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ProActive Rehab is celebrating Brain Health Awareness Month throughout March. As many of you may or may not know, ProActive Rehab provides several treatment options for those who are recovering from a mild traumatic brain injury/concussion such as physiotherapy, exercise therapy and massage therapy.

Massage Therapy is one of the most forgotten/under-utilized interventions when it comes to post concussion treatment. There have been ongoing studies that provide evidence on the effects and benefits of massage for those seeking post-concussion care.

Post concussion symptoms can vary from person to person. The most common post-concussion
symptoms are headaches, fatigue, vision changes, disturbances in balance, difficulty concentrating as
well as light and noise sensitivity. These symptoms can be very debilitating and can affect one’s quality of life and how they go about day-to-day activities. Symptoms often only last from 10-14 days but many persist for longer than 3 months following an incident. Research has shown that persistent post-concussion syndrome has lasting effects on cognition, memory, learning, and executive function.

The approach of traditional massage therapy intervention for post-concussion syndrome will focus on headaches and muscle imbalances within the cervical region. This includes fascial and massage techniques in the anterior and posterior neck muscles. If the individual is recovering from a whiplash accident, the direction in which the individual was looking or was int at the time of the accident can determine how the client is treated. This can change if the individual has more pain, muscle tension and fascial restrictions from left or right.

Massage therapy intervention is recommended soon after an accident to help reduce recovery time and help decrease post-concussion symptoms. Treatment time and the pressure used can vary depending on the individual’s symptoms and tolerance but usually treatment is short, and pressure is light to monitor the individual’s response.

Manual lymph drainage (MLD) is another alternative treatment for those recovering from post-
concussion syndrome. MLD is a light technique that helps encourage lymph movement throughout the body. Some individuals experiencing post-concussion symptoms may also experience head/facial
pressure or tinnitus. MLD may assist with the up regulation of lymph that can be residing in the neck, face or head which then can help reduce these symptoms.

Massage Therapy is a diverse approach to Post-Concussion Syndrome and is highly customizable to each situation. This allows your treatment to be appropriate for your symptoms and recovery progress.
Massage Therapy is complimentary to other very important interventions such as physiotherapy and exercise therapy – which all are provided and available at ProActive Rehab.

Your brain health is important for your long-term health and we at ProActive Rehab want to ensure you get the care you need. Make sure to call us at 705-788-1480 to book an assessment if you, or someone you know, are recovering from a brain injury.