{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/wellbridgeclinic.com\/concussions-and-acupuncture-7-things-you-can-do-right-now\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/wellbridgeclinic.com\/concussions-and-acupuncture-7-things-you-can-do-right-now\/","headline":"Concussions and Acupuncture: 7 Things You Can Do Right Now","name":"Concussions and Acupuncture: 7 Things You Can Do Right Now","description":"[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#232323″ header_font_size=”58px” global_colors_info=”{}”]CONCUSSIONS AND ACUPUNCTURE \u2013 7 THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/wellbridgeclinic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/image-of-brain.jpg” alt=”Image of a brain” title_text=”Image of a brain” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Concussions and Traumatic Brain […]","datePublished":"2019-08-09","dateModified":"2024-04-09","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/wellbridgeclinic.com\/author\/the-wellbridge-clinic\/#Person","name":"The Wellbridge Clinic","url":"https:\/\/wellbridgeclinic.com\/author\/the-wellbridge-clinic\/","identifier":24,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a0acdd738c3aa5566f221fc566cf46ccfbeea59068c027f1667b0c6cc35b3e93?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a0acdd738c3aa5566f221fc566cf46ccfbeea59068c027f1667b0c6cc35b3e93?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The WellBridge Clinic","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/wellbridgeclinic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/WBC_Large_Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/wellbridgeclinic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/WBC_Large_Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/wellbridgeclinic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/image-of-brain.jpg","url":"https:\/\/wellbridgeclinic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/image-of-brain.jpg","height":500,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/wellbridgeclinic.com\/concussions-and-acupuncture-7-things-you-can-do-right-now\/","about":["Acupuncture","Allergies, Asthma, Colds & Flu","Car Accidents","Digestive Disorders"],"wordCount":2138,"articleBody":"\t\t\t[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#232323″ header_font_size=”58px” global_colors_info=”{}”]CONCUSSIONS AND ACUPUNCTURE \u2013 7 THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/wellbridgeclinic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/image-of-brain.jpg” alt=”Image of a brain” title_text=”Image of a brain” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can have long lasting effects on our mental, emotional, and physical health.\u00a0 You know that being on top of your game is crucial.\u00a0 Clarity of thought is the gift that keeps on giving.\u00a0 Who can afford that that brain fog feeling? Did you know that acupuncture can speed and enhance the recovery time after a concussion?\u00a0 Symptoms of a concussion include erratic and unexplained emotions, fatigue, and brain fog.\u00a0 It\u2019s important to remember that very cell in our body is electrically charged and that capacity for charge is the first step toward rebuilding those damaged tissues.\u00a0 Traumatic brain injuries (or TBI) alters the\u00a0electrical charge\u00a0in the damaged tissues. Acupuncture helps balance and enhance the electrical circulation in the injured tissues and can increase recovery times after traumatic brain injuries.\u00a0[12][13][14][15][16]Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and concussions have been gaining public and clinical attention in recent years.\u00a0 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u00a0(CDC) reports\u00a0that\u00a0between 2006 and 2014, the number of hospitalizations and deaths resulting from TBI\u2019s jumped a staggering 53%!\u00a0 This dramatic increase is undoubtedly related to increasing public awareness around the immediate and long-term consequences of head traumas, but even with increasing collective cognizance, the problem persists.\u00a0 In 2014 alone, some 2.87 million people were hospitalized, 837,000 of which were children, and sadly, with fatal outcomes in 56,800 and 2,529 respectively.The leading causes of TBI\u2019s are falling and landing on the head, car accidents, and external trauma to the head as is common in sports injuries or workplace injuries.\u00a0 You can read further and \u2018get-the-facts\u2019 from the CDC\u00a0[1].Equally concerning are the potential long term consequences of brain injuries.\u00a0 As time passes, and the brain continues to heal, it\u2019s important to be aware of symptoms that may persist.Months to years after a brain injury, people may still experience:\u00a0Chronic Headaches: More than half of those who suffer a brain injury experience long-term headaches or migraines.\u00a0[2]Depression, anxiety, and behavior changes:\u00a0There is no one specific psychological, behavioral, or personality change that is predictable after TBI.\u00a0 Know that behavior and mood changes are common for several months afterward.\u00a0[3],[4],[5]\u00a0 Don\u2019t shrug this off.\u00a0 Seek medical evaluation and establish a supportive care network.Visual sensitivities:\u00a0Regions of the brain that process near field of vision are often disrupted.\u00a0 This can impact balance and cause light sensitivity. Screen time likely aggravate this.\u00a0[6]Fatigue:\u00a0When healthy, the brain consumes up to 25% of our total energy.\u00a0 After a TBI, cells are damaged, blood flow is reduced, thus reducing oxygen, and the mitochondria in our brain cells require significantly more energy.\u00a0[7],[8]Sleep problems:\u00a0After brain injury, up to 70% of people suffer from significant sleep problems.\u00a0[9],[10]Epilepsy and seizures:\u00a0Research indicates a wide variation among TBI and patients who develop seizures or epilepsy.\u00a0[11]Higher risk of developing\u00a0Alzheimer\u2019s, Stroke, or other neurodegenerative diseaseIn light of these statistics, unfortunately it\u2019s likely that someone you know has experienced a traumatic brain injury.\u00a0 It is our intention to carry on the conversation and provide education on what we see in the clinic and how we treat brain injuries at The WellBridge Clinic (You can check out our recent post highlighting the efficacy of acupuncture in treating TBI and concussions\u00a0here). \u00a0 To state the obvious disclaimer, if you or someone you know has suffered a traumatic brain injury, get a comprehensive medical evaluation.\u00a0 The information that we are providing here is all based on brain injury research and has shown clinical efficacy in reducing symptoms and severity while reducing the duration of recovery.1: Get\u00a0Acupuncture!:\u00a0Using specific electrical frequencies at acupuncture points along the head can significantly increase blood flow to the brain for hours to days after treatment.\u00a0 Increasing blood flow to damaged nerve cells is critical in the acute phase to prevent the impacted brain cells from dying.\u00a0Electro-acupuncture reduces the amount of inflammation around the brain cells, thereby protecting them from long-term damage.\u00a0 Further, a large-scale study of nearly 30,000 TBI patients followed over an 8 year period after brain injury, showed that those who received acupuncture treatments after their brain injury were significantly less likely to suffer a stroke years later.\u00a0\u00a0Acupuncture improves quality of sleep and reduces stress and anxiety often experienced following brain injury.\u00a0Acupuncture is a crucial treatment to add in immediately after a traumatic brain injury and can help prevent long-term cognitive problems and neurodegenerative diseases such as stroke and\u00a0Alzheimer\u2019s.\u00a0[12],[13],[14],[15]2: Creatine Supplementation: That molecule so frequently associated with the body-building community, is crucial in providing energy for the brain.\u00a0 Athletes who have been taking creatine\u00a0before\u00a0a TBI seem to recover more quickly, with less long-term symptoms.\u00a0 Taking creatine\u00a0after\u00a0a TBI will still provide energy to the brain\u2019s mitochondria and protect against oxidative damage.\u00a0[16],[17]3: Ketones supplementation and ketogenic diet:\u00a0Glucose is the primary energy source for the brain but our cells are well adapted to convert to using fat as fuel.\u00a0 When utilizing fats as energy sources, the ketone bodies generated by fat metabolism not only provide a quality fuel source for mitochondria in brain cells, the\u00a0ketones also exert a neuroprotective effect, and reduce the prolonged brain cell death\u00a0caused by leakage of glutamate out of damaged brain cells, and circulating reactive oxygen species resulting from trauma.\u00a0[18],[19],[20]4: Omega-3 oil supplementation:\u00a0Omega-3 oils have been well established for reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes, but they are a crucial addition after any brain injury.\u00a0 Days to weeks after brain trauma, the damaged brain cells either repair or are signalled to die. If left untreated, neuroinflammation will result in greater brain cell loss.\u00a0Omega-3 oils exert a protective function that reduce brain cell death\u00a0and have also been shown to increase neural communication after damage to brain cells.\u00a0[21],[22],[23]5:\u00a0Lion\u2019s Mane mushroom:\u00a0Hericium erinaceus, aka Lion\u2019s Mane mushroom, is rich in several types of compounds called\u00a0erinacines.\u00a0\u00a0Clinical studies are showing that erinacines stimulate nerve-growth-factor (NGF) and can protect brain cells not only in TBI patients, but Alzheimer\u2019s, Parkinson\u2019s, and Stroke patients as well.\u00a0[24],[25]\u00a06: Reduce screen time:\u00a0Blue light emitted from phones, computers, and fluorescent lights often aggravate headaches and can worsen an already fatigued brain.\u00a0 Avoid unnecessary visual stimulation from7: Get quality sleep and take more naps:\u00a0When we are in deep sleep, our cells do most of their repair.\u00a0 After a TBI, it is very common that sleep patterns are disrupted due to disturbed neural activity.\u00a0 Those that don\u2019t prioritize sleep after a brain injury are very likely to have significant and prolonged impaired cognitive function months after injury.\u00a0[26]The Bottom Line:\u00a0Traumatic brain injuries are serious and can be fatal.\u00a0 It has been common in our culture to ignore or \u201cshake off\u201d a blow to the head but please take it seriously. Though the headache may resolve within a few days, the long term consequences of brain cell damage can cause life-long problems and pose a risk for developing diseases like Alzheimers, ALS or stroke.Acupuncture, nutrition, and specific supplementation play a key role in recovering from any traumatic brain injury.\u00a0\u00a0Citations:[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Traumatic Brain Injury: Get the Facts[2] \u201cPrevalence of Chronic Pain After Traumatic Brain Injury\u201d JAMA. 2008;300(6):711-719 (doi:10.1001\/jama.300.6.711)[3] \u201cAxis II psychopathology in individuals with traumatic brain injury\u201d Mary. R. Hibbard, Jennifer Bogdany, Suzan Uysal, Karen Kepler, Jonathan M. Silver, Wayne A. Gordon & Lisa Haddad (2000); 14:1, 45-61, DOI: 10.1080\/0269905001209161[4] \u201cRates of Major Depressive Disorder and Clinical Outcomes Following Traumatic Brain Injury\u201d; Charles H. Bombardier, PhD; Jesse R. Fann, MD, MPH; Nancy R. Temkin, PhD; et alPeter C. Esselman, MD; Jason Barber, MS; Sureyya S. Dikmen, PhD; JAMA. 2010;303(19):1938-1945. doi:10.1001\/jama.2010.599[5] \u201cWhat Impact Will Moderate or Severe TBI Have on a Person\u2019s Life?\u201d; Center of Excellence for Medical Multimedia. (n.d.). Moderate to Severe TBI: Long-Term Effects. Retrieved March 28, 2019, from https:\/\/tbi.cemmlibrary.org\/Moderate-to-Severe-TBI\/Long-Term-Effects[6] \u201cConvergence insufficiency in brain-injured patients\u201d; M. Cohen,Z. Groswasser,R. Barchadski &A. Appel, Journal Brain Injury, Volume 3, 1989 \u2013 Issue 2[7] \u201cNeurometabolic indicators of mitochondrial dysfunction in repetitive mild traumatic brain injury\u201d; Susan Kim, Steve C Han, Alexander J Gallan & Jasmeet P Hayes; Future Medicine, Concussion, Vol. 2. No. 3.\u00a0[8] \u201cImpaired cerebral mitochondrial function after traumatic brain injury in humans\u201d; Bon H. Verweij M.D., J. Paul Muizelaar M.D., Ph.D., Federico C. Vinas M.D., Patti L. Peterson M.D., Ye Xiong M.D., Ph.D. and Chuan P. Lee Ph.D.; Journal of Neurosurgery; https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3171\/jns.2000.93.5.0815[9] \u201cTraumatic Brain Injury and Sleep Disorders\u201d; Mari Viola-Saltzman, D.O. and Nathaniel F. Watson, M.D., M.Sc.; Neurol Clin. 2012 Nov; 30(4): 1299\u20131312.; doi: 10.1016\/j.ncl.2012.08.008[10] \u201cInsomnia following traumatic brain injury: a review.\u201d; Ouellet MC1, Savard J, Morin CM.; Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2004 Dec;18(4):187-98.[11] \u201cA Population-Based Study of Seizures after Traumatic Brain Injuries\u201d; John F. Annegers, Ph.D., W. Allen Hauser, M.D., Sharon P. Coan, M.S., and Walter A. Rocca, M.D., M.P.H.; January 1, 1998; N Engl J Med 1998; 338:20-24; DOI: 10.1056\/NEJM199801013380104[12] \u201cCerebral Blood Flow and Apoptosis-Associated Factor with Electroacupuncture in a Traumatic Brain Injury Rat Model\u201d; Chih Hsiang Chuang, Yao Chin Hsu, Che Chuan Wang, ChoYa Hu, Jinn Rung Kuo; Acupuncture in Medicine; Volume: 31 issue: 4, page(s): 395-403; https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/acupmed-2013-010406[13] \u201cEarly electroacupuncture treatment ameliorates neuroinflammation in rats with traumatic brain injury\u201d; Wei-Chen Tang, Yao-Chin Hsu, Che-Chuan Wang, Chiao-Ya Hu, Chung-Ching Chio & Jinn-Rung Kuo; BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine volume 16, Article number: 470 (2016)[14] \u201cDecreased Risk of Stroke in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury Receiving Acupuncture Treatment: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study\u201d; Shih C-C, Hsu Y-T, Wang H-H, Chen T-L, Tsai C-C, Lane H-L, et al. (2014) Decreased Risk of Stroke in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury Receiving Acupuncture Treatment: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study. PLoS ONE 9(2): e89208.; https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0089208[15] \u201cReduced Use of Emergency Care and Hospitalization in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury Receiving Acupuncture Treatment\u201d; Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Volume 2013, Article ID 262039, https:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1155\/2013\/262039[16] \u201cDietary supplement creatine protects against traumatic brain injury\u201d; Sullivan, P. G., Geiger, J. D., Mattson, M. P. and Scheff, S. W. (2000); Ann Neurol., 48: 723-729. doi:10.1002\/1531-8249(200011)48:5<723::AID-ANA5>3.0.CO;2-W[17] \u201cPotential for use of creatine supplementation following mild traumatic brain injury\u201d; Philip John Ainsley Dean, Gozdem Arikan, Bertram Opitz, Annette Sterr; Concussion. 2017 Jun; 2(2): CNC34. Published 2017 Mar 21. doi:10.2217\/cnc-2016-0016[18] \u201cClinical review: Ketones and brain injury\u201d; Hayden White, Balasubramanian Venkatesh; Crit Care. 2011; 15(2): 219. Published 2011 Apr 6. doi: 10.1186\/cc10020[19] \u201cKetone Bodies, Potential Therapeutic Uses\u201d; Richard L. Veech, Britton Chance, Yoshihiro Kashiwaya, Henry A. Lardy, George F. Cahill, Jr.; IUBMBLife, 51: 241\u2013247, Copyright 2001 IUBMB1521-6543\/01[20] \u201cThe collective therapeutic potential of cerebral ketone metabolism in traumatic brain injury\u201d; Mayumi L. Prins, and Joyce H. Matsumoto; Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Injury Research Center and Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles; Journal of Lipid Research Volume 55, 2014[21] \u201cOmega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid attenuates traumatic brain injury-induced neuronal apoptosis by inducing autophagy through the upregulation of SIRT1-mediated deacetylation of Beclin-1\u201d; Chen, X., Pan, Z., Fang, Z. et al. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid attenuates traumatic brain injury-induced neuronal apoptosis by inducing autophagy through the upregulation of SIRT1-mediated deacetylation of Beclin-1. J Neuroinflammation 15, 310 (2018) doi:10.1186\/s12974-018-1345-8[22] \u201cConcussions and brain injury: Can omega-3 intake aid in brain health recovery?\u201d; ScienceDailyNews; Date:August 24, 2016; Source:Taylor & Francis[23] \u201cConcussions, Traumatic Brain Injury, and the Innovative Use of Omega-3s\u201d; Lewis MD; J Am Coll Nutr. 2016 Jul;35(5):469-75. doi: 10.1080\/07315724.2016.1150796.[24] \u201cNeurohealth Properties of Hericium erinaceus Mycelia Enriched with Erinacines\u201d; I-Chen Li, Li-Ya Lee, Tsai-Teng Tzeng, Wan-Ping Chen, Yen-Po Chen,\u00a0 Young-Ju Shiao, Chin-Chu Chen; Behav Neurol. 2018; 2018: 5802634. Published 2018 May 21. doi: 10.1155\/2018\/5802634[25] \u201cProtective Effects of Hericium erinaceus Mycelium and Its Isolated Erinacine A against Ischemia-Injury-Induced Neuronal Cell Death via the Inhibition of iNOS\/p38 MAPK and Nitrotyrosine\u201d; Kam-Fai Lee, Jiann-Hwa Chen, Chih-Chuan Teng; Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2014, 15(9), 15073-15089; https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijms150915073[26] \u201cA review of sleep disturbances following traumatic brain injury\u201d; Zuzu\u00e1rregui, J.R.P., Bickart, K. & Kutscher, S.J. A review of sleep disturbances following traumatic brain injury. Sleep Science Practice 2, 2 (2018) doi:10.1186\/s41606-018-0020-4[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\t\t\t\t"}