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1/1/2021

When can I go back to work after a concussion?

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After a concussion, one of the questions that may be on the forefront of your mind is, “So, when can I go back to work?” While some might tell you a rough estimate of 1-2 weeks, the accurate answer to this varies depending on who’s asking because no two concussions look the same and, of course, no two lives are the same. The answer to this question depends on a few variables that professionals consider:

  • The severity of the concussion. There are varying degrees of severity: mild (low-grade), moderate (mid-grade), and severe (high-grade). For mild concussions, people usually return to work when symptoms subside. For moderate concussions, there may be a brief loss of consciousness and may require more days of rest and recovery. For severe concussions, this usually involves loss of consciousness for more than five minutes, and individuals are at risk for permanent damage to their brain.


  • The type of symptoms you are experiencing. Symptoms can range from headaches and nausea to temporary amnesia and speech difficulty. Some of these symptoms may impact your work and daily functioning.


  • The type of profession you have/nature of work you complete. Concussions may make you more sensitive to stimuli, so being in front of a bright screen for long hours could make your discomfort worse. Another variable to consider is if you work in labor-intensive fields that may put you at risk of another concussion, something that you may want to avoid.


  • The environment of your work site. This variable can go hand-in-hand with the previous point. If you work in an environment that has bright lights or loud noises, the sensitivity you have to the stimuli could also make your discomfort worse. Additionally, physical safety risks may increase your chances of having another concussion if you engage in very hands-on work.


  • The degree your symptoms are managed during the healing process. While there are different grades of symptoms and concussions, some people may experience a mix of them. It is important for you, or someone in close contact with you, to take note of the symptom and the severity while you are healing to help your medical team guide your recovery.

Before any of these variables can be considered, a visit to a doctor would be the first step. They will be able to provide you the most accurate answer to the question, “When can I go back to work after a concussion?” A series of evaluations will be done, from a physical to a neuropsychological evaluation, to check out how your functioning has changed. 

Dr. Nicole Murray is a trained Psychologist who can provide you with a neuropsychological evaluation to give you a better grasp on the severity of your symptoms. The evaluation will feel like a series of mind puzzles and tasks over a span of a few hours that can give her a precise picture of the concussion’s impact. If you have experienced a concussion and would like to know more about how Dr. Murray can help you on your recovery journey, contact her today!

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12/14/2020

What does concussion recovery look like?

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​​Concussion recovery may vary between cases that depend on the severity of the injury. However, there are usually two to three phases of the recovery period: acute, recovery, and chronic.

  • Acute Phase. This phase is the one that happens right after the injury is sustained. In this phase, you may still be experiencing the initial symptoms (dizziness, headaches, nausea, difficulty concentrating, etc.) for at least one week. It is normal for individuals to miss school, work, or other daily obligations that require cognitive energy. Engaging in sleep and mental rest can help mitigate the symptoms and move toward healing. You can take pain medication that is prescribed to you or use an icepack on areas of your head and neck to help soothe pain. 
    • What you should avoid during the Acute Phase:
      Screen time. Do your best to avoid texting, using a computer, television, or playing video games. These activities tend to make your brain work harder than it needs to.
      Operating machinery. This includes driving! Even when you’re navigating routes that are very familiar, the task requires that you use a lot of cognitive energy. It is best to avoid this activity as much as you can.
      Loud music. You may feel overwhelmed while listening to loud music or loud sounds, a common symptom of a concussion. We process our external stimuli, and feeling over-sensitized may cause distress.
      Physical activity. Those who sustain a concussion, especially if it was through a physical activity, are at higher risk to sustain a second. Sustaining a second injury while recovering from a first can lead to life-threatening consequences. It’s best if you avoid physical activity and opt for physical rest.​
  • Recovery Phase. Individuals enter this phase when physical improvements occur. For example, your headaches reduce in duration, intensity, and frequency or your neuropsychologist finds that your cognitive assessment scores have improved. In this phase, your doctors may suggest slowly returning to activities you enjoyed prior to the injury. If you’re in school, you may still want to consider having academic accommodations because your cognitive abilities may still be impacted by the concussion.
  • Chronic Phase. This phase occurs if the severity of the concussion results in long-term impacts of cognitive function. If you experience this phase, it may be best for you to consider home-schooling to learn at a comfortable pace. If you are working, you may want to consider taking a medical leave of absence. Treatment during this phase is of utmost importance. If it is unmanaged, it could lead to significant changes in your daily activities. 

It may be difficult to walk through this journey of recovery, even in reading about these phases. If your symptoms or timeline do not match these phases perfectly, don’t despair: everyone’s concussion experience will be a little bit different. No two injuries are the same, and no two individuals are the same. What we can do for you at 360 Healing Centre is provide you with a more individualized treatment and healing plan to match your needs and better suit your lifestyle. Dr. Nicole Murray can give you specific goals to best personalize and maximize your recovery goals.

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11/13/2020

Managing concussion symptoms during the holidays.

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10/30/2020

I think I have a concussion. What should I do?

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Concussions can be caused by a hard hit to the head or vigorous shaking of the upper body. These movements may result in your brain to hit against your skull that can lead to broken blood vessels and bruising. While one is at higher risk of this when playing contact sports like football or basketball, risk is also high when one is prone to falling. 

If you read our previous blog post, you’ll know that concussion symptoms manifest in four different domains: cognitive, physical, emotional, and sleep. If you notice yourself experiencing any of these symptoms, take note of the following steps:

Stop certain activities. If you started experiencing symptoms after playing a sport, don’t continue playing until after you’ve visited a doctor. Continuing play increases the risk of reinjury, and this isn’t a good idea if you’re already experiencing concussion symptoms. You should also avoid operating machinery, including driving. 

Have company. It might be especially challenging to navigate tasks after a potential concussion, especially if you have to avoid driving. It’s best if you have someone with you for at least 24 hours to help you move about your world. The other person, or people, can also help keep an eye on any other concussion symptoms that show up that you might not be able to notice yourself. They can also help you in arranging an appointment with your doctor.

See your doctor. If you have severe symptoms, you may also consider visiting the emergency room for immediate care. Your doctor will talk with you to gather information about your symptoms and potentially run a few tests to get a better understanding of what may be the cause of them. Diagnosing a concussion takes a bit of exploration!

So what kinds of questions might your medical doctor ask? What kinds of tests might they run? What other tests can be taken?
  • A physical examination. Concussions can impact many parts of our functioning, including our physical health. Your doctor will likely test your strength, balance, coordination, and reflexes the way they would in a normal physical exam. They may also ask questions about your general medical history and the injury that caused symptoms.
  • CT scans. CT scans, or computed tomography scans, is a type of medical imaging technique that uses a series of x-rays to help doctors see inside our bodies. This can tell doctors if your brian is bruised, swollen, or bleeding. CT scans take less time than MRI scans.
  • MRI scans. MRI scans, or magnetic resonance imaging, is a method that uses a big magnet and radio waves to develop 2- and 3-D images of our brains. It’s another way for doctors to look at our brain’s health and see if there’s any bruising, swelling, or bleeding. These are more detailed than CT scans. 
  • Neuropsychological testing. At 360 Healing Centre, Dr. Murray can conduct a series of neuropsychological testing that will help her take a peek into your cognitive performances. Cognition, or the processes that help us think and process information, can be impacted by concussions. The tests that Dr. Murray administers will feel like a series of brain tasks that can help us gather a picture of what parts of your cognitive performance. Then, she can sum up the information and provide you with recommendations on what to do next. 

The process of diagnosing a concussion isn’t always straightforward. However, there are definitely supports that we can provide to help you walk through the diagnosing, treatment, and recovery process. Contact Dr. Murray for more information on how she can support you through 360 Healing Centre’s services!

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10/26/2020

What are the signs and symptoms of a concussion?

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Concussion symptoms can range from mild to severe, and many of them can be frustrating. Sometimes they can impact our ability to function throughout our days and make it harder to navigate our worlds, especially if it may have been caused by a concussion. But that begs an important question: how might you know when you have a concussion? 

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that may have been caused by a hard blow to the head or vigorous shaking of the upper body. These can cause your brain to hit against your skull which can result in bruising, broken blood vessels, or nerve damage to the brain. Concussions can happen to anyone of any age, though there are some factors that may put us at higher risk like playing high-contact sports, with or without protective equipment, or being prone to falling.

While most people who are diagnosed with a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or concussion fully recover, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms to know how to properly treat and rest. Concussion symptoms usually occur in four different domains:

Cognitive Symptoms that impair our ability to perform cognitive tasks like remembering, concentrating, or manipulating information in our heads.
  • Difficulty remembering new information
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Difficulty thinking clearly
  • Feeling like your thoughts have slowed

Physical Symptoms that impact our ability to perceive and engage with our surroundings.
  • Headaches (with or without fuzzy or blurred vision)
  • Nausea, vomiting, dizziness (usually happens soon after the concussion)
  • Sensitivity to noise and light
  • Difficulty with balance and coordination
  • Fatigue or feeling tired

Emotional Symptoms that will usually affect our ability to regulate how we respond to people, events, and other stimuli we experience. 
  • Increased irritability
  • Sadness/depressive symptoms
  • More emotional lability (difficulty regulating emotions)
  • Increased anxiety

Sleep Symptoms that will affect our usual circadian rhythm and impact how tired or rested we feel during the day.
  • Sleeping more than usual
  • Sleeping less than usual
  • Difficulty falling asleep

Sometimes, some of us may not know when we are experiencing these symptoms at a significant level, so it also helps to get a second perspective on whether you have a concussion. You can do this by asking people with whom you interact regularly, because those around us may be able to point out symptoms, too. Friends and family may be able to name whether there was a temporary loss in consciousness, though this may or may not occur. They may also notice slurred speech, delayed responses to questions, a dazed appearance, and forgetfulness that may lead to having to repeat information many times. 

These symptoms can last between days to weeks after the initial impact, so it’s important that during this time you seek adequate treatment and give yourself sufficient rest. Some of the things that we can do for clients who think they might have had a concussion or are experiencing these symptoms would be providing screenings and neurocognitive tests to give us a peek into how your functioning may be impacted. We provide our clients with a comprehensive testing procedure that can help us know what the best treatment route would be for your specific needs.

Experiencing concussion symptoms can be a frustrating experience, and we can be there to help you walk through it.

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