Supporting the brain after a concussion critical

A concussion, while formally labeled a mild traumatic brain injury, is anything but mild. While some symptoms are temporary, a blow to the head can come with long term consequences, some quite severe.

Issues can include frequent headaches and seizures. Short term memory loss can make it hard to remember something you just heard. Some may struggle with finding the right word or say things impulsively that hurt others. You may not be able to concentrate, get distracted, and feel disorganized.

A big issue can be mood swings. Two of the most common emotional changes are exaggerated anger and depression. Anger following a head injury can come on suddenly, be very intense, and end just as abruptly. It can appear extreme.

Sometimes crying will be more exaggerated. This can be troubling for some people that aren’t used to crying. Little things can set off a tearful episode that feel out of place.

The more primitive functions of our brain, like anger and crying, are controlled by the middle section. The front part of our brain has a bigger role in setting boundaries and saying no to how we respond to situations. When this is damaged we have less ability to control ourselves during an outburst.

The brain is an exceedingly complex electrical and chemical network. The amount of electricity being generated can be compared to a 60 watt light bulb. When part gets damaged, the rest of the brain will continue to work normally, but the damaged area can take years to repair.

The right side of the brain and left side do different things. Depending upon where the injury is, we will respond differently. Some people may not be able to piece together that they are hurting others with their words or lashing out. This is because the right side of the brain organizes our thoughts that make us self aware.

The opposite would be an injury to the left side where we would be aware of our actions but not able to organize a plan to make any changes or arrange our thoughts into the right words. Vision, movement, hearing, skin sensation can each be affected depending upon where we are injured.

Loss of memory can be quite frustrating after a head injury. We may not remember the moments leading up to how we got hurt, and may even have amnesia and loose memories related to parts of our lives. Swelling, or rips and tears, can cause the part of our brain that channels information to not function properly. Or we may not be able to access old stored memories.

Fatigue and sleep affect us all, but in someone with a brain injury this can be an even greater detriment. So it is important to rest well, just as it is important to reduce stress, overall tension, and avoid emotionally upsetting situations.

One of the best things while healing is to get great sleep. This means reducing lights and screen time, having ambient noise to cover distracting noises, and setting a regular schedule. Melatonin can help with this for some.

There are several neuroprotective nutrients I consider essential for good brain health, especially following injury. This includes vitamin D, magnesium in multiple forms, high amounts of omega 3’s, CoQ10, resveratrol, nicotinamide, antioxidants like vitamin C and E, zinc, phosphatidyl choline, creatine, B vitamins, probiotics, and curcumin.

Avoiding pro-inflammatory foods will be important — like sugars and sweeteners, flour based processed foods, and high amounts of carbs. Red wine can make a lot of people feel poorly the next day, but if you have a brain injury it’s best to avoid alcohol in general. Not getting overloaded with noise, lights, and stimulation may be necessary for a while.

Brain injuries, even mild ones, can affect our lives in many ways. Healing can take months, even years, and too often the damage is not fully repaired. Genetics will play a role in this. So patience from everyone is critical. Avoiding another injury is very important as damage can be accumulative.

Come on down if you’d like to talk more.

Scott Porter, a functional medicine pharmacist, is the director of the Center for Functional Nutrition at Sandpoint Super Drug.