Colorado Concussion Clinic

Oftentimes, concussion-inducing injuries go untreated. When a concussion is left untreated or is treated way past the initial incident, this leads to more complications and longer recovery times. Our specialty-trained doctors at Atlas Chiropractic are experts in concussion recovery and treatment. If you have had a head injury or sports injury, click here to schedule an appointment to speak directly to one of our doctors and see how they can help you in a safe and effective way.

United States experiences an estimated 1.6–3.8 million concussions each year from sports and recreational activities, which is about 10% of all traumatic brain injuries. 

The most common symptoms we see in our concussion clinic are:

What Is A Concussion?

A concussion is a mild brain injury that occurs after a blow to the head or neck injury. The effect is usually short term, but can have longer lasting symptoms. The noticeable symptoms are often short term and can include headaches and trouble with concentration, memory, balance, mood and sleep. (Mayo clinic) 

When to seek emergency medical care

  • Repeated vomiting or nausea.
  • A loss of consciousness lasting longer than 30 seconds.
  • Fluid or blood draining from the nose or ears.
  • Vision or eye changes. For example, the black parts of the eye, known as the pupils, may be bigger than usual or unequal sizes.
  • Weakness in the arms or legs.
  • Changes in behavior.
  • Confusion or disorientation. For example, the person may not recognize people or places.
  • Slurred speech or other changes in speech.
  • Obvious changes to mental function.
  • Changes in physical coordination, such as stumbling or clumsiness.
  • Seizures or convulsions.

Concussions And The Neck

Here is what most medical professionals will overlook: An injury that is strong enough to cause a concussion is also strong enough to injure the neck to some degree.  According to Ellis et al. (head trauma rehab 2018) 

If you have a neck injury with a concussion, it will take on average 10 days longer to make a clinical recovery compared to concussions without neck injury.  Additionally, it is on average 4x more likely for neck injured concussion patients to experience symptoms beyond 30 days compared to concussions without neck injury.

The area of the neck that is most affected during a head trauma is the upper part of your neck.  The craniocervical junction, also known as the upper cervical spine, is made up of the C1 (atlas) and C2 (axis) vertebrae. When the occiput, atlas, and axis are misaligned after a head injury, this can disrupt the flow of nerve impulses to the brain.

Concussions can be treated with upper cervical chiropractic. These specialized chiropractors realign the upper neck, which can help the brain heal and prevent further complications of post-concussion syndrome

Upper Cervical Chiropractors are the only ones who can properly correct the alignment of the upper neck, thus removing interference, and allowing the brain to heal as efficiently and completely as possible. This type of intervention is critical to making a complete recovery after concussion.

Colorado Concussion Clinic

How we treat concussions at Atlas Chiropractic

Most people are unaware that the upper part of your neck has a huge influence on healing from concussions. Like we mentioned earlier, most medical doctors overlook this very important part of the spine. What makes our office so different is that we look at the function of the biomechanics of your neck and how that has been affected after your head injury.

The very first thing that our doctors do is listen to your case and go over your history in depth. Then we use computerized infrared thermography to check to see how your sympathetic nervous system is functioning. Most people, after head injury or concussion, have an overactive sympathetic nervous system.

We then take specialized biomechanical x-rays of your upper neck to see what has been damaged and how specifically you need to be treated. Upper Cervical chiropractors are looking for an atlas misalignment. Misalignment in this area, also known as “subluxation”, can affect how the brain heals from a concussion.  

The goal of an upper cervical chiropractor is to fix these atlas misalignments and allow your body to heal. This type of care is long lasting and more cost-effective than western medical treatment. The reason we get such great results in our office is because we are looking to fix the function of your body rather than just trying to chase your symptoms.

In conclusion, millions of people suffer every year from concussions. Many times the effects go untreated or are overlooked by providers. Upper cervical chiropractic is a great option for concussion treatment. Over the past 15 years, Atlas Chiropractic has been helping the community of Boulder heal and get back to living a normal life. If you have had a concussion and are struggling with lingering symptoms, please call our office today 303-442-5911 or fill out the webform below.