Labyrinth Physical Therapy & Wellness

Concussion symptoms can vary significantly from person to person and may include:

• Dizziness or vertigo
• Headaches
• Imbalance or unsteadiness
• Motion sensitivity
• Difficulty in busy stores or crowds
• Sensitivity to screens or scrolling
• Blurred vision
• Difficulty focusing while moving
• Neck pain or stiffness
• Fatigue
• Exercise intolerance
• Brain fog or difficulty concentrating
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Nausea
• Difficulty returning to school, work, sports or exercise

Because several systems can be affected at the same time, treatment should be based on what is actually contributing to your symptoms.

A concussion can temporarily disrupt the way the brain processes information from the vestibular, visual, cervical and sensory systems.

For some people, lingering symptoms may involve:

• Vestibular dysfunction
• Difficulty stabilizing vision with head movement
• Visual motion sensitivity
• Balance impairment
• Cervical spine dysfunction
• Reduced tolerance to physical exertion
• Migraine-related symptoms
• Increased sensitivity to movement or complex environments

There is rarely one exercise or one treatment that is appropriate for every concussion.

Your evaluation may include:

• Review of your injury and symptoms
• Eye-movement assessment
• Vestibular testing
• Gaze-stability testing
• Balance assessment
• Walking and head-movement testing
• Visual-motion sensitivity assessment
• Cervical spine evaluation
• Exercise tolerance assessment
• Screening for BPPV
• Assessment of functional activities that provoke symptoms

The goal is to identify which systems are limiting your recovery so treatment can be targeted appropriately.

Depending on what we find, your rehabilitation program may include:

• Vestibular rehabilitation
• Gaze-stabilization exercises
• Balance training
• Visual-motion exposure
• Head-movement training
• Cervical mobility and strengthening
• Cervical proprioception exercises
• Aerobic exercise progression
• Strength and conditioning
• Habituation exercises
• Gradual return to work, school, exercise or sports

Treatment is progressed based on your response rather than simply waiting for symptoms to disappear.

Complete rest is generally not the long-term goal after concussion.

Once serious injury has been ruled out, appropriately prescribed physical activity can be an important part of recovery. We help determine what level of activity you currently tolerate and gradually build from there.

That may include walking, cycling, strengthening or sport-specific exercise depending on your symptoms and goals.

Dizziness is one of the most common symptoms following concussion and can have several different causes.

You may have:

• BPPV
• Vestibular hypofunction
• Motion or visual sensitivity
• Vestibular migraine
• Cervical-related dizziness
• Difficulty integrating visual and vestibular information

Identifying the source matters because each problem is treated differently.

Consider an evaluation if:

• Your symptoms are not steadily improving
• Dizziness or imbalance is limiting activity
• You are having difficulty returning to exercise
• Screens, stores or visual motion make you symptomatic
• Head movement makes you dizzy
• Neck pain continues after the injury
• You feel worse when trying to return to work, school or sports
• You were told to rest but aren't sure what to do next

You do not have to wait until symptoms have persisted for months before seeking help.

Concussion rehabilitation should do more than tell you to avoid symptoms.

Our goal is to identify the specific problems interfering with your recovery and gradually help you return to the activities that matter to you.

You don't need to determine the diagnosis on your own.

A specialized evaluation can help identify whether dizziness, balance problems, neck dysfunction, visual sensitivity or exercise intolerance are contributing to your symptoms and whether additional medical evaluation is recommended.