this should completely put this out of their mind as a potential "mechanism" of concussion. You are not that fragile :)
I have a question, having post-concussion syndrome makes me more likely to have another concussion with a less severe blow even if it has already passed long since my initial injury?
Doctor, I have found that when rock climbing/bouldering, jumping off the wall and onto the ground seems to bring back some symptoms for me. I used to think I was getting mini concussions but now I’m thinking that it is not the case based on the video. While I clearly need some rehab, do you think it is ok to return to this activity during rehab even if it is causing symptoms?
most likely issue here is functional instability in your neck. When you land and your head jostles, if your neck is not stabilizing properly, this can cause same symptoms as concussion.
depends on the type - most strengthening protocols say no...however there is some newer dynamic stability training devices which show some potential promise...
I have pcs and got hit in the head will a volleyball that was spiked. It was from about 30 feet. Could this have caused a concussion, or due to past concussions could it be this kind of situation
Is it possible to have my concussion susceptibility to go back to normal I’ve been really struggling trying to get back to normal from pcs trying to do physical therapy but I think I’ve really messed my head up with back to back concussions.
Yes, it is entirely possible...however PT alone is often not the answer. In order to get yourself away from this concussion cliff and build future resilience in your system, you have to address all the underlying drivers that cause this - autonomics, inflammation, anxiety around the injury and re-injury, (and PT)
@@CompleteConcussions thank you for the reply, I didn’t expect there would be a concrete answer to that question. In your opinion, however, could a slap to the face (probably ~15gs) cause another concussion? I have recently suffered two concussions (6 and 2 weeks ago respectively) and am worried an accidental slap to the face I received a few days ago may have caused a third. Symptoms from my second concussion had somewhat subsided and since the slap they have gotten worse. What I cannot tell, however, is if the symptoms were caused by the slap or if this is just a natural progression of symptoms. Thank you again.
Would you say that a concussion + multiple force subsequent concussions within a week of the first could cause Trigeminal neuralgia or other pinched nerves by arteries in the cranial nerves? This is what I experienced and have been dealing with Trigeminal neuralgia and other neuralgia since. Each time I bump my head the neuralgia gets much worse. I even had MVD and didn’t get any improvement from it. Would you say the concussios just triggered the neuralgia or that they caused it?
Tough to say - it could be that the neuralgia was caused by the concussion or the fact that your nervous system is now just hyperaroused and inflamed which causes it to continue to flare whenever something happens. The fact is that in order to resolve it, we need to calm the nervous system and reduce inflammation and potentially look at entrapment sites where the nerve may be getting pinched.
I had a concussion back in September of 2021. On Day 16 of recovery, I was a grocery store and bumped the side of my head on a shelf when bending down to pick up an item. Up until them, it seemed like my symptoms had almost completely gone away, but after this happened I felt re-concussed quite quickly afterwards. What is the possibility here, given the fact that I was on day 16 of my recovery, that this incident could have given me a second concussion, even tho the “hit” itself would not have been forceful enough to give an “initial” concussion?
Can i continue doing the weight lifting if my visual symptoms are still present after 3 weeks? The thing is that I know i have a neck hernia and i don't know if i got concussed or if it was a whiplash. I received a blow to the back of my head during a light sparring session, didn't feel like a hard one for sure. But for the next 2 weeks my energy levels dropped and i had all the visual symptoms, did not have nausea though. After the symptoms went away i performed at a live show and drank alcohol and they came back and it f-d up my sleep. The symptoms are definitely not as severe as they were at the start but i want to get back to my weight lifting.
Weight lifting generally isn't the way to start with an exercise program however if it is not provoking your symptoms, then it may be ok...but the big thing here is to get your vision issues checked out to see what is going on!
How many gs does it take to get a goose egg on your head? I’m 4 months out from a mild concussion and still dealing with symptoms. Recently I’ve been able to do things as normal besides still having some noise sensitivity and light sensitivity. The other day I arrived at work and banged my head on this mental beam. I just walked into it and I got a bruise on my head. It flared up some symptoms so I was kinda scared I reconcussed myself but I refuse to believe the impact was hard enough. Pre concussion I’ve hit my head much harder with no injury.
"goose eggs" have nothing to do with acceleration/g-forces. The are due to focal impacts and swelling under the skin. Example - if you get hit in the head with a small rock with a good amount of speed, it will likely cause a goose egg where the impact was...BUT, it likely wouldn't have enough mass to actually move your head significantly and accelerate your brain. Acceleration is the whipping of the head after impact.
Hello, I have some questions . I have suffered pcs for a long time and in December I had a not so strong blow to the head about 20 g approximately and I felt terrible for several weeks and even new symptoms such as dizziness and vertigo appeared, I saw a neurologist and he told me that pcs causes a low tolerance threshold and that keeps the brain in a vulnerable state and more prone to injury than someone who doesn't have pcs. And my questions are: Doesn't PCS mean that the brain hasn't recovered yet and it's easier for it to get injured? Does new symptoms appear and it took several months for me to feel better does that mean it was a new concussion or did previous symptoms get worse? Why are there some neurologists on youtube who affirm the opposite of you? Your help would be very useful to me doctor, so that I can better understand how this works Thank you, god bless you.
There is absolutely no evidence that PCS lowers the tolerance threshold. There is evidence however that PCS is driven by a few key factors that are susceptible to causing the same SYMPTOMS. Example: one driver of PCS is autonomic dysregulation - we are stuck in fight or flight and this affects our ability to tolerate exercise, cognitive stimulation, etc. Fight/flight means that our nervous system perceives danger everywhere. A small bump then further off-sets this and symptoms get worse...was it another concussion? No. It's just driving the nervous system hyperarousal. Another one - inflammation. Your inflammatory cells are on high alert after concussion - if you don't do the work to shut them off, they stay on high alert and can reactivate at a moments notice. Your story points to the fact that you still have one or more systems that are out of whack. This is what causes PCS and also what causes setbacks with any future minor impact. I would recommend you check out the Concussion Fix program - which is is system that walks people with PCS through exactly how to reverse these issues in a step-by-step process: concussiondoc.io/offer/the-concussion-fix/
So, does this mean that boxers that suffer concussions, after proper recovery and making sure they have fully healed the concussion, may return to sparring without an increased concussion chance than normal? That's pretty good news, i had concussions as a child and was afraid to try boxing because of the "one concussion leads to more" statement on medical sites. Its like 5 years ago since my last concussion
Also I think you aren’t thinking about DV victims or self harm when you say there’s no way someone could have 15 concussions in a month. I know that these are outliers but I think a lot more people seeking this type of help are outliers then you realize.
This is super helpful. Question for you…what do you think the g-force / rotational velocity is of standing up and hitting the top of your head on a piece of concrete? I stood up and hit my head on a concrete overhang in my apartment building’s garage. Felt all the usual concussion symptoms but I’m thinking that it’s likely just anxiety etc. rather than 70+gs. What do you think?
Oh my gosh im so glad i found this. I suffered a concussion about 4 years ago. My pcs was awful for months. I hit my head on the kitchen counter the other day and immediately felt my traps tense up again with a headache! My anxiety was up the roof! I thought “not again!”
ughh yeah, that’s one of the worst feelings.
I have been suffering from this “concussion cliff” for years now! Thank you for explaining this, I never knew if all the micro-bumps where causing small sinister damage overtime. Happy to hear that isn’t true
@Complete Concussion Management
Thank you for this video. I found your argument that multiple concussions do not lower the threshold of impact needed (expressed in g's) to generate subsequent concussions to be encouraging yet contradictory to other sources I have read.
I personally have suffered several concussions and dealt with reccuring PCS. Now, sometimes when I receive even a relatively minor blow to the head, I experience a return of concussion -like symptoms (headache, light sensitivity, nausea). This has lead me to believe that my threshold (amount of force needed) for getting a concussion/mild TBI has decreased due to previous injuries.Your assertion that the light hits (below 70g) are probably not actually concussive but instead triggering a return of underlying, untreated symptoms (inflammation, neck problems, anxiety etc) is very comforting. That would mean that I am not getting re-concussed as I feared but merely aggravating untreated problems.
However, other professionals and their studies on the subject seems to imply that multiple concussions DO INDEED LOWER THE FORCE NEEDED FOR SUBSEQUENT concussions. For example, a quick Google Scholar search turned up the following two articles. Writing in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, a certain Dr. Taylor says "it is now known that, after a concussion, there is greater susceptibility to sustaining another concussion and that subsequent concussions occur with less force and take longer to resolve." (doi i10.1503/cmaj.120039t)
Similarly, another study from 2017 (doi 10.1089/neu.2016.4767) concludes, "findings from this investigation support the notion that magnitude of the injurious blow and those preceding it, along with time influence the threshold for concussion. To that end, greater head Impact Density (i.e., higher number and magnitude of impacts over time) appears to increase concussion risk by failing to allow for the cerebral tissue to return to pre-impact status between blows."
Also, on more of an anecdotal level, most combat sports fans (myself included) can cite multiple examples of fighters with rock solid "chins" who seemed to be able to withstand tremendous punishment but, after sustaining a few knockouts, became much easier to knockout with even light of blows. Chuck Liddel or Frankie Edgar are just two examples of fighters with seeming unbreakable jaws who, after enduring a few KO's, rapidly became very easy to knock out.
I am in no way, shape or form a medical professional or scientist. Also, I sincerely hope (for my sake and the sake of others dealing with concussion fallout) that you are correct and that (after >30 days) concussions do not lower your threshold for subsequent concussions. I really hope that I am not being re-concussed but just aggravating other symptoms as you argue. That being said, I am skeptical of your argument when other professionals don't seem to be in agreement. Could you please give more of an explanation of what studies led you to come to your conclusion?
Thanks for reading to the end!
I saw this comment and immediately thought...too long...not reading it. But I did. I'm going to try and keep it brief though. Risk for subsequent concussions, and lower threshold for injury, are two separate things. There are several studies which show that those who've had a previous concussion are at greater risk for getting another one...but here's the issue - there are too many variables to be considered. Because these studies are done in an athletic setting, we don't often account for things like playing position (i.e., wide-receivers get more concussions than linemen)...so WR are more likely to get their first concussion and also more likely to get subsequent ones. Is this because their brain is more susceptible? Or because they continue to play a higher risk position? We also don't take into account risk taking behaviour - players who fight in hockey are more likely to get concussed...and are more likely to get concussed again if they continue playing a hard hitting/fighting game. Body size is another one. Game awareness is another factor - some players know where everyone and everything is and can get out of the way. Others always seem to get caught off guard. The only research which has looked at actual G-forces required for 1st vs. subsequent concussions have found that those forces are the same. It is speculated that previous concussions can lower threshold but we actually have little to no evidence that it does.
The only thing that may be a factor in lowering threshold is when repeat concussions are happening in close proximity to the initial injury. metabolic recovery takes 22-30 days to resolve. Another concussion prior to that may result in reduced threshold (but again not much evidence here). In addition, the metabolic recovery of those subsequent injuries moves from a 30 day recovery to a 90-120 day recovery. So if this does indicate lowered threshold, now this athlete has a window of 3-4 months where another smaller hit could cause another concussion...and now what happens to the recovery window? Does it extend to 2-3 years? We actually don't know. But this is one theory behind combat sport athletes with the "glass jaw". Perhaps, after not taking care of previous concussions, they have put themselves in a perpetual state of vulnerability where everything just knocks them out now. Again...not much evidence but rather a theoretical framework. This scenario doesn't apply however to most patients who are non athletes worried that every time they bump their head it's another concussion. It's not likely.
@@CompleteConcussions THANK YOU for reading and replying to my long-winded question. I really appreciate it! It means a lot.
I hit my head lightly the other day (standing up after bending down to pick something up under a desk) . I thought nothing of it in the moment but a few minutes later I saw some "stars" for a second and then, a few hours later, I got a headache and sensitivity to light.
I thought that it was almost impossible that I actually concussed myself from a relatively light hit but the familiar symptoms from my previous concussions are back. I just don't know what to think. My neurologist doesn't know if it was a concussion either or just enough of a jolt to "trigger" underlying migraines, inflammation, what have you. He's basically recommending what you say: rest, light exercise as tolerated, and supplements.
Thanks again for the reply
@@petersoukup1980 Im the exact same way man. Dealing with the same shit. Vision gets worse, headaches all from bumps other people will be fine from. Went to different clinics and nuerologists for the same thing.
@@marcobenedetto1668 what have they told you?
This helps with my anxiety so much. Just to have this explained in and talked through, I’ve felt like I’ve been going crazy. I’ve been dealing with post concussion syndrome for 2 years and a lot of little bumps like bumping my head on a cabinet or having a ball bounce and hit me in the face send my symptoms through a loop and make me feel like crap for a few days and I’m always worried that I hurt my Brian worse than it already was
Same here, deal with the anxiety so much, dealing with it today. It’s exhausting. Finding help is even more frustrating. Good luck to you my friend.
I deal with this as well 😢
I miss this man’s videos ! So so so helpful.
I'm coming back soon! I promise :)
GOD BLESS YOU FOR MAKING THIS VIDEO. That is all 🖤
Why is it that no other stressor increased my symptoms aside from getting hit in the head again? I went from being able to handle a pretty high cognitive load and nothing got in the way of that, to hardly being able to handle getting out of bed to grab a drink of water without feeling extremely disoriented after a somewhat mild bump to the head. I’d really like to believe all of this, but it just doesn’t seem to be the case for me. There are times i’ve hit my head in the past and it did end up being something that only increased my symptoms temporarily, for 24 hours or less (got kicked in the head at a concert, a friend goofing off accidentally kicked me in the head). But this feels extremely different.
Also, when I hit my head I originally thought to myself “there’s no way this is a new concussion, it must just be an increase in symptoms” but as the week went on the more I did the more I drastically backtracked until I became bedridden again. Which feels much more in line with the stages of a new concussion for me.
@@terrasmith1843 because different stressors affect people differently. Some people can't handle cognitive load and that sets them back. Others are fine with it and minor bumps do them in. If your nervous system is overactivated and sensing danger (this is related to the autonomic and inflammatory side of the equation...and some anxiety/PTSD elements), then a little bump is likely going to trigger this. It's just not physically possible to cause a concussion without a tremendous amount of force. A concussion is the result of brain cells stretching - it needs a lot of force to stretch them to the point of excitation.
@@terrasmith1843 I'm in the same boat as you. Have bumped my head hard-ish 6 times throughout the years, after my first concussion in 2016. I always thought I was just getting more concussions because the symptoms were exactly the same and lasted just as long as my first. But I always thought a 'normal' person (meaning a person who was never concussed in their life) would consider this just a hard bump to the head and nothing more. After healing from each hit to the head, I was able to function just fine at work, life, music, sports, etc. It's just when I hit my head, I am bedridden and disoriented for about 2 weeks. Sometimes a few symptoms last longer too. I wish I knew how to handle this but I don't really know where and how to start fixing the bottom pillar (ie mindset, nervous system, etc). I guess I need to do more research.
You could still have neck issues that have not been treated. Watch the other videos, your sympathetic system may be in overload, your body in inflammation because of your diet…..
@@PermieIslandBird I have addressed my neck issues and experience what the poster above experienced.
Thank you for the video! I'm saving it to my favourites. After a car accident I suffered a concussion some years ago I live with that anxiety every day. PCS was awful, for the first time I felt what is it to lose control over my body. So I fear that so much I'm going crazy in the ways I'm trying to protect myself. Even a sneeze triggers me and I start experiencing symptoms.
Crazy that you posted this, just as I was going through this again.
I hope it helped you :)
I recovered from concussion completely. I can help you
Dude. Thank you for the bottom of my heart.
Exactly what I needed! I had this question today and just happened to see this video as a suggestion.
I suspect that my symptoms will be gone tomorrow after seeing this video!
This is great! Are you able to share some of the research supporting what you mention in the video?
You need to be more specific on what you want to see the research on. He did show some stats but I agree, I’d like to see more studies on why this population of patients end up getting hits to the head much easier even when they are not a sports player or a person getting into a bar brawl. They could just be a normal regular human, living your life because even in living and being normal, we will eventually get bumped and hit. Any daily activity could be a risk, driving, slip in the shower, falls etc
I was feeling great for several months. I hit my temple again a few days ago. It was so stupid.. I felt off balance dizzy and my head doesn't feel like my head ever since and felt that way immediately afterward.. It is now day three. I have been working on decreasing my anxiety but still feel very off. It wasn't a hard impact but my first concussion was on my temple and it was not a big hit either. Is my current nudge to my temple another concussion like the first one. My first concussion wasn't 70 g of force either but I was diagnosed with it. Thanks!
many docs take the approach of "you hit your head and you have symptoms = concussion". But what they don't consider are all of the other factors which can cause the same symptoms. This is where people go wrong - they spend their time focusing on "concussion" rather than addressing the underlying symptom drivers. Once we shift that, we can recover!
@@CompleteConcussions I'm so sorry I still do not understand your answer. Does a bump to the temple typically produce these symptoms? I was standing up and a low hanging light fixture bumped my temple. Grazed it as i was standing up. At first I was wondering if it was anxiety as that can be similar but I don't think it is. I've been self talking, grounding techniques, telling myself I'm okay, resting water, been eating well, high protein for weeks, supplements. Will this blip subside or is it back to square one. I just received treatment for occipital neuralgia caused by my concussion 2 years ago and I was finally able to engage in activities without pain. Now I'm foggy, dizzy, lighheaded. I have been addressing the other symptom drivers. Stress doesn't bring on my symptoms. Maybe my brain needs to catch up that I'm okay because my other hits producing a concussion were to the temple. The confusing parts were my first diagnosed concussion was not 70g but lower.
This is super helpful. Question for you…what do you think the g-force / rotational velocity is of standing up and hitting the top of your head on a piece of concrete? I stood up and hit my head on a concrete overhang in my apartment building’s garage. Felt all the usual concussion symptoms but I’m thinking that it’s likely just anxiety etc. rather than 70+gs. What do you think?
Thank you, this is very helpful
very helpful video thanks for posting this to youtube, the only thing that has remained unclear to me. Is I had PCS about a year ago it resolved, then I banged my head on a cabinet and all the symptoms returned. But why did my mood swing, sadness/depression return with it? That's the part that's weird to me.
Could be psychosomatic
Is there a point we can get to where we have recovered enough to not have a release at all. ⭐️ I want to keep healing until I know I can ease off on the recovery but I’m scared I will be stuck in a tiring healing routine forever
a release?
Thank you, very helpful and totally real!
👍🏼
The first time I hit my head it was pretty bad. I was 5, I fell 4 feet from a treehouse and landed on a hard tree root on my right temple and it caused a subdural hematoma on the right side of my brain. I was in a children’s hospital for a little over a week and they couldn’t operate on my head since I was a small child and they told my mom that if they tried to operate on my head I would die, so we had to wait for it to get smaller. When they discharged me they claimed I had no cognitive impairment. My mom sister and I were also going through a domestic violence situation with my biological father and unfortunately eventually with my step father a bit later in life. Fast forward to when I was 17, I was having social and cognitive issues throughout my life and I was seen by a rehab facility finally and in the intake process they confirmed I had cognitive impairment. My rehab was cut short due to the domestic violent situation with my step father at the time and my family had to move. Fast forward even more, I’m 22 now and I’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia which my mother also has. I used to work as a kennel tech at my local humane society and last year I hit my head twice, a month apart. October and November. The first one I was in a kennel with a dog who was just excited and play biting but too much and was about to bite at my face and my natural reaction is to move my head back away trying to avoid getting bit but the concrete wall was right behind me and I was immediately dizzy and nauseous and had to be out of work for a week and had to go back but with work accommodations, I couldn’t be inside a kennel with a dog until I was cleared. The next month we had a litter of puppies in a kennel and I don’t remember i think I was going to try and take one out for a walk because they were old enough and I wanted to see how they’d do and long story short the puppers were trying to get out of the kennel all at once and I hate the kennel gate/door open the wrong way, and I wasnt paying attention to where my head was and I tried to close the gate quickly but I hit my head with the door somehow and I had basically the same recovery. I recently hit my head again, literally around the same time I did last year, on October 20th, and it was similar to what happened the first time a year ago. Another side note, I also got bit twice pretty bad by an aggressive dog that didn’t show any aggression before, I was trying to let him out into a play yard by directing him with his collar but the first thing he wanted to do was start fighting with other dogs next to him through their kennels and when I tried to pull him away with his collar he turned his head and bit me through my mud boot and my pants and punctured my leg, twice. Anyways because of that incident we had to use a slip leash for every dog when we let them outside, (we honestly should’ve been doing that beforehand tbh) and the last time I hit my head on the 20th, I let out a dog using a slip leash and she didn’t have any issues being let out or brought back in, but when I brought her back into her kennel she jumped up onto my shoulders and my back was up against the wall and her slip leash still on her neck, and she was actually acting all kissy and nice so it was hard to read how she was going to act, and I should’ve tried to get her back down before trying to take of the slip leash but it all kinda happened so fast. I tried to take off her slip leash while she was acting nice and still had her paw as on my shoulders and me up against the wall, she instantly switched up and started growling and tried to snap at my face and again my natural reaction was still to bring my head away but again like the first time, I hit the back of my head pretty hard against the concrete wall. I was taken to the ER, and had a ct scan and luckily they didn’t see anything. Ever since then my recovery time has slowed down a lot and I slept on and off the following week and now I sleep an average of 12 hours instead of 8 every night and I was already prone to headaches and migraines but they’ve just gotten worse and I think my hearing is extra strong now and I keep hearing a ringing noise.
8 weeks ago, my 16 year old son had a concussion playing futsal (4th concussion) ( at 6 year old, 7 year old, 13 year old and now at 16).
We used one of the affiliated CCM affiliated clinic to treat him. He was symptom free within a couple of weeks and and then resumed to full contact soccer after 6 weeks after passing exertion test at said CCM clinic.
Eight week after the fourth concussion, while playing competitive soccer, he received an elbow to his jaw. He reported being dizzy for a few minutes, subsequently missed an open net in very clumsy fashion.
After game, broke out in tears, said his head and upper eyeball was hurting on the side where his jaw was hit and had glossy red eyes. Came back from locker 15 min after a shower and seemed almost fine with no head aches except for blank stare that lasted for another 30 min or so. He went back to school the next day for half a day. Did his homework that night with nothing unusual to report except that he seemed to struggle with eye focus while reading. He went back to bed early. He was back in school full time 48 hrs after the incident. He has reported waking up at night more often than usual but otherwise appears to be coping up well with the workload.
Should the blow to his jaw be treated as a fifth concussion or could this be a case where symptoms flare up from the fourth concussion as discussed in your video?
Finally I will say that his jaw presents minor swelling and is still tender after 96 hours.
I guess I am wondering if the blow received might have been powerful enough for a concussion which I believe could be the case. I also wonder if a fifth concussion should mean the end of his soccer ´career’?
This video is pertaining to people who are having relapses in symptoms with vry minor hits (bumping on a counter, hitting a pothole while driving, etc.). This video is not talking about athletes who are getting elbowed in the face. I think you have to treat this as another concussion just to be on the safe side. As far as how many concussions is too many? We don't have a number. It comes down to a clinical decision based on a number of factors. Your CCMI clinic is likely the best resource to lean on!
@Dchatbot 5 This may potentially explain your symptoms I reccommend watching it in full length th-cam.com/video/QQZGde7pcik/w-d-xo.html
You have destroyed your sons mind for no reason
what are some basic things we can do to recover?
Have you ever done a video on antioxidant supplement like glutathione for concussion recovery? A few studies are interesting.
@completeconcussionmanagement didn’t you say if you have a history of concussions less force is required to trigger a concussion? Wouldn’t the force threshold be different?
only in the first couple weeks
Thank you so much. Of course this is very subjective and hard to gauge, but do you think a volleyball spike hitting my head from about 20-30 feet could have produced enough force ?
Thank you
How do you explain the phenomenon that each concussion, even mild, leads to more memory loss?
Cognitive problems - like memory loss - in concussion and PCS are typically not associated with true cognitive problems. What I mean by that is that if we take all the people with PCS who self-report that they have cognitive problems and we actually test them on cognitive testing, we find that the overwhelming majority actually test normal. Meaning that although they report cognitive problems, they don't actually have any cognitive problems. And, in those who self-report cognitive problems, these are most strongly associated with mental health issues like anxiety and depression. So for cognitive problems, the areas we typically stress for patients is reducing inflammation (as inflammation in the brain is associated with reduced cognitive capacity), improved autonomic function (as this results in better blood flow), but the number one thing to work on is reducing anxiety and depression. Hope this helps!
I had one major concussion in 2011. Sucker-punched. Completely blindsided. Serious whiplash, luckily I landed on my elbow before my head hit the sidewalk.
Mid-2014: Fell off my bike and did a very controlled tuck and roll. Didn't even think I touched my head, but it brought back symptoms for a month or so.
Late 2016. Trunk of my car landed on the back of my head. Total fluke. The symptoms hit me about 5 days after the impact.
I miss playing hockey. But, even going to a barber gives me terrible anxiety.
I just want to play pick up hockey with the fellas and not live my life scared. It's not a contact league but. . you're right.. I think I'm standing on the edge of a cliff.
Hey Jeff,
I’ve been dealing with similar issues. I got a concussion 5 months ago and every little bump or jolt to the head seems to send me back. I have the exact same issue with the barber thing actually. How are you doing now?
Going to barber? Why it scares you guys
@@codycan27I’m dealing with this as well. How you doing?
@@RedCarGuy123 Hey man. I’m actually doing a ton better now. It took awhile, but I’m back to doing most of the things I was doing pre concussion. I had a good PT that helped a lot with my neck and honestly I think the biggest part was just trying to train my body to relax after the small bumps and jolts I’d get everyday and to not worry about them as hard as that is. If you have any other questions I’d love to help, hate that anyone has to go through this stuff.
@@codycan27 that’s exactly where I’m at. Back to normal living. I just struggle with small bumps and constant worry I have to do this again. My family thinks I’m nuts but it’s hard to understand if you haven’t been there.
Dr. M, I overall respect your content. Id like to express a few concerns in regards to the video, which I did appreciate.
Having listened to this in its entirety, it seems as though a lot of this is put back onto the person with pcs which from my personal experience they 💯 really do not have that kind of control. This is not a physiological injury.
They would get beck to their normal self’s in a heartbeat if they could. Tbi’s are serious and complex injuries .
Additionally, who’s to say the minor hits aren’t enough for the concussed or pcs patients to re- injure them? The jury is still out, no? These people are definitely not the majority and controlled studies don’t get run on them. They are in an extremely unique subset.
I don’t believe we have enough supporting evidence to say either or. The set backs symptoms are extremely concerning and debilitating none the less.
Lastly, how is it not brought up that even though headers, hockey checking, and boxing hits.etc regardless of their 18-20(+) g’s, that going through any of that is highly warranted to be in the subconussive category and is highly advised to abstain or avoid the sport all together till a specific age?
Hi Lisa - there are a few comments to make here. The evidence that we do have points to there not being a reduced threshold for injury for those who've been concussed previously or who hav PCS. If you understand concussion injury, you'd understand why this is. In order to get a concussion, the neurons have to undergo a significant stretching/sheering - this only happens at higher G-Forces. This we do have quite extensive research on. So no, minor hits are not reconcussing people. Second - subconcussive impacts are also kind of a made up term with no known threshold for injury or evidence of damage. It is purely a theoretical concept at this point in time - this is why I didn't mention it. This is in no way putting everything back on to the person with PCS and I'm not sure how you took that from this video...the fact is that PCS is caused from 5 main things (Autonomic Dysregulation, Inflammation/gut/hormones, visual/vestibular dysfunction, neck issues, and psychological issues (mood, anxiety, PTSD, etc.)) - these issues can trigger concussion-like symptoms in ppl without concussions. People with PCS already have dysfunction in one or more of these areas...these impacts can act like stressors that challenge these dysfunctions further. If you want to believe this is damaging your brain, go for it, but so far the evidence does not support that. And, after working with thousands of PCS patients, this can be fixed so that it stops happening simply by addressing the 5 underlying drivers.
@@CompleteConcussions Thank you for clarifying. As a whole, if concussion isn’t resolving, just extremely concerning. Ex: If a person with PCS has POTS( dysautonomia) which is and ANS issue, and POTS can not be cured then I’m not sure how PCS, can start to be resolved .
@@lisachristinaconfirmed5067 POTS is just extreme autonomic dysregulation and is also a treatable condition. So you start with treating the POTS to better regulate the autonomics...that's bottom of the pyramid stuff
@@CompleteConcussionsif your brain has already been concussed, isn’t it possible that the neurons aren’t fully back to normal after shearing has occurred and therefore the threshold for future concussions is reduced?
@@SkiingIsBelieving859 it's possible and that is a theoretical framework, however the evidence that we currently have does not support this theory. The evidence that we currently have suggests that repeat concussions occur at the same g-forces as first time concussions.
So I’m curious about tingling in the head? Why does that happen after a concussion and what can you do about it
Tingling is not a typical concussion symptom - main causes to look into would be irritation/inflammation of the nerves that supply sensation to the scalp (the location of the tingling will help you figure this out), however often this is moreso driven by anxiety.
Hi sir, I was hit in the right ear by a freekick from very close and it definitely gave me a whiplash style concussion. I lost consciousness for just a quick second but was able to recover quickly. For a couple weeks now my head has been hurting when I got out and just run after about 20-30 minutes. How long should I still be concerned about this? I have a season coming up for soccer
Thank you for putting this content out there!
I accidentally was pulling up my vacuum leaf blower from the vacuum and hit my head again so that it shook it slightly with a little bit of force. My first one was 1 week and 5 days ago by riding my bike downhill and hitting a stationary car. Is this a second concussion or would this not be enough force? Help I’m worried 😢
In a severe car accident I had a heavy brain contusion (so highest grade if a a concussion). That was 1987 in my beginning 20th. Now I'm getting 60. All these years I suffered from big loads of health problems. No doctor ever brought this in combination with the concussion/contision. Now ai find this by accident today. My question... Is it too late to get out of that 'water underneath the cliff' again? Since a longer time now it feels like I'm heavily stuck and nothing could make my situation better. So does it make sense or is it too late?
It's never too late! BUT...the longer it's been, the longer it takes to get out of the water. So you can make this change at any point, but you just need a consistent application of the right things for longer than someone who's only a year or two out.
Thanks boss
I had a concussion 3 months ago, it was going well, but i bumped my head on a doorframe around my crown area, it feels hot and i had some pressure now I don't, i am scared I'll get the symptoms back tomorrow, doc i understand this is your job you get paid for but if you see this message could you tell me what to do? Im 18 so please help me
does shaking your head with your head back and forth or up and down can cause a concussion?
If hard enough, it's possible
@CompleteConcussions That's what they had me do at vestibular therapy and I thought there was a risk of another concussion but they said no. Yet I have felt awful since doing the therapy.
My biggest question: is when I take a small bump and all my symptoms come back for a couple weeks, what kind of damage is that inflammation doing to my brain compared to a concussion?
No evidence that it does any....chronic inflammation can cause issues though. It's not the bumps that are the issue - it's the chronic inflammation so address that!
Hi there! This video has really helped me in the past few weeks since I've found it, so I want to thank you for that. I have a question about walking. When I get "snagged" on something and suddenly get pulled back while walking (I'm a pretty speedy walker, around 3-4mph) like a coat stuck on a hook, or carrying a suitcase that gets stuck in the street, I find that it really jerks me and sets me back into a cloud of fogginess. I'm wondering if you know whether or not that rapid deceleration while walking is enough to cause a concussion, like it is for much faster car crashes? I know this is a bit specific, so thanks in advance for your time!
Hi there - not likely high enough for another concussion however there are a few things that could be going on:
1. Your nervous system is in a state of hyperarousal - so it's sensing danger everywhere. A little jerk like that feels like impending injury to your nervous system - so it kicks into fight/flight and symptoms emerge. Or
2. You have neck dysfunction that is driving your symptoms and these jerks are causing the neck to react and tense up and the symptoms come on.
It's just a sign that there is work to do! Google Concussion Fix, read some reviews, see what you think :)
Thank you for your comprehensive explanations! But I wonder whether this applies to both immediate and delayed symptoms? I often get a headache after doing exercise, but when I bump my head lightly, I will instantly have a specific lightheaded and fluttered feeling for a brief moment. I usually think the later is a very mild concussion while the former is just a flare up of symptoms.
If you are having headaches from exercise, you're doing it wrong (more as an FYI - this will hold back your recovery...so you gotta learn how to do this properly). As for the small bumps - these are not "very mild concussions" because there is no such thing. A concussion requires enough force to stretch the neurons enough to cause their channels to become pulled open. Small bumps could not do this. The issue here is that the symptoms of concussion look exactly like the symptoms of a bunch of different things (neck issues, anxiety, autonomic issues, etc.). These issues can flare for various reasons including stress, minor impacts, etc. So the symptoms you are experienced are likely just flares in these other issues because you have unaddressed underlying physiologic issues - which also fits because you get symptomatic with exercise (this points to an autonomic dysregulation likely)
Thank you for your answering.@@CompleteConcussions
I have very bad concussion anxiety. Dealing with feeling a bunch of little otherwise normal things can give me a concussion. Its awfuly and exhausting. My gf elbowed me in the head last night while she and i were sleeping. Woke up from it and wasnt able to get back to sleep probably because of the stress of it. Do you think something like that is hard enough to cause something, m
did you watch the video or naw...
Of course yeah just wondering / concerned if a elbow to head could be enough to cause something. Even If it was an unintentional bump while sleeping. I know your probably annoyed by answering questions like that but my anxiety always gets the best of me.
would getting knocked off your feet and hitting a cinder block on the fall be enough G's to cause a concussion?
This helped me so much! i had horrible anxiety I am still getting over after getting 2 mild concussions in a year.
The other day i accelerated really fast in my car from 0 to 30 and was leaning forward, would this cause a concussion ? my head felt sore after but didn't have any other symptoms for the most part and that was. day ago
I answered this on another one of your comments however I'll do it again for others reading who may have the same question. The answer is no! It's not even close to being enough force (even to cause a whiplash injury). The fastest acceleration car in the world is a Tesla which can go from 0-100km/h in just over 2 seconds - this works out to 1.3 G. The average production car accelerating at full speed is well under 1 G. Concussion requires 70+ g's. So anyone reading this should completely put this out of their mind as a potential "mechanism" of concussion. You are not that fragile :)
@@CompleteConcussions sorry didn't realize i accidentally posted twice, thanks again!
I have a question, having post-concussion syndrome makes me more likely to have another concussion with a less severe blow even if it has already passed long since my initial injury?
Did you watch the video? I answer this exact question!
@@CompleteConcussions Yes, I did see it but I wrote this question when I started to see it haha thanks
@@es15-javi 😂 jumped the gun :)
Doctor, I have found that when rock climbing/bouldering, jumping off the wall and onto the ground seems to bring back some symptoms for me. I used to think I was getting mini concussions but now I’m thinking that it is not the case based on the video. While I clearly need some rehab, do you think it is ok to return to this activity during rehab even if it is causing symptoms?
most likely issue here is functional instability in your neck. When you land and your head jostles, if your neck is not stabilizing properly, this can cause same symptoms as concussion.
can neck traingin reduce concussion/?
depends on the type - most strengthening protocols say no...however there is some newer dynamic stability training devices which show some potential promise...
@@CompleteConcussions wb isometric neck exersices
I have pcs and got hit in the head will a volleyball that was spiked. It was from about 30 feet. Could this have caused a concussion, or due to past concussions could it be this kind of situation
Is it possible to have my concussion susceptibility to go back to normal I’ve been really struggling trying to get back to normal from pcs trying to do physical therapy but I think I’ve really messed my head up with back to back concussions.
Yes, it is entirely possible...however PT alone is often not the answer. In order to get yourself away from this concussion cliff and build future resilience in your system, you have to address all the underlying drivers that cause this - autonomics, inflammation, anxiety around the injury and re-injury, (and PT)
What exercise can I do to improve my vision (symptom is that it looks like clouds and objects are moving away, but they arent moving at all)
I hit my head on a protruding sign today while I was not paying attention. I feel dizzy and tired. How likely am I to have another one?
Is it possible to be do concussed by a
we don't actually know...
@@CompleteConcussions thank you for the reply, I didn’t expect there would be a concrete answer to that question. In your opinion, however, could a slap to the face (probably ~15gs) cause another concussion? I have recently suffered two concussions (6 and 2 weeks ago respectively) and am worried an accidental slap to the face I received a few days ago may have caused a third. Symptoms from my second concussion had somewhat subsided and since the slap they have gotten worse. What I cannot tell, however, is if the symptoms were caused by the slap or if this is just a natural progression of symptoms. Thank you again.
Did you get another concussion? I accidentally hit my head two weeks after my first concussion? Pls help😢
God bless you. We don’t need doctors we need sane informative people.
Would you say that a concussion + multiple force subsequent concussions within a week of the first could cause Trigeminal neuralgia or other pinched nerves by arteries in the cranial nerves? This is what I experienced and have been dealing with Trigeminal neuralgia and other neuralgia since. Each time I bump my head the neuralgia gets much worse. I even had MVD and didn’t get any improvement from it. Would you say the concussios just triggered the neuralgia or that they caused it?
Tough to say - it could be that the neuralgia was caused by the concussion or the fact that your nervous system is now just hyperaroused and inflamed which causes it to continue to flare whenever something happens. The fact is that in order to resolve it, we need to calm the nervous system and reduce inflammation and potentially look at entrapment sites where the nerve may be getting pinched.
I had a concussion back in September of 2021. On Day 16 of recovery, I was a grocery store and bumped the side of my head on a shelf when bending down to pick up an item. Up until them, it seemed like my symptoms had almost completely gone away, but after this happened I felt re-concussed quite quickly afterwards. What is the possibility here, given the fact that I was on day 16 of my recovery, that this incident could have given me a second concussion, even tho the “hit” itself would not have been forceful enough to give an “initial” concussion?
@ Brendon PoorThis may potentially explain your symptoms I reccomend watching it in full length th-cam.com/video/QQZGde7pcik/w-d-xo.html
Did you get a concussion. This happened to me
What about a small stick falling from a tree hitting your head?
Can i continue doing the weight lifting if my visual symptoms are still present after 3 weeks? The thing is that I know i have a neck hernia and i don't know if i got concussed or if it was a whiplash. I received a blow to the back of my head during a light sparring session, didn't feel like a hard one for sure. But for the next 2 weeks my energy levels dropped and i had all the visual symptoms, did not have nausea though. After the symptoms went away i performed at a live show and drank alcohol and they came back and it f-d up my sleep. The symptoms are definitely not as severe as they were at the start but i want to get back to my weight lifting.
Weight lifting generally isn't the way to start with an exercise program however if it is not provoking your symptoms, then it may be ok...but the big thing here is to get your vision issues checked out to see what is going on!
How many gs does it take to get a goose egg on your head? I’m 4 months out from a mild concussion and still dealing with symptoms. Recently I’ve been able to do things as normal besides still having some noise sensitivity and light sensitivity. The other day I arrived at work and banged my head on this mental beam. I just walked into it and I got a bruise on my head. It flared up some symptoms so I was kinda scared I reconcussed myself but I refuse to believe the impact was hard enough. Pre concussion I’ve hit my head much harder with no injury.
@ Marie-Claire ShepherdThis may potentially explain your symptoms I reccomend watching it in full length th-cam.com/video/QQZGde7pcik/w-d-xo.html
"goose eggs" have nothing to do with acceleration/g-forces. The are due to focal impacts and swelling under the skin. Example - if you get hit in the head with a small rock with a good amount of speed, it will likely cause a goose egg where the impact was...BUT, it likely wouldn't have enough mass to actually move your head significantly and accelerate your brain. Acceleration is the whipping of the head after impact.
Hello, I have some questions . I have suffered pcs for a long time and in December I had a not so strong blow to the head about 20 g approximately and I felt terrible for several weeks and even new symptoms such as dizziness and vertigo appeared, I saw a neurologist and he told me that pcs causes a low tolerance threshold and that keeps the brain in a vulnerable state and more prone to injury than someone who doesn't have pcs. And my questions are: Doesn't PCS mean that the brain hasn't recovered yet and it's easier for it to get injured? Does new symptoms appear and it took several months for me to feel better does that mean it was a new concussion or did previous symptoms get worse? Why are there some neurologists on youtube who affirm the opposite of you? Your help would be very useful to me doctor, so that I can better understand how this works Thank you, god bless you.
There is absolutely no evidence that PCS lowers the tolerance threshold. There is evidence however that PCS is driven by a few key factors that are susceptible to causing the same SYMPTOMS. Example: one driver of PCS is autonomic dysregulation - we are stuck in fight or flight and this affects our ability to tolerate exercise, cognitive stimulation, etc. Fight/flight means that our nervous system perceives danger everywhere. A small bump then further off-sets this and symptoms get worse...was it another concussion? No. It's just driving the nervous system hyperarousal. Another one - inflammation. Your inflammatory cells are on high alert after concussion - if you don't do the work to shut them off, they stay on high alert and can reactivate at a moments notice. Your story points to the fact that you still have one or more systems that are out of whack. This is what causes PCS and also what causes setbacks with any future minor impact. I would recommend you check out the Concussion Fix program - which is is system that walks people with PCS through exactly how to reverse these issues in a step-by-step process: concussiondoc.io/offer/the-concussion-fix/
@@CompleteConcussions OK, thanks for your help and for answering.
So what you’re saying is haven’t had a concussion every two weeks ? For a year
That would be highly unlikely
So, does this mean that boxers that suffer concussions, after proper recovery and making sure they have fully healed the concussion, may return to sparring without an increased concussion chance than normal? That's pretty good news, i had concussions as a child and was afraid to try boxing because of the "one concussion leads to more" statement on medical sites. Its like 5 years ago since my last concussion
@Pettski What do you think of this th-cam.com/video/QQZGde7pcik/w-d-xo.html
Also I think you aren’t thinking about DV victims or self harm when you say there’s no way someone could have 15 concussions in a month. I know that these are outliers but I think a lot more people seeking this type of help are outliers then you realize.
disinformation and incompetence. absolute nonsense.
Why if I may ask?
Please refrain from using God's Holy Name I vain... speak it prayerfully, only. Thanks so much. Your content is so pertinent
This is super helpful. Question for you…what do you think the g-force / rotational velocity is of standing up and hitting the top of your head on a piece of concrete? I stood up and hit my head on a concrete overhang in my apartment building’s garage. Felt all the usual concussion symptoms but I’m thinking that it’s likely just anxiety etc. rather than 70+gs. What do you think?