The Natural Remedies For Concussion

Concussions are brain injuries that result from the brain hitting the skull or a strain on neural tissue due to excessive force. This force can be direct, like a hit to the head, or indirect, like whiplash in a car accident.



Concussion symptoms range from mild to severe and include:


loss of consciousness

headache, which may range in intensity from mild to severe

poor memory or concentration

sensitivity to noise, light, or both

dizziness or vertigo

blurred vision

sudden mood changes, including irritability, unexplained crying, or depression

nausea or vomiting

poor balance

drowsiness

fatigue

reduced hearing

trouble sleeping


While concussions can cause a loss of consciousness on impact, this doesn’t always happen. In fact, 81% to 92% of concussions don’t involve loss of consciousness. In addition, symptoms can appear anywhere from the time of impact to several days after the initial injury.



Concussion Natural Remedies


The following are a few of the most effective natural remedies for post-concussion symptoms.


Essential Oils

The most common post-concussive symptom is headaches and migraines. To treat these, try diffusing high-quality lavender essential oil. Researchers have found that lavender is a safe and effective remedy for migraines. It can even help with anxiety and nausea symptoms. Just make sure you are not allergic to lavender before trying it.



Acupuncture

Another helpful natural remedy for post-concussion syndrome is acupuncture. Not only can acupuncture relieve many concussion symptoms such as migraines and dizziness, several studies have shown that it promotes the production of BDNF which will help speed up your recovery time. Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s a miracle cure. While some brain injury patients report significant improvements after acupuncture, some do not see any benefits, so there is no guarantee it will help everyone.




Fish Oil

Fish oil is clinically proven to speed up healing of concussions. That’s because the omega-3 in fish oil promotes BDNF, a neurotrophic agent that boosts the production of new brain cells. You don’t want to take just any fish oil supplement, however. Not all fish oil brands contain the same amount of omega-3. Some labels will claim it contains 1,200 milligrams of fish oil but that refers to the total amount of oil, not the omega-3 content, which is all that matters.




Turmeric

Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory spice that has been found to reduce swelling and pain in mice. It’s also been used to treat depression, another common side effect of concussions. Turmeric has a strong taste, and can take some getting used to. But because it is a spice, you can add it to almost anything! You can sprinkle some on rice, eggs, or add some to your tea. Chicken soup also goes great with turmeric.




Manual Neck Therapy

Most people don’t know that a neck injury can have the exact same symptoms as post-concussion syndrome. They just assume that their symptoms are stemming from their brain. But if your symptoms have not subsided after several months, it is possible the problem is in your neck, even if you do not have neck pain. If nothing else seems to be working for you, it might be worth seeing a professional massage therapist to rule out whiplash. 

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