Chiropractic Helps Concussion Patient Heal & Recover More Quickly

Very few conditions warrant more attention and notoriety in today’s culture than concussions. Concussions plague more people of all ages than ever before. Real solutions can only be achieved through proper education and awareness. Evidence proves that Chiropractic provides unique health benefits and answers to people suffering from this horrible condition.

Recent concussion statistics include:

• 3.8 million concussions occurred in 2012, double the number reported in 2002.
• Nearly 500,000 children suffer from concussions.
• 33% of athletic-related concussions occur at practice.
• 1/5 of high school athletes experience a concussion during their sports season.
• 33% of high school students who have had a concussion report two or more in the same year.
• Between 4-5 million concussions occur annually in the U.S.
• 70% of athletes with concussions played despite their symptoms, and 40% reported that their coaches did not know of the injury.
• Female team sports account for 6 of the top 10 sports that produce concussion.
• The majority of concussions happen to people who did not black out or lose consciousness.

Most parents and adults do not fully understand the magnitude of the concussion topic. Concussion treatments designed to achieve the greatest results rely on early recognition of symptoms. One of the most significant problems exists in the circumstance that most concussions go undetected, undiagnosed, and unaddressed because the effects are not felt immediately.

Chiropractic plays a unique and important role in caring for people with concussions for two major reasons. Chiropractors undergo scientific training designed to detect a problem with the brain, nervous system, and spine before any symptoms arise. Chiropractic care also improves the function and integrity of the spine, brain, and nervous system, which happens to be the most important aspect of improving the lives of those suffering with concussions.

Research from 2015 found that every patient who experienced a concussion also experienced a whiplash-type injury to the neck. Outstanding results accompanied the utilization of Chiropractic care to help patients suffering from concussions. Traditional Chiropractic care for post-concussive syndrome patients resulted in rapid and sustained improvement in all signs and symptoms, allowing the tested athletes to return to full competition. 

A Chiropractic evaluation and adjustments amplify health and recovery for all concussion sufferers. A spine and nervous system evaluation can provide critical relief for conditions that might otherwise go unnoticed. Scanning the brain, spine, and nervous system using MRI, CT, or even X-rays usually prove to be unremarkable because concussions typically manifest in neuronal dysfunction, not structural damage of the involved neurons. Advanced imaging misses the main objective.

Chiropractors evaluate and test for signs and symptoms specific to concussion-type injuries. Chiropractic care also plays a unique role in helping concussion sufferers recover through a healthy, drug-free environment not delivered by any other health professional. Concussion awareness continues to promote education throughout athletics and activities. Optimal recovery and long-term health through the hands of a Chiropractor need to accompany that awareness.

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The Physician and Sports medicine Jul 2015, Vol. 43: 274-284 “The role of the cervical spine in post-concussion syndrome” Cameron M. Marshall,Howard Vernon,John J. Leddy, Bradley A. Baldwin