Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussions: Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) occur when there is a rapid deceleration of the brain within the skull cavity due to shock impact or a whipping motion of the head and neck. These injuries often occur due to sport impact, motor vehicle accidents, and high impact activities. TBIs can result in a number of problems and symptoms. These include: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Headache Dizziness or loss of balance Memory or concentration problems Nausea or vomiting Fatigue or drowsiness Sensory problems – tinnitus (ringing in ears), blurred vision, or a bad taste in the mouth Feeling depressed or anxious Mood changes and mood swings Difficulty sleeping Sleeping more than usual
Over 75% of all TBIs are mild, which means that there is only brief loss of consciousness or none at all. In these cases, also called concussions, physical examination and CT or MRI testing is normal. An important but littleknown fact is that concussions can occur without loss of consciousness. In some cases, patients suffering from a concussion do not recover and experience TBI symptoms for months or even years after the initial trauma. This is known as postconcussion syndrome (PCS). Many patients that suffer from chronic pain also suffer from a TBI. These can be easily missed because many of the symptoms of postconcussion syndrome are also common in people with chronic pain. They include: ● ● ● ●
Headaches Insomnia Fatigue Depression
With these common symptoms, it is often difficult to determine which is the primary problem affecting a patient. We recognize that all these factors must be treated with an integrative approach. Changes in brain function that are related to TBI and pain can also be related to medication sideeffects, posttraumatic stress disorder, sleep disturbances and psychological and social stress. We strive to heal our patients by treating the body – and the brain as a whole. Our approach to treatment includes balancing brain hormones such as DHEA, melatonin, testosterone, and progesterone. We also assess thyroid and adrenal function in everyone. As with chronic pain, we commonly use trigger point injections of the head and neck. We are also working with specialized cutting edge tools, including transcranial direct current stimulation, scalp laser light therapy and ear acupuncture. We also assess patients with suspected postconcussion syndrome using a specialized kind of EEG called quantitative EEG, or qEEG assessment. This is different from a regular EEG, which is interpreted by a visual scan by a neurologist looking for spikes that are produced by seizure activity in the brain. qEEG assessment uses advanced software to analyze brainwaves to find patterns that reflect abnormal brain function. While it cannot be used to diagnose TBI, qEEG is a reliable, objective measure of brain function. qEEG data is also used to create a neurofeedback treatment plan. This is also called EEG biofeedback, and it targets a specific location and a specific brainwave pattern. Neurofeedback is a promising treatment for TBI that has improved the lives of thousands of people.
To ensure we are treating the entire person, we also offer psychological services, and specialized counseling that addresses chronic pain and TBI. We also prescribe evidencebased natural health products that can help with mood, sleep, and cognitive function. There is a growing awareness of concussion among soldiers, athletes and motor vehicle accident victims, and it seems to have just begun. People suffering from a brain injury can hopefully look forward to many changes in the years to come. The Seekers Centre is an early adopter of these innovative solutions, and we use them in carefully selected cases to offer our patients the best results.