Concussion Treatment
What Is A Concussion?
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works. Concussions can also occur from a blow to the body that causes the head to move rapidly back and forth. Even a “ding,” “getting your bell rung,” or what seems to be mild bump or blow to the head can be serious.
Symptoms You Might Be
Experiencing
Concussions can occur in any sport, recreational, or work activity. Learn concussion signs and symptoms and what to do if a concussion occurs. Whitefish Therapy & Sport Center's team of therapists - physical and speech-language pathologists can help evaluate and treat concussions.
Treatment of concussion symptoms includes (but is not limited to)
Headaches
Neck pain
Visual disturbances
Vestibular system difficulties
Changes in memory
Changes in cognition
How We Evaluate & Treat Concussions
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy evaluations are conducted with the use of the latest video infra-red oculography, allowing the visualization of nystagmus without fixation in any patient position. This technology aids in ruling in/out central disorders. If appropriate, the patient is then offered Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT). In the case of mild TBI or concussion, where there are many factors affecting a patient’s presentation, a vestibular evaluation, along with a physical balance and oculomotor exam can assist in identifying a concussion early to prevent the risk of further injury or prolonged healing due to inadequate initial management.
Follow-up management
Balance training,
Exertion therapy,
Cervical/headache orthopedic treatment, and
Exercises that focus on normalization of motor skills, reaction time, head/eye motions.
Management often includes a team approach with a patient’s physician and other involved parties.
The focus is always on returning a patient to their prior level of function in their work, home life, and recreation/sport.
Speech Therapy
Speech therapy may include standardized assessment of cognition after a concussion or brain injury. From these results, speech language pathologists will provide recommendations for school or work accommodations, train strategies to compensate for memory or attention difficulties, and provide specialized tools to improve executive functioning skills such as organization, time management, and reading comprehension.
Meet Our Concussion Specialist
