Concussion

Physical rest and cognitive rest (taking a break from thinking and problem-solving) are part of the healing process. We encourage you to use your brain as little as possible for about two weeks after your concussion, which means limiting home, school and work activities and the use of any form of digital media. Your brain needs time to heal itself. We will provide school/work recommendations, appropriate paperwork for return to school, work and play and follow-up with other physicians who oversee your care.

Whether your head injury is mild or severe, we have a team of experts implementing your personalized treatment plan. Our specialists include:

• Physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians or physiatrists, who specialize in helping people regain body functions lost due to medical conditions or injuries
• Neurologists, who specialize in disorders of the nervous system
• Neurosurgeons, who specialize in surgery on the brain and other parts of the nervous system
• Neuropsychologists, who specialize in the effects that injury to or diseases of the brain and spinal cord have on emotions, behavior and learning
• Certified rehabilitation nurses, who specialize in the care of the chronically ill and injured
• Physical therapists, who specialize in helping patients achieve maximum strength, balance and mobility
• Occupational therapists, who specialize in improving patients’ ability to complete activities of daily living
• Speech-language pathologists, who specialize in helping patients improve communication, cognition and swallowing
• Recreational therapists, who specialize in providing education and community-based interventions to improve patients’ physical, mental, social and emotional well-being 
• Respiratory therapists, who specialize in assessing and treating breathing disorders
• Dietitians, who specialize in nutrition and dietetics
• Social workers, who help patients and families with social, emotional and financial needs
• Case managers, who coordinate inpatient and post-hospital care and services for patients and families
• Rehabilitation engineers, who specialize in determining the proper assistive technology devices, such as wheelchairs, braces and special computer equipment

Post-Concussive Syndrome

Most people have a full recovery after one to two weeks. For the 15 to 25 percent of people who continue to have cognitive or memory issues beyond that, or symptoms such as dizziness or double vision, we specialize in treating post-concussive syndrome.

Our treatment options include:

• Dizziness or vertigo assessment by specialists who can prescribe medications to relieve symptoms
• Relaxation techniques or medications for sleep disturbances or headache pain management
• Balance training with a physical therapist
• Cognitive rehabilitation with certified neuropsychologists

Your treatment team may recommend a variety of other rehab services, including: 

We are studying the reliability of Nintendo’s Wii Fit for assessing and managing concussion. If we demonstrate it to be useful, athletic trainers everywhere could add this fitness tool to a standard physical examination and test of cognitive ability, symptoms and balance.  

Enroll in a clinical trial