3 Common Misconceptions About Concussions Seen at the York Regional Concussion Clinic

1. You have to hit your head to get a concussion

Many of our patients don’t hit their heads and still sustain a concussion. A whiplash mechanism of energy can still generate enough force to cause a concussion. One’s brain is floating in cerebrospinal fluid and so a whiplash injury can cause it to shake/twist and abut against the skull. Although most consider a force of 95g to be a threshold for concussions, there are many cases of concussions with a lesser force and many cases of those who endure greater forces and don’t sustain concussions, e.g. Football players frequently face blows of over 100g of force. The details of the discrepancy are not entirely known yet. So if the force transmitted to the brain is sufficiently abrupt, whether on hits the head or not, a concussion may occur.

1. After a concussion, you should rest in a dark room until all of your symptoms go away

While many patients feel less energetic after a concussion and rest is encouraged, they shouldn’t feel obligated to stay in a dark room to "heal their concussions". In fact, after the first 2-3 days, studies are showing that light physical activity and cognitive tasks can help accelerate healing. Withdrawing from activities of life entirely, and furthermore, staying in a dark room, will have a disruptive effect:

• It can create feelings of loneliness, sadness and boredom.
• It will disrupt cues for natural sleep cycles.
• It will cause neck and somatic soreness. It will also not provide
• It will cause you forgo many opportunities for cognitive stimulation that can help you recover.

Sometimes, patients are sensitive to light. This may be due to the brightness of the light or the type of lighting (e.g. fluorescent lighting). It is best to avoid these as they aggravate your symptoms and may hinder your involvement in other therapeutic activities. It is best to seek the help of a concussion expert to guide you on your road to recovery.

1. If you suspect a concussion, you should go to the ER.

There are certain criteria that call for an ER visit:

• Have a headache that gets worse; or a new type of headache; or a severe headache
• Are very drowsy or can’t be awakened
• Can’t recognize people, places or can’t remember new events
• Have repeated vomiting (more than twice)
• Behave unusually or seem confused; are very irritable
• Have seizures (arms and legs jerk uncontrollably)
• Have weak or numb arms or legs
• Are unsteady on your feet
• Have slurred speech
• Have persistent severe neck pain
• Have double vision or blurred vision
• Lose consciousness
• Bleeding or continual leaking of fluid from the ears or nose
• If you notice any signs of symptoms that concern you and you are unsure about their importance

Generally these will occur in the first 4 hours but can infrequently occur within the first day or two. Otherwise, it is to your advantage to be seen by a concussion expert early on to set you on the right course to recovery.

Our York Region medical clinic offers coordinated concussion assessments and therapy for those seeking a post-concussion syndrome specialist in Toronto and the surrounding area. Our Aurora physiotherapy & rehabilitation centre offers integrative vision, vestibular, autonomic and musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Currently we have two York Region physiotherapy offices: one in Aurora and one in Thornhill, more centrally located for those seeking sports physiotherapy in Vaughan or physiotherapy in Markham.

About the Company

York Region Concussion Clinic – a specialist in rehabilitation services! We provide a medically supervised concussion program & variety of therapy in Aurora & surrounding area of GTA. Our rehabilitation team works together to customize your treatment plan.