Treatment for Concussions Using Acupuncture & Herbs

A concussion is an injury to the brain caused by a hit to the head or powerful shaking of the head and body. It can make you feel confused, dizzy, tired, and have a headache. There is no one specific cure for a concussion, so rest and taking it easy are important. This means fewer sports, video games, TV watching, and socializing for some time. Medicine might help with some of these symptoms too, as recommended by a professional doctor. Acupuncture and herbs are also natural ways to help with treatment for concussions, in this article we will discuss how.

Introduction to Concussions & Post Concussion Syndrome: Proper Diagnosis, Symptoms, and Causes

Recently, more people have been interested in Eastern Medicine modalities like traditional acupuncture to integrate with Western medical care. Acupuncture could help with symptoms of concussion. The United States Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs, Dr. Nathan Zasler, and some scientific research shows that acupuncture might be a good treatment for concussion symptoms. It might help without the bad side effects of conventional medicine.

How to get a proper diagnosis after a head injury?

Your doctor will ask you questions about how you feel and check your medical history. They may also do tests to see if you have a concussion. These tests could include a neurological examination, cognitive testing, and imaging tests. The signs of a concussion can take hours or days to appear.

The Mayo Clinic cites the following four steps as the recommended protocol for an effective diagnosis of potential brain injury from a recent concussion:

Neurological examination: 

The doctor will look at your head and neck for any signs of pain. They may also test your reflexes and balance to see if there is a problem with your brain or nerves.

Cognitive testing: 

This involves asking the patient questions to see how well the individual can remember and pay attention. The questions are about recent events or activities. 

Imaging tests: 

Depending on the situation and individual, the diagnosing physician may request a CT or MRI test. A cranial CT scan is a type of medical test. It uses special X-rays to take pictures of the inside of your head. MRI is a way to look at your brain. It uses strong magnets and radio waves to make pictures of the inside of your head. It can help figure out if something changed in your brain or if you have complications from a concussion.

Observation: 

If your doctor lets you, you may be able to stay home after a concussion. But someone needs to stay with you and check on you every few hours. They might need to wake you up during the night to make sure everything is ok.

Most common concussion symptoms

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post Concussion Syndrome can cause a range of symptoms that affect both physical health, and cognitive ability. These may include:

• Memory loss surrounding the injury itself.

• Coordination problems such as walking unsteadily or balance issues.

• Changes in vision, like sensitivity to light.

• Hearing difficulties (i.e.: ringing in ears).

• Difficulty concentrating, tiring easily, headaches lasting for long periods, or getting worse over time. 

• Other symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and talking with a slur are also common.

If you or someone you know are experiencing any of these signs after an accident, it is important to seek advice from your doctor immediately!

Traditional and Holistic Treatments for Concussions

Acupuncture for concussion recovery

Acupuncture uses specific points on the body to create a circulation of blood flow. Common points used are around the spine bilaterally, as well as points on the head. Each point is tailored to the individual depending on what the person needs, like help sleeping, brain fog, headache, nausea, etc. Acupuncture can help patients fully recover from suffering from mild traumatic brain injuries. Acupuncture treatments can help the brain by calming it down and reducing inflammation. Overall, it can also reduce how long it takes to heal. 

Studies have shown that electro-acupuncture helps increase blood flow to the brain and clears swelling around it. Electro-acupuncture also reduces TNF-alpha, which is a kind of inflammation response near the brain. When implemented properly, it helps proteins and enzymes around neurons in the brain, allowing nerve regeneration and protecting cells from damage due to inflammation.

How does herbal medicine aid the relief of post-concussion syndrome symptoms?

Chinese medicine can help with Post Concussion Syndrome. Herbal botanicals are tailored to the individual, even if they have the same condition. This is because everyone is different and Chinese Medicine is specific to the person and their symptoms.

Herbal medicine is used daily, twice a day, to help reduce swelling and inflammation while not receiving acupuncture. It is also used to improve blood flow and allow the body to heal itself. It can be used to reduce pain, headaches, dizziness, and tiredness from Post Concussion Syndrome.

How Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine Can Help with Concussion Recovery?

Post-concussion syndrome can go away on its own, but you can help it heal faster. The combination of acupuncture and herbal medicine can help resolve your symptoms faster to get back to your normal activities. 

People who have had a concussion can suffer from many kinds of symptoms. Your Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner can help navigate the best way to address the symptoms to get you the fastest recovery.  This is a safe way to help the person recover because it is non-invasive and easy to integrate with a Western Medicine approach. 

Long-Term Effects of Using a Holistic Approach to Treating Concussions

The most common treatment of a concussion is usually focused on short-term effects such as reducing pain, headaches, and dizziness. Integrative treatments can also help with memory loss, depression, and anxiety in the long term. Acupuncture and herbs can help the body heal faster while reducing stress. 

There is no guarantee that treatments like acupuncture and herbs will help everyone who has suffered from a concussion, but you have nothing to lose and all to gain by exploring it as a non-invasive treatment option. If you have suffered from a concussion or post-concussion syndrome symptoms, feel free to reach out to our Board Certified Eastern Medicine physicians for a complimentary consultation. They will walk you through a personalized approach and let you know if this is the right treatment for you.

Proven Advantages of Utilizing Acupuncture for Post-Concussion Symptoms

Although more research continues to be done regarding the benefits of acupuncture for the management of concussion symptoms, there are many successful results gathered regarding the topic. We encourage you to look at this data related to brain injuries objectively while considering the long-term benefits of also incorporating Eastern Medicine modalities into your Western Medicine medical care.

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Sources:

Clinical Indications for Acupuncture in Chronic Post-Traumatic Headache Management

Military Medicine, Volume 180, Issue 2, February 2015, Pages 132–136 | Marina A. Khusid, MD, ND, MSA

Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms in a 31-Year-Old Woman Using Cervical Manipulation and Acupuncture: A Case Report

PubMed: National Library of Medicine | Danielle M. Gergen, DC

Acupuncture for Treatment of Persistent Disturbed Sleep: A Randomized Clinical Trial in Veterans With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

PubMed: National Library of Medicine | Wei Huang, Theodore M Johnson, Nancy G Kutner, Sean N Halpin, Paul Weiss, Patricia C Griffiths, Donald L Bliwise

The neuroprotective effect of electro-acupuncture on cognitive recovery for patients with mild traumatic brain injury: A randomized controlled clinical trial

PubMed: National Library of Medicine | Haokun Jia, Yonghan Chen, Yi Wang, Linwei Jia, Yaohui Tian, Hao Jiang

Randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for neck pain: systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed: National Library of Medicine | Li-Min Fu, Ju-Tzu Li, Wen-Shuo Wu

The Immediate Analgesic Effect of Acupuncture for Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed: National Library of Medicine | Anfeng Xiang, Ke Cheng, Xueyong Shen, Ping Xu, Sheng Liu