Do you or your child play contact sports or have you hit your head? Has something changed for the worst?

Maybe you have frequent headaches. You’re forgetting things. Perhaps your life-of-the-party child is moody and withdrawn. Something feels “off” — other people have noticed too — but you haven’t been able to get to the bottom of it.

These are just a sample of the dozens of possible signs and symptoms of a mild traumatic brain injury caused by concussion. Contact us, and get the best consultation from our concussion specialists in Sydney.

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For decades we have known that professional boxers suffered brain damage from the repeated impacts to their heads. More recently we have seen our Army veterans from Afghanistan and other wars suffer Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) from IED’s and other explosions, the resulting ongoing PTSD and other psychological damage that manifests over time. Increased risk of suicide, alcohol and drug issues, family violence and breakdown.

We now know that professional footballers in several codes have suffered Traumatic Brain Injury over the course of their careers. These individuals have endured similar mental health challenges and struggled with soccer concussion symptoms for an extended period. The turning point? A transformative week of therapy specifically designed to address post-concussion syndrome. Witness the game-changing difference that this therapy has made for these athletes, providing hope and relief like never before.

That is the professionals.

It has now been established that a much lower level of impact, even repeated minor impacts in school sport can cause TBI with the resultant ongoing health issues.

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Concussions aren’t rare or minor

Concussions aren’t rare. Nor is a concussion a minor injury that will heal with a little rest and hydration. And the highest risk populations are those who play the most sport or are the most likely to fall — people under 17 and over 65-years-old.

10% of high school athletes have 1 concussion per year.

Females playing contact sports can suffer micro-trauma to their brain across one season that equates to 1 concussion in that season, even without a clinically diagnosed concussion treatment - so there is always damage to the brain, even without a concussion being recognised. Think Hockey, Soccer, Football / Rugby. “Heading” the ball in soccer or the impact in a rugby scrum are perfect examples.

Approximately 30% of concussions go undiagnosed because no symptoms appeared at the time of the event. Of those who are diagnosed, 20 per cent experience ongoing symptoms long after the initial injury, especially if it’s not their first brain injury.

What are the symptoms of acute concussion vs post-concussion syndrome?

Every part of your brain has a job. As a result, what you experience from a concussion will depend on which part of your brain was injured. The signs and symptoms can range from mild concussion syndrome to severe.

There’s a growing awareness of the connection between concussions and mental health problems.

The vast range of concussion syndrome and the time it might take them to show up can leave concussion specialists baffled, especially if they aren’t even considering concussion and traumatic brain injuries as possible causes.

Post-concussion syndrome can be even more difficult to recognise as the symptoms can appear weeks to months after the initial concussion, or even after the 20th injury. These symptoms also vary from patient to patient, then can last for months or even years. There is no official diagnostic criteria for post-concussion syndrome. No available medical scan to prove it, at least here in Australia.

Concussion symptoms in the moment:

Loss of consciousness
Disorientation / confusion
Incoherent speech
Memory loss
A dazed or vacant stare

Concussion symptoms hours or days afterwards:

Headaches or dizziness
Sensitivity to light
Fatigue but sleep problems
Vomiting
Ringing in the ears

Symptoms of post-concussion syndrome (sometimes months after a 2nd or multiple concussions):

Anxiety or depression
Concentration issues
Memory problems
Vision changes / headaches
Chronic gut / digestive challenges

Why concussions go undiagnosed?

Concussion’s signs and symptoms can take days, or even weeks to appear. However, because this research is quite new, the concussion specialists you’ve seen might not have considered a concussion. Your concussion specialists might still think that you can’t have had a concussion if you didn’t pass out or vomit at the time of the injury or soon after.

Even if your concussion specialists referred you for a CT or MRI scan, those scans can’t always detect a concussion.

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What is a concussion?


Concussions occur when an impact to your head (or body - think whiplash) causes your head to rattle, throwing your brain against the jagged inside of your skull. The softness of the brain and the roughness of the skull’s interior means the brain doesn’t have to strike the skull hard for an injury to occur.

We do NOT have shock absorbers inside our skulls. Our brain floats in fluid, and the inside of your skull isn’t a brain friendly location to be thrown or ‘bounced’ around! Our brain is similar in texture to margarine or soft butter, female brains a little more so, hence their higher risk of TBI (damage). Our skull is smooth & ‘shiny’ on the outside, but inside it has many sharp edges, nooks & crannies that cause damage on impact

New research also proves that concussion can be caused by repeated micro-traumas, impacts not serious enough on their own to cause concussion. Micro-trauma from impacts like heading a soccer ball or tackling in a rugby scrum can add up over a single season to a full-blown concussion. It could take longer than a season in concussion treatment, and there might even be years between the micro-traumas that add up to a concussion.

Our approach to concussion treatment

Unfortunately there is no “magic pill” that will heal the brain. To heal a traumatic brain injury, acute or chronic, we need to look at a multifactorial, holistic approach. There are no drugs that will heal the brain so we need to provide the ingredients & support for the brain to heal itself. To assist this healing process meet the concussion specialists, the three common fronts of concussion treatment are:

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Nutrition

What you choose to put in your mouth, every bite, will heal or harm your brain - Food Choices Matter! Your brain uses 20-30% of your calories & brain injury creates a crisis where your brain needs more ketones & less sugar - High Sugar Diets dramatically increase your risk of Post Concussion Syndrome. Your diet must be supplemented with specific nutrients post injury to create the optimal healing environment at this time. Getting the combination right, from 30 minutes post injury, for 1-6 months later is the foundation for recovery.

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Gut health

The gut is important enough to human wellbeing and functioning that it’s being called our second brain. We now know that concussions severely damage gut integrity within minutes of a brain injury. Restoring and optimising the digestive system as soon as possible after a concussion can dramatically assist in restoring the brain. Adding probiotic yoghurts or over-the-counter supplements to your diet won’t do the job, a more detailed assessment & approach can make all the difference.

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Sleep

Sleep - this is when your brain is truly healing! However, 30-70% of mTBI / concussion treatment patients develop sleep problems following their injury, because your neurons no longer work properly! Getting enough quality sleep is crucial, so a sleep routine, considering sleep hygiene & using the right nutrients to calm your brain will make a world of difference.

Medical research finds time and again that our brains have incredible plasticity. With the right nutrition, exercise, oxygen & red light therapy as part of a personalised plan, the brain can bounce back

A comprehensive approach to treating the results of concussion

Get your life back after a concussion

If you’ve been diagnosed with concussion treatment or you suspect you might have suffered a concussion, you know the symptoms can be debilitating.

At Bounce Matters, we’re committed to finding answers and treatments in line with the latest medical research. We have a team of leading concussion specialists at our concusiion clinic in Sydney.

We stay on top of all the latest research so we can give concussion sufferers the best possible chance of a full recovery by concussion treatment.

Everything we do starts by boosting your brain’s natural healing ability.

Experts in the foundation of concussion treatment recovery

Bounce Matters founder Jo Grabyn dedicated her life to being at the forefront of brain healing research and treatment. She studied brain injuries and conditions in the United States, training with top brain health specialists, including Dr Dale Bredesen, an internationally-recognised neurologist, and Daniel Amen MD, founder of the Amen Clinics and the Concussion Rescue program. Through her research and training, Jo developed a multi-disciplinary approach to help improve the lives of those with mild TBI / concussions.

As a nutritional medicine specialist, Jo understands the brain needs a specific combination of food, nutrients, other therapies and activities to support its healing process.

Additionally, Bounce Matters has a number of cutting-edge tools shown to be incredibly effective in treating brain injuries and their symptoms, including facilities and services similar to those used by Army medical teams for blast victims.

A holistic approach to recovery

Because each person’s concussion symptoms can be so unique and vary from person to person, you might need other specialists to work on specific aspects of your recovery. Specialists working with the latest research can be hard to find. That is why we work with a network of trusted peers whom we know are practising at the leading edge of bringing concussion patients back to health.

Your first easy step is to book an appointment for an assessment in line with the latest research into concussions.

Start your recovery now

Schedule a FREE 20 minute phone consultation with Jo Grabyn today

If you would like to chat to see how I can help, call now to book an initial 20-minute phone consultation on 1800 940 950.

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