There are some myths
Our understanding of concussion injuries has grown a lot over the last 15 years. Research is being conducted and published at such a rate that it’s almost hard to keep up, which is a good thing because those with a concussion injury are getting much better evidence-based care. For the average person not looking at the research, you might still believe in some of the old myths about concussion that have since been disproven.
These myths are things like:
• You have to lose consciousness in order to sustain a concussion.
• You have to sit in a dark room for 3 days and avoid sleeping for longer than 20 minutes after sustaining a concussion.
• You have to take a direct hit to the head in order to sustain a concussion.
• A concussion in a child is not as severe as a concussion in an adult, etc.
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What happens in a concussion injury?
Any one of these symptoms on their own would seem manageable to the non-concussed person- the problem is that these symptoms are often overlapping and vary in intensity. It is also important to know that sometimes symptoms will show up a few weeks after sustaining the initial injury, which can be very alarming to a person if they weren’t told that this could happen. With proper intervention, most patients recover fully in about a month’s time after sustaining a concussion. Children and adolescents with concussion need special consideration in their rehabilitation due to their developing brains. The consequences for not understanding and knowing how to navigate your (or your loved one’s) concussion can range from inconvenient (ex: experiencing symptoms after being in a stimulating environment for too long) to dangerous (ex: the controversial “second-impact syndrome†in children and young adults).
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What should you do if you think you have a concussion injury?
The above blog was written by:
Ashley prides herself on providing every one of her patients with the best client-centered care possible. Her evidence-based approach to massage therapy comes from a love for continuous education and research. She likes to incorporate a lot of movement-based techniques in her practice in order to offer her patients the most efficient and effective care.
Ashley graduated with Honours from the Atlantic College of Therapeutic Massage in Fredericton. She has experience working with a varied patient base, including: elite athletes, post-operative patients, individuals with degenerative and neurological conditions, and peri-natal patients.
When Ashley isn’t in her clinical practice, she is teaching continuous education courses to other licensed practitioners with Ontario-based clinician Conor Collins. Investing her time in continuous education means that she stays informed on new developments and patient management strategies in the field of massage therapy.
In her spare time Ashley enjoys reading, hiking, travelling, dogs, nature, and exploring good wine/food/coffee and culture
