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The Cognitive FX Blog

Your source for everything you need to know about traumatic brain injury and concussions.

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Education & Resources (3)

Why Concussion Can Lead to Blood Pressure Changes & POTS

Why Concussion Can Lead to Blood Pressure Changes and POTS

Image of Dr. Jaycie Loewen Ph. D.
Dr. Jaycie Loewen Ph. D.

Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), concussion (mild traumatic brain injury or mTBI), and other head trauma can cause high blood pressure, low blood pressure, and other circulatory system changes. Head injury may lead to dysfunction in the autonomic nervous system (a condition known as dysautonomia), which in turn can cause blood pressure dysfunction and other symptoms to persist for months or years after the injury. Some patients experience a particular type of dysautonomia known as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which we discuss further in the post.

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The Patient’s Guide to Post-Concussion Heart Rate Increase, Heart Palpitations, and More

The Patient’s Guide to Post-Concussion Heart Rate Increase, Heart Palpitations, and More

Image of Dr. Jaycie Loewen Ph. D.
Dr. Jaycie Loewen Ph. D.

Perhaps this sounds familiar: You wake up from a relaxing nap expecting to feel refreshed, but instead, your heart is pounding for no reason. Or you stand up after a few hours on the couch and feel lightheaded and unstable. Maybe your resting heart rate is now 90, even though it used to be 65.

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Cognitive Therapy for Brain Injury: What It Is and How It Can Help with Severe TBI or Concussion

Cognitive Therapy for Brain Injury: What It Is and How It Can Help with Severe TBI or Concussion

Image of Michelle Huish
Michelle Huish

If you’ve had a severe or mild traumatic brain injury (severe TBI or mild TBI) that’s left you with post-concussion syndrome (PCS), just thinking can be taxing. Cognitive health is “the ability to clearly think, learn, and remember,” but a brain injury can disrupt these processes, either temporarily or in the long term. This can make day-to-day functioning a challenge, to say the least. 

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Navigating Mental Health After Severe TBI and Concussion

Mental Health After TBI or Concussion: Recovery Is Possible

Image of Dr. Alina Fong Ph. D.
Dr. Alina Fong Ph. D.

Mild or severe traumatic brain injury (concussion and TBI) can cause upsetting changes to your mental health. Brain injury can worsen pre-existing mental illness or cause new symptoms —  such as anxiety, depression, mood swings, anger, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more. Don’t give up hope: There are good treatment programs that can help you recover.

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Emotions, Memory, and More: The After Effects of Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA or Mini-Stroke)

Emotions, Memory, and More: The After Effects of Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA or Mini-Stroke)

Image of Dr. Jaycie Loewen Ph. D.
Dr. Jaycie Loewen Ph. D.

Here’s something you probably won’t hear in the emergency room: A transient ischemic attack (TIA, or mini-stroke) can have symptoms that last for months or years afterward. Many healthcare providers think these symptoms are rare or at least short term, but a 2013 survey from the UK Stroke Association showed otherwise. Seventy percent of respondents reported long-term after effects such as cognitive difficulties or poor mobility. And sixty percent had emotional changes after the incident.

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How to Talk to Your Doctor About Hormone Imbalance (Including After Head Injury)

How to Talk to Your Doctor About Hormone Imbalance (Including After Head Injury)

Image of Dr. Jaycie Loewen Ph. D.
Dr. Jaycie Loewen Ph. D.

At our post-concussion treatment clinic, patients sometimes present with short- or long-term hormone dysfunction after brain injury. While we don’t treat hormonal imbalance at our clinic, we often make referrals for it and communicate with our patients’ physicians about their condition.

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