Healing; It's A Tricky, Tricky Thing - 3/31/2022

I was thinking this morning how healing from a brain injury is so complex and has many different puzzle pieces to it... and all the different pieces aren't usually talked about. It's, oh, go do this therapy or go see that doctor and they will magically fix you. I don't think one doctor, practitioner or therapist has all the answers. You need to take each piece and think of it individually while still taking into consideration how it fits into the big picture. Here's a few things I came up with that I think have been super important in my healing journey and would be worth looking into. (However, everyone's healing journey is different and what I need and what you need is different. Please trust your gut and do your own research. Knowledge is power. And it's about dang time we feel "powerful" about something...because we all know none of us feel in control of any aspect of our bodies/lives anymore, haha.) The List: - Blood-brain barrier and how it relates to concussion - Structural stability/instability of your neck (should be the first thing addressed in my opinion after concussion/whiplash) - Digital motion x-ray (to see what's really going on with your neck) - Muscle work/muscle re-education - Neuro inflammation - Systemic inflammation - Leaky gut (which connects to the weakened blood-brain barrier) - Food sensitivities - Hormone testing - Functional neurologist (for retraining/strengthening brain pathways) - Vagus nerve and what happens if it's compressed - Blood flow issues to/from your head (compressed veins/arteries/nerves) - Calcification (turns to bone) of the stylohyoid ligament to help bring stability to an unstable neck. Not everyone gets this but it's worth looking into. If you catch it soon enough and fix your neck, the body should reabsorb the calcification (it could turn into Eagle's Syndrome though which is a very not-great-thing) - Sleep issues usually relates to hormone levels being off (cortisol and melatonin production) - Water intake - Sleep issues and how it effects the brain - Inner peace (talk therapy, emotional release work, building your tool belt to have healthy coping skills and healthy mindset, etc) I'm sure there's many more, but I'll leave it here. Don't forget, healing a brain injury isn't linear. There's many ups and downs, set backs and leaps forward. The key is to never give up. Keep pushing forward. I'm cheering you on from my little corner of the world and trust me when I say you can do this. - L