A concussion is a brain injury caused by acceleration or deceleration of the brain within the skull following a significant impact to the head or elsewhere on the body. The impact causes a biochemical imbalance within the brain cells, resulting in decreased blood flow and temporary energy deficits within the brain. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness, headache, pressure in the head, neck pain, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, or balance problems, among others.
With growing awareness of the impact of mild traumatic brain injuries, aka concussions, more people are looking for health care professionals who are certified in how to best treat concussions. Dynamic’s physiotherapists and chiropractors are certified in Complete Concussion Management (CCMI) and we are proud to be part of this multidisciplinary approach to treating concussions. The CCMI certification program is one of the most detailed and well researched programs in Canada for concussion rehabilitation and baseline testing.
Find out more about the CCMI training and protocols please visit the CCMI official website.
While there is no way to prevent a concussion, there are two important things you can do to prepare yourself or your loved ones in case they do suffer a concussion: baseline testing and education.
Baseline testing is a way to measure your pre-injury and current “baseline” state of function across a wide range of different brain functions. At Dynamic, we offer baseline testing which measures multiple areas of the brain that could be affected by a concussion including cognitive function, visual function, balance, strength, reaction time, emotionality, sleep, physical symptoms and more.
Our baseline test is an amalgamation of the top research-based tests available today. With this information in place, we are better prepared to diagnose and treat a concussion. We can compare your post-concussion state against your previous baseline test, which helps us prepare the safest and most effective treatment plan to get you back to work, life and play.
For people at a high risk of concussion, we recommend you get a baseline test done once per year for as long as you remain at risk, whether it’s from competitive sports, a physically demanding job or other high-risk activities.
The other important aspect of pre-concussion care is education. Complete Concussion Management offers an online concussion course for coaches, trainers, teachers and parents aimed at providing a better understanding of how to detect concussions, and the steps towards proper management.
Recognizing the importance of education, our CCMI certified practitioners have provided education sessions within our community to several organizations, sports teams, parents, and coaches to help increase concussion awareness and help them better identify and manage concussions in their athletes and students.
If you are interested in concussion education please call us at 613-435-9144 to discuss booking an information session
An acute concussion is considered to be the first four weeks after sustaining your injury. If you think you or a loved one has a concussion, there are some steps you should take immediately. First and foremost, see a health care practitioner as soon as possible.
At Dynamic, we have physiotherapists and chiropractors who are certified to diagnose and treat concussions as part of the Complete Concussion Management program. With this training, we are able to assess you and build your individualized treatment plan to ensure that you are on the road to recovery in a safe way.
Our team will work with you to support you during the entirety of your recovery process. This includes education, return-to-work and return-to-school advice, dietary suggestions, supplementation, rehabilitation exercises, and other treatment techniques as needed. Concussions can come with many associated symptoms, and a balanced approach using the right mix of physiotherapy, chiropractic, lifestyle advice and other services can ensure you have the smoothest recovery possible.
There are times when concussion symptoms, or related injuries, will persist beyond the acute four-week stage of treatment, this is called post-concussion syndrome. Our therapists can address the unique concerns involved in developing a treatment plan for these ongoing symptoms.
We will work with you to assess your post-concussion health on a range of different measures, and build an individualized treatment plan to address your specific symptoms and to support you in reaching your goals. We will also help you safely increase your activity level and address any specific lingering symptoms of your concussion, including headaches, muscle tightness, vertigo and more, through a range of different treatment options.
All of Dynamic’s therapists are licensed health care practitioners, therefore receipts can be issued and covered by most extended health care benefit plans. Please contact us for more information or to book a baseline assessment.
Call (613) 435-9144| Email admin@dynamicottawa.ca
Call us at (613) 435-9144 or admin@dynamicottawa.ca
