Concussions, a type of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), are frequently discussed in sports. It’s estimated that between 1.7 and 3 million sports- and recreation-related concussions happen each year (though maybe 5 in 10 go unreported or undetected). Falls, in general, do account for half of all concussions, but that is followed by car accidents which make up a significant 25% of cases according to the CDC.
At least athletes have dedicated support personnel to take care of their concussion management! For average Elmhurst, Illinois residents who experience an auto accident, you don’t need to look any further than the expert chiropractic services at the Illinois Auto Accident Pain Relief Center.
There is no cure for a concussion. Most of those who experience one are forced to simply wait for the pain to subside and for the brain to repair itself. However, chiropractic treatments can reduce the time it takes and help ensure you make a full recovery. You may think of a chiropractor as someone who only specializes in the body’s joints, but the joints in the spine and neck regulate the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and keep the nervous system and brain in a healthy state. For proper concussion management after an auto accident, you’ll want to visit the Auto Accident Pain Relief Center of Illinois in Elmhurst, and this article will explain why.
What Is A Concussion?
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury. An auto accident can result in a brain injury if you receive a direct blow to the head, your head strikes an object, or even from whiplash. The injury temporarily disrupts the brain from functioning correctly and may or may not render the person unconscious.
The brain is encapsulated in a cerebrospinal fluid that usually cushions it during impact from light trauma. However, auto accidents can provide more than enough force to overcome this cushioning. Jolts or bumps that make the brain move too much inside the head can cause brain cells to die and chemical changes.
Consuming alcohol and having had one in the past are risk factors for having a concussion. The only way to rule out a severe traumatic brain injury from a concussion is through a qualified medical professional – the first reason you should visit the Auto Accident Pain Relief Center of Illinois in Elmhurst.
As serious as a concussion is, there could be worse injuries to your brain and body that will require tests to uncover. Multiple concussions over time have been linked to an increased risk of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Parkinson's disease, and depression. Without proper concussion management, a single concussion can lead to memory loss, problems with balance, and sleep disorders.
It can be difficult to diagnose a concussion and rule out other emergencies like intracranial hemorrhaging. A battery of tests is usually administered, including physical and neurological. How long the patient was unconscious (if they lost consciousness) is assessed – which typically should be less than thirty minutes – and any report of amnesia. Some symptoms that medical personnel will look for that indicate an injury beyond a concussion include:
Seizures
Convulsions
Double vision
Slipping in and out of consciousness
Prolonged periods of confusion or disorientation
Vomiting excessively
Numbness or tingling
Slurred speech
Aggressive behavior
Neck pain
Unequal sizes of the pupils
What Are The Symptoms Following A Concussion?
Concussions are classified as mild traumatic brain injury, but that doesn’t mean they are not serious or do not require medical attention. Following a concussion, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:
Headache
Nausea
Vomiting
Difficulty with balance
Dizziness
Lightheadedness
Fatigue
Difficulty falling asleep
Sleeping more or less than usual
Drowsiness
Blurry vision
Adults and children will require good concussion management to ensure they return to school, work, and everyday activities without prolonging or worsening these symptoms.
What Is Concussion Management?
Concussion management that uses alternative approaches to surgery or opioids is what we strive for at the Auto Accident Pain Relief Center of Illinois. And it is possible with the proper chiropractic care.
There is a constant communication loop kept up between the brain and nervous system throughout a healthy body. Cerebrospinal fluid is one of the most important aspects of keeping that communication possible, and its flow is regulated by joints in the neck and spine. Auto accidents not only cause millions of concussions a year but injuries to the joints and spine that can also impede cerebrospinal fluid and proper brain functioning. Concussion management is intertwined with chiropractic care, and it is that care that will set your body up for successful recovery following an auto accident.
Our chiropractic care specialists at the Auto Accident Pain Relief Center of Illinois in Elmhurst can effectively restore the proper spinal function, nerve function, and spinal fluid levels your body needs right now following an auto accident. It is only after the brain can receive the proper communication from the nervous system and go back to operating efficiently that it will heal itself correctly.
Concussion management is also about educating yourself on risk factors that can impede your recovery. Our center will assess your work/life environment and instruct you on how to get the rest and rehabilitation you need for a full recovery. You mustn't put yourself in a situation where you could receive another bump, blow, or jolt to the brain and worsen your condition.
Take Steps Immediately for Concussion Management
To heal quickly and correctly, you need to take steps immediately after an auto accident and experiencing symptoms of a concussion. There is no cure, but chiropractic care is the best treatment to get your brain operating normally again and alleviate pain. If you have been involved in an auto accident and are experiencing headache, nausea, blurred vision, dizziness, ringing in the ears, visual disturbances or neck pain and live in the Chicagoland area like: Elmhurst, Villa Park, Lombard, Bensenville, Oak Brook, Hillside, Berkeley, Bellwood, Melrose Park, Northlake, Stone Park or Westchester, call us 24/7 at 800-862-5914 for concussion management that doesn’t involve harmful drugs or invasive surgery, contact the chiropractic experts today at the Auto Accident Pain Relief Center of Illinois.
