Concussion Therapy: A Suite of Options
If you’ve ever played a contact sport, you’re familiar with concussions. A concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by a blow to the head and is particularly common among athletes. But concussions can be sustained in numerous other ways – through a car or cycling accident, falls, drowning, or on the job, especially for those in the military.
The short- and long-term effects of a concussion can have a significant impact on your quality of life and include headache, vertigo, memory loss, and shifts in your personality. Fortunately, there are numerous therapies that can help manage concussion symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used to manage concussion symptoms and accelerate recovery in people with concussions or other traumatic brain injuries. It reduces pain, repairs damaged tissue, promotes blood vessel growth, and may help reduce cognitive impairment. Well-known as a treatment for decompression sickness in scuba divers, it works by delivering pure oxygen in a pressurized environment. The increased air pressure promotes additional oxygen absorption into the lungs, stimulating growth factors and stem cells and facilitating healing.
Cryotherapy or Therapeutic Hypothermic Treatment
Therapeutic hypothermic treatment is growing in popularity as a way to manage the symptoms of concussion. An evidence-based, targeted version of the “ice her down” approach, cryotherapy slows the metabolic response to injury, helping to reduce pain and swelling (including intracranial pressure) and improve blood flow and nervous system activation. It can also help manage headaches and migraines. Cryohelmets, localized cryotherapy, and larger-scale cryochambers such as those seen at Optimum Human work by applying extreme cold to the affected areas, reducing inflammation, and improving outcomes.
Exercise Therapy
Exercise therapy is a non-invasive, powerful way to treat dizziness, vertigo, blurred eyesight, headache, and other common concussion symptoms. At Optimum Human, our specialized therapists and trainers will use a variety of tailored exercises backed by occupational, physical, and neuromuscular research to help individuals manage concussion symptoms and shorten recovery time. Aerobic activity promotes blood flow, helping with rapid healing. Performed mindfully and under supervision, exercise therapy can help patients overcome the symptoms of concussion – without inadvertently overdoing things and setting themselves back.
Diet and Nutrition
A brain recovering from injury requires an increased energy supply to heal, and an optimal, nutritive diet can help give a concussed brain what it needs to recover more quickly. A high-protein diet rich in magnesium, zinc, and omega 3 fatty oils can help promote brain repair, especially when paired with proper rest and monitored activity. Optimum Human’s on-site nutritionists will work with you to identify your specific dietary needs post-injury and will build a nutrition plan optimized for brain recovery.
Optimum Human: Everything You Need for Concussion Management
At Optimum Human, we take a holistic approach to human wellness. With our suite of on-site amenities, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, cryotherapy, state-of-the-art fitness equipment, and personalized training and nutrition plans, we have everything you need to manage the symptoms of concussion or traumatic brain injury – and get back to living your best life. For more information, or to arrange a tour, get in touch!