The Best Way to Treat a Concussion in Kansas City
When someone sustains a concussion, rest is the most commonly recommended treatment. However, thanks to extensive research over the past decade, we have discovered new ways to more effectively treat concussions.
Don't get us wrong—rest is very important during the acute phase (24-48 hours) of a concussion. Prolonged rest, on the other hand, has shown to be ineffective for recovery and can even lead to worsening of symptoms. Gradual and progressive activity is a better option, that is if you stay below the threshold of your concussive symptoms.
Read on to learn more about the best way to treat a concussion in Kansas City from the experts at F.I.T. Muscle & Joint Clinic.
What is the best way to treat a concussion in Kansas City?
Want to learn how we treat a concussion? Follow these steps to recovery from your concussion:
- Rest – for 24-48 hours. This does not mean that after 48 hours you can go at 100% and get back to your daily life. Gradually getting back into activity and taking it slow is key.
- Reduce workday hours or school day hours initially until symptoms calm down. You don’t want to over-stimulate your brain.
- Do not go above the symptom threshold. This means anything that causes your concussion symptoms to increase should be stopped. This could be work, looking at your phone, watching TV, reading, etc. Limiting electronics use, in general, is a good idea.
- Drink plenty of water and maintain a healthy diet. Steer away from sugar and greasy foods and opt for vegetables, healthy fats, and protein instead to speed up recovery.
- A treatment plan from a trained healthcare professional is the best way to get back to your normal routine and feel normal quicker.
- Be patient!
If you find that your recovery is taking longer than expected, you could be suffering from Post-Concussive Syndrome (PCS). This is when symptoms linger longer than the typical concussive symptoms and require further assessment and treatment.
Can you avoid re-injury?
Secondary impact syndrome (SIS) occurs when you have a second concussion during the acute phase of your first concussion. SIS is a very serious matter and can be fatal. The first way to prevent re-injury or SIS is to follow the recovery guidelines listed above and seek professional treatment.
Taking it slow right after a concussion will also help decrease the risk of re-injury. A lot of times individuals who have sustained a concussion think they just had a bump to the head and try to go back to their everyday lives.
They notice they get headaches more often, are feeling tired or fatigued, and are emotionally drained or have anxiety when they never experienced those symptoms prior to the injury. This is a sign that they are doing too much too soon, and their brain needs a break. Proper rehabilitation and recovery of concussion symptoms will help decrease the risk of re-injury.
Turn to F.I.T. to treat your concussion in Kansas City
After you sustain a concussion, it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible.
Contact the experienced team at F.I.T. Muscle & Joint Clinic to ensure a safe recovery today!
References
McCrory, Paul, et al. “Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport-the 5th International Conference on Concussion in Sport Held in Berlin, October 2016.” British Journal of Sports Medicine, British Association of Sport and Excercise Medicine, 1 June 2017, bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/11/838.
Kontos, Anthony P., and M. W. Collins. Concussion: a Clinical Profile Approach to Assessment and Treatment. American Psychological Association, 2018.
