Concussion

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or an impact on the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This abrupt movement can cause the brain to bounce about or twist in the skull, causing chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and destroying brain cells. Meet with Dr. Wilson, our naturopathic doctor, at Upgrade PDX to get the best treatment for your specific needs.

What Causes a Concussion?

Concussions are caused by a sort of head impact damage. Inside our skulls, our brains float in a jelly-like fluid known as cerebrospinal fluid. Our brain and its surrounding membrane can hit the side of our skull as a result of a head injury. This type of trauma can induce tissue damage in the brain and potentially cause CSF leakage.

Concussions are caused by a variety of factors:

• Falling down 
• Being hit in the head (especially when playing sports)
• Getting involved in an automobile accident
• Being harmed as a result of a blast or explosion

Symptoms of Concussion

Memory, judgment, reflexes, speech, balance, and muscular coordination can all be affected by a concussion. People who have suffered a concussion frequently experience a brief period of amnesia or forgetfulness, during which they are unable to recall what occurred immediately before or after the incident. They may appear perplexed, dizzy, or describe "seeing stars." 

Common Concussion Symptoms

• Confusion
• Headache
• Unbalance or dizziness
• Vomiting or nausea
• Memory lapses
• Ringing in the ears
• Concentration problems
• Light sensitivity
• Having difficulty falling asleep

How Is a Concussion Treated?

To recover from a concussion, you must relax both physically and mentally. Although you will require more rest and sleep than usual, you will not require complete rest. Instead of completely discontinuing activities, learn to identify the triggers that cause concussion symptoms. When symptoms appear, take a step back and rest. It is acceptable to engage in some activities that do not make you feel worse. Any activities that aggravate your symptoms should be avoided. Activities that may cause symptoms to include, for example:

• Texting or staring at your smartphone screen.
• Reading.
• Watching television.
• Playing video games.
• Listening to some loud music.
• Taking part in any physical activity.

In concussion therapy, peptides like cerebrolysin, selank & semax and pineleon have been studied for their neuroprotective properties. They help by reducing brain inflammation and promoting nerve cell growth, which could support faster recovery from traumatic brain injuries. Study findings suggest peptides could be a valuable tool in sports recovery protocols.

At Upgrade we offer enhanced combinations:

• The Brain Boostincludes pineleon / Thymulin / GHK which helps to reduce neuroinflammation and stimulates melatonin which, acts as an antioxidant, increases brain derived neurotrophic peptide and helps regulate the endocrine system. 
• Selank/Semax Cognitive Blend. This combo enhances mood, improves focus, reduces brain fog, and acts as a non sedating anxiolytic. It also modulates stress helping the body to adapt and improves working memory. 

Concussions and TBI’s

Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injury leads to a multitude of issues with seemingly unrelated symptoms. At its core this results in neuroinflammation that can cause psychologic and cognitive issues, personality changes, chronic pain, hormonal imbalance and even gastrointestinal issues. At Upgrade PDX, our Medical Clinic in Portland, OR, we utilize the most cutting edge therapies and protocols available.

mHBOT

Mild Anoxic Brain Injury: Anoxic brain injury is a type of brain injury caused by oxygen deprivation. This can cause serious damage, as the brain depends on oxygen to function properly. In fact, brain cells without enough oxygen will begin to die after about six minutes. There are several ways someone could suffer anoxic brain damage. Nearly drowning, experiencing a decrease of oxygen flow to the brain due to a heart issue and overdosing on drugs are just a few examples. The effects of an anoxic brain injury can range from balance issues, memory loss, vision problems and/or loss of consciousness. The use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can promote healing by restoring oxygen levels, and thus, improving the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain. This can result in blood vessel growth and damaged tissue repair, among other benefits.

VieLight NeuroDuo

The loss of brain cells from brain injuries is a well-documented phenomenon. In moderate to severe cases of brain injuries, the generalized loss could amount to 5% of brain cells per year. These are cells that include those in the areas of the brain that affect cognition and memory functions. In a recent study, a professional hockey player, with multiple concussions and generalized loss or atrophy of the brain cells, was observed. These deficiencies were the results of injuries received during his hockey career. Professor Linda Chao of the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) was the lead investigator in the study. The subject was treated with two Vielight transcranial-intranasal devices — the Neuro Gamma, followed by the Neuro Alpha, over a period of eight weeks. The results of this study showed improvements in learning, memory, executive functions, attention, and mental processing speed. This is a very significant finding because, for the first time ever, a study was able to show measurable growth of gray matter due to transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM), in some important areas of the brain, in a human. The growth was present in the hippocampus and thalamic areas.

The study provides significant evidence that PBM helps the brain to repair itself! Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure the growth of neurons. In addition to growth and repair of damage in the brain cells, the brain was observed to perform more efficiently. The study was published in the September issue of Frontiers in Neurology.

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GammaCore

By harnessing the power of the vagal nerve we can reduce chronic brain inflammation.