Natural Methods to Heal Post-Concussion Syndrome – Part 1


Posted on January 15, 2022

Cognitive and physical therapies that assist the natural healing power of your brain include:

  • An anti-inflammatory diet, herbal teas, and supplements.
  • Meditation and mindfulness can help.
  • The power of music and aromatherapy in recovery.
  • Dry needling and acupuncture can help.

Mindfulness and meditation

It can aid with a few symptoms of post-concussion syndrome:

  • Relax your brain when it gets overwhelmed.
  • Calming the autonomic nervous system.
  • Reducing the intensity of post-concussion anxiety.

The human brain has many brain wave patterns. Meditation, when performed rightly, generates more alpha and theta brain waves. This aids the brain take a break from all the it gets each day from conversations, lights, noise, activities, decisions, and so forth.

Gamma, Beta, Alpha, Theta, and Delta brainwaves have different functions

Alpha waves have the inherit property of being able to "entrain" neighboring neuron clusters, so it's an easy way to let the waves of relaxation wash over your brain. This allows the brain to relax and recover from stress. It's why yoga and meditation are so effective for brain injury patients and those struggling with mental illness.

Aromatherapy

There are many different mediums to experience aromatherapy, from bath salts to pure essential oils.

After a brain injury, aromatherapy may be an excellent option to help you relax. But, it may also lead to overstimulation, so you'll need to learn your limits. If anything you use worsens your symptoms, don't continue using it.

There is not a lot of research on the therapeutic value of essential oils, but lotions and diffusers may help you relax and reduce pain, mainly when used with massage. 

If it helps you recover from muscle stiffness, sleep better-lavender and chamomile are incredibly potent or suffer less from dysautonomia.

Music

In a few ways, music may help with your recovery. 

Listening to calming music can decrease your stress levels and soothe the autonomic nervous system. If you want to focus on your work or studies, "relaxing" video games or recordings of nature sounds- such as running streams or ocean waves may help.

Playing music has a different benefit. Learning a new instrument or deepening your expertise will help engage your brain's neuroplasticity and further your recovery efforts. 

Finally, dancing to music, especially if you’re learning a mode of dance you haven’t tried before, is an excellent aid to the brain. It requires physical coordination and mental activity simultaneously and, like learning an instrument, boosts neuroplasticity. 

Dry Needling and Acupuncture

Acupuncture isn't a cure-all for mild TBI, but it can be helpful for specific symptoms. Western acupuncture has been shown to be as effective as traditional medication in reducing headaches. It may reduce inflammation, and it's also a treatment effective for neck pain. 

Dry needling, a technique similar to acupuncture that physical therapists can practice (in some but not all states), can help relieve muscle tension and headaches.

This is a beneficial option for car accident victims who go through whiplash. They have neck pain and stiffness often that may be more persistent than some other concussion patients experience.

With a good recovery plan, getting better from post-concussion syndrome is possible. While you may never feel completely like your old self, a suitable treatment plan will greatly reduce your symptoms and enable you to go to school, work, play sports, and more.