Concussion Management
What is a concussion?
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury and can result in temporary brain dysfunction causing symptoms such as a loss of consciousness, headaches, neck pain, difficulty concentrating and balance problems.
Concussions can happen due to a direct contact to the head or elsewhere on the body with an impulsive force that is translated to the head. These impacts cause the brain to shake, or jiggle inside the skull which can result in temporary changes to how the brain functions. How temporary these changes are is different in each individual case but depends heavily on receiving rapid access to specialist care.
How can we help?
Following a concussion, it is recommended that you seek the care of a trained concussion healthcare professional as soon as possible. Recent evidence states that the earlier you seek quality concussion care, the better your recovery will be.
At The Pure Practice we are proud to offer a Complete Concussion Management Institute (CCMI) certified concussion service and the opportunity to work in collaboration with renowned neurosurgeon Dr Tony Belli, a world-leading expert on traumatic brain injury from the Birmingham Sports Concussion Clinic for more complex cases.
Within our service we offer:
Acute Concussion Assessment and Management: This is for individuals who have sustained a concussion within a few days and need an urgent consultation. Early intervention with a concussion specialist can significantly improve recovery.
Post-Concussion Syndrome Rehabilitation: For individuals who are struggling with ongoing symptoms affecting activities of daily living or return to sport for more than ten days following a concussion.
Annual Baseline Testing: For sporting individuals or teams, especially those involved in contact sports such as rugby, who wish for safer return to play. Our baseline testing involves annual neurocognitive testing on functions such as memory and reaction time. This helps us to understand what your ‘normal’ is and allows comparison with any post-concussion tests to ensure you have had a full physiological recovery before returning to play.
What does concussion management and treatment involve?
Rest is no longer the best approach to concussion care. The Pure Practice specialises in all aspects of concussion care, once we have assessed and identified the main driver of your symptoms, we can then apply a multifaceted approach to treat them. Treatment can involve the following:
Balance Rehab
Vision Rehab
Exercise Rehab
Cognitive Testing
Pre-Season Testing
Nutritional Interventions
Integrated Manual Therapy
Return to School, Work & Sport
Who are Complete Concussion Management Institute (CCMI)?
Complete Concussion Management Institute (CCMI) are a global network of experts with the primary focus to support clinicians worldwide to provide evidence-based concussion care and management.
Check out the free CCMI Concussion Tracker App which can be used by individuals or team leaders to support seamless communication between athletes, sports, teachers, parents and healthcare practitioners alike.
FAQ's
Frequently asked questions
Who gets concussion?
Concussions are unfortunately not uncommon and can occur in all walks of life from playing rugby or involvement in a road traffic accident.
What is Post-Concussion Syndrome?
In some cases, the effects of concussion can last for weeks or even months; this is known as PCS (Persistent Concussion Symptoms or sometimes called Post-Concussion Syndrome). Whilst most people make a full recovery, between 30-40% of people will experience PCS. Following proper return to learn or play guidelines, and receiving information about concussions, expectations of recovery and strategies for symptom management can help to reduce the risk. For individuals who are struggling with ongoing symptoms affecting activities of daily living or return to sport for more than ten days following a concussion.
Is concussion treatment safe?
Research shows that early intervention from a concussion specialist is safe and intervention can significantly improve recovery.
