Concussion Care in Fitchburg
Being medically cleared after a concussion doesn’t always mean you feel like yourself again. Body Wave Chiropractic provides nervous system-focused concussion care in Fitchburg and throughout Dane County, using objective information about nervous system function as a guide to help you reach full recovery.
When “Cleared” Doesn’t Feel Recovered
A normal CT or MRI doesn’t necessarily provide answers for the symptoms you’re left to deal with. These tests are designed to identify immediate medical issues (such as bleeding in the brain). But once those emergency issues have been ruled out, people are often left with functional deficits that impact their day to day.
Lingering concussion symptoms can include headaches, brain fog, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, poor sleep, neck pain, light or noise sensitivity, and extreme fatigue. Screens, noisy environments, reading, and full workdays may become difficult. Some people also notice a shorter emotional fuse or less ability to handle everyday stress.
Recovery isn’t always linear. People may feel like they are fine after a concussion, but then symptoms start to come and go.
An Objective Look at the Nervous System During Concussion Recovery
A suspected concussion should always be medically evaluated. Care at Body Wave Chiropractic is provided alongside medical management. Dr. Laura is also comfortable collaborating with physicians, physical therapists, vision therapists, and athletic trainers.
Your assessment includes a detailed history and examination of the neck, which absorbs many of the same forces as the head during an injury.
Insight nerve scanning provides a clear picture of post-concussion nervous system function, which could be behind lingering symptoms. Heart rate variability (HRV) offers information about autonomic nervous system patterns and provides a baseline that can be compared with later scans alongside your symptoms and overall recovery.
Care may include NetworkSpinal, developed by Donald Epstein, which uses gentle contacts along the spine rather than twisting or cracking. SomatoRespiratory Integration may also be incorporated to build awareness of breathing, movement, and nervous system patterns.
Building Capacity Gradually
Returning to full training or workload too quickly, disrupted sleep, alcohol use, unmanaged stress, and long stretches of screen time may interfere with recovery.
As recovery progresses, people may notice changes in sleep and headaches, followed by greater tolerance for work, reading, exercise, light, and noise. Re-scanning can be considered alongside real-world milestones such as sleeping through the night, completing a workday, and returning to exercise without symptoms returning.
Looking Beyond Symptoms During Recovery
A 10-year-old soccer player came to Dr. Laura after developing headaches, light sensitivity, and fatigue following a concussion. Because he already had previous nerve scans, his post-injury results could be compared with his earlier baseline.
His symptoms were much better after a couple weeks which was great, but his scans were not yet back to how they looked before. His mom kept him out of sports until his next reevaluation (which showed clear scans). She felt good having a functional measurement to guide their choices. More than just rushing back into sports, they wanted to be confident that his body was ready.
Every person responds differently to a concussion and to care afterwards. A history of multiple concussions or a highly stressful day to day will impact the rate of healing, and what other factors will go into a healing plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Have to Lose Consciousness to Have a Concussion?
Does a Normal CT or MRI Mean I’m Fine?
Should I Completely Rest Until My Symptoms Disappear?
Why Would Chiropractic Care Be Involved in Concussion Recovery?
Why Don’t I Feel Normal Even Though I’ve Been Cleared?
Where Can I Get Additional Concussion Care?
If you’re looking for concussion care in Wisconsin, help with post-concussion syndrome in Madison, or a concussion recovery chiropractor in Fitchburg, Body Wave Chiropractic offers an objective look at nervous system function alongside appropriate medical care. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
