Joan's Story & Concussion Treatment
This Christmas we received many letters and thank you notes from some of our past patients. Joan shared her experience with us, and we wanted to share her experience with you.
Published peer-reviewed research shows that Cognitive FX treatment leads to meaningful symptom reduction in post-concussion symptoms for 77% of study participants. Cognitive FX is the only PCS clinic with third-party validated treatment outcomes.
READ FULL STUDYWe know that there are millions of individuals who suffer from concussions yearly. There is no better time than now to expand our knowledge and application of research to help individuals recognize there is hope and recovery when addressing brain injury. There is a lot of information available about concussions and mTBI (mild Traumatic Brain Injury) and we want to share what recent research has taught us when it comes to concussion myths and facts.
mTBI is defined as “the result of the forceful motion of the head or impact causing brief change in mental status (confusion, disorientation or memory loss) or loss of consciousness for less than 30 minutes.” Notice here the definition mentions forceful motion OR impact OR loss of consciousness.
Since the brain is essentially floating in water and connected to our spinal cord via the brain stem one can get a concussion from forceful motion of the head, like whiplash. Yes, hitting your head can increase your risks of having a concussion but you do not have to pass out or receive a hard hit to sustain a concussion.
Traumatic Brain Injury is a very real concern. There are many types of brain injury and although concussions are typically seen as the lowest form of a brain injury, the standard of recovery time can be anywhere from a few months to a few years. If left untreated, concussions can also cause substantial difficulties and impairments in function that can last a lifetime. (Brain Injury Alliance of Utah | United States Brain Injury Alliance)
Although, it is called “mild,” the symptoms can be severe, and can last a lifetime if not treated or addressed. ANY INJURY to the brain is not considered good.
Symptoms of a Concussion or mTBI include but are not limited to:
- Fatigue - Headache - Visual Disturbance - Memory Loss (Short or Long) - Poor Concentration - Sleep Disturbance - Dizziness or Loss of Balance - Emotional Disturbance |
- Feelings of Depression - Seizures - Nausea - Loss of Smell - Sensitivity to Light and/or Sound - Mood Changes or Irritability - Getting Lost or Confused - Slowness in Thinking |
It is common belief that a patient or athlete should completely restrict all activity in order to recover from a concussion. This means making changes in your lifestyle to accommodate an impaired brain. Based on this approach, one could wait many months to years before returning to normal life again.
No evidence supports the claim that COMPLETE restriction of all activity accelerates recovery. Additionally, no evidence exists showing cognitive activity to increase one’s risk for further concussion. In fact, brains have been shown to benefit from appropriately-timed exercise (Thomas et al., 2015; Majerske et al,. 2008).
While concussion can be a concern in contact sports, they are not the leading cause of injury.
According to the CDC out of reported injuries falls account for over 40% of concussions. The highest populations at risk for injury from a fall according to their data include children from the ages of 2- 14 and adults aged 65 or older.
While it can be a concern to receive a concussion playing sports, understanding how to prevent concussions, and to recognize concussions can help decrease the severity of injury. Establishing a protocol to recognize injury to help athletes stop play and return to play at appropriate times will also help increase recovery.
Many times, individuals do not receive proper care after a concussion because it may not look appear like something is wrong. While it can be challenging to recognize and diagnose a concussion, one cannot simply look at a person and tell. It is not as easy as seeing someone with a broken arm or leg.
Impairments from a concussion can last months to years after injury. These impairments are life altering and can change not only one’s personality, but functioning, processing, emotional stability and more. Essentially the ability to live life the same ways they did before their injury is not feasible because of the after-effects of the injury. It is important to understand that because the brain was injured, getting the proper care to push the brain to recover and recreate optimal pathways is key in regaining control of life.
We have seen hundreds of patients. Many of our patients have seen a variety of specialists, some getting a little better and others seeing no improvement. It is not uncommon for us to hear a patient say “I have lost hope” or “there is very little hope left for me.”
We also have seen many patients who have felt like they were treated poorly, as if they were making their symptoms up or exaggerating their circumstances. Patients also have described experiencing a profound sense of loss. The main stream message that this is how they will be the rest of their lives, a brain injury survivor, is hard for individuals to accept.
In reality, our research findings are showing that one can recover from a concussion and that there is hope and healing. We are seeing that an individual can recover and improve their function based on the concept of neuroplasticity, and we have seen this in hundreds of patients.
There is much we are still learning about the brain. Ironically, when the most important organ is damaged, we only have one diagnosis - “Concussion” or mTBI.
If it were a knee injury, there are many diagnoses. This is due to the fact that there has been more research and time spent in understanding the knee, which gives doctors the ability to be very precise in their diagnosis. Technology has been a limitation in understanding the brain, but as it continues to evolve, there is more we can do to understand the brain’s functions, limitations, and the recovery process.
Using fNCI (functional NeuroCognitive Imaging) technology, we have been able to scan and analyze close to 1000 human brains. Our research has given us the opportunity to understand and create a range that helps us identify the severity of a brain injury. 0-1 on that scale is considered normal functioning and 6 on that scale is considered a severe brain injury.
fNCI takes a deeper look at over 60 regions of the brain to evaluate its functioning. Neuromarkers are used to measure deficits in functioning and to tailor “appropriately-timed exercises” providing optimal, targeted and individualized EPIC Treatment results. Our longitudinal studies are showing that treatment is effective in improving functioning in 50% of our patients by 73.68% and improving symptoms in 50% of our patients by 65.81% and are lasting results.
What other important facts are we missing that we should include? Comment below!
The "Cognitive FX Team" is a collaborative ensemble of distinguished doctors, therapists, and practitioners. Our experts are pioneers in the field of neuroimaging and concussion treatment. With extensive experience and a strong commitment to patient care, our team excels in utilizing cutting-edge technologies, such as functional MRI (fMRI), to provide personalized diagnostic and treatment strategies. Our renowned professionals have published groundbreaking research, developed innovative neuroimaging biomarkers, and conducted thousands of individualized patient assessments. We take pride in our holistic approach to patient care, focusing on physical, cognitive, and emotional aspects of recovery. As leaders in the industry, the Cognitive FX Team is dedicated to advancing the science of concussion diagnosis and treatment to provide our patients with the highest level of care and support.
This Christmas we received many letters and thank you notes from some of our past patients. Joan shared her experience with us, and we wanted to share her experience with you.
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Published peer-reviewed research shows that Cognitive FX treatment leads to meaningful symptom reduction in post-concussion symptoms for 77% of study participants. Cognitive FX is the only PCS clinic with third-party validated treatment outcomes.
READ FULL STUDY