Calgary Concussion Clinic
A concussion can be debilitating for one’s work, lifestyle and sport. We are here to guide you back to normal function and activity.
Why Ascent?
Concussion Overview
A concussion is a mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) caused by a bump, jolt, or blow to the head. It occurs when a sudden force or impact causes the brain to accelerate/decelerate or twist inside the skull. This leads to neural stretching and a temporary disturbance of cells and chemical changes in the brain.
Following initial general rest for 24-48 hours, progressive cognitive and physical activity should begin. In most cases, there is no structural damage (i.e. nothing can be visualized on MRI) but rather persistent symptoms arise from functional changes. Persistent symptoms are those that extend beyond 10-14 days in adults and 4 weeks in children.
These functional changes include reduced cerebral blood flow, vestibular-ocular dysfunction (balance and vision) and cervical-somatic dysfunction (neck whiplash and aberrant control).
Concussion Treatment & Management
Ascent’s concussion clinicians adhere to the most up-to-date research in post-injury assessment, diagnosis and effective rehabilitation techniques. Management includes a multi-disciplinary team of experts providing a combination of education, manual therapy, vision and vestibular therapy, targeted exercise rehabilitation, nutritional intervention and return-to-activity progressions.
Every concussion is unique and every recovery plan should be individualized. As a private concussion clinic, we can spend the time necessary to provide you confidence in your recovery and get the best results. We will make sure you get the best concussion treatment in Calgary.
What Conditions Can Our Calgary Concussion Clinic Help With?
Concussions can cause an array of symptoms. The effects of a concussion can be serious and last for days, weeks, or even longer.
Common Symptoms:
- Somatic (i.e. headache), cognitive (fogginess) or emotional (irritable) symptoms
- Physical Signs: i.e. loss of consciousness, amnesia, neurological deficits
- Balance Impairment
- Behavioural Changes
- Cognitive Impairment
- Sleep/Wake Disturbances
Treatment
Assessment
Through a rigorous assessment that includes testing of the vestibular and ocular systems, cognitive function, mental processing, reaction speed, exertion testing/training, and other lifestyle factors affected by mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (mTBI) we are able to identify the systems affected by the injuries and create a specific rehabilitation protocol to better manage and provide optimal recovery and return to normal sport and activities.
Education and Treatment
Every concussion is unique. Following a comprehensive assessment, your therapist will take the time to answer your questions, explain your concussion and provide a plan designed to address your specific injury and areas of dysfunction. Expect to receive a specific concussion treatment plan consisting of a combination of: manual therapy, cardiovascular exercise prescription, activity/work modifications, various rehabilitation exercises and more.
Monitoring
At our Calgary concussion clinic we take the time necessary to identify the sometimes subtle, yet important, functional deficiencies. This important information allows us to tailor rehabilitation strategies, including specific exercises that help break through the cycle of persistent symptoms. We also collaborate with other health care professionals ensuring that patients are receiving the best treatment for their symptoms.
Recovery
The recovery process from a concussion varies widely from person to person so an expected timeline of rehabilitation is impossible to predict. However our goal is to guide you safely back to full participation in your daily activities and sport; we have had great success with our concussion management approach in rehabilitating athletes, motor vehicle accident victims and other individuals who have sustained a concussion.
