A knock to the head is frightening, and more so when it is your child coming off the field or the ice. This page explains what a concussion is, which signs mean you should go to the hospital, and where chiropractic care fits alongside medical care at our clinic on Main Street in Vancouver, BC.
If a head injury has just happened: a suspected concussion should be assessed by a physician first. Do not wait to see how it goes if any of the warning signs below are present. Chiropractic care does not replace that medical assessment, and it does not treat the brain injury itself.
What a Concussion Is
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury. It happens when a blow to the head, or a hit to the body that whips the head, shakes the brain inside the skull. It is a bit like dropping a phone. The case can look fine on the outside while something on the inside got rattled.
You do not need to be knocked out to have a concussion. Most people who have one never lose consciousness. Imaging often looks normal too, which is one reason a concussion is diagnosed by a physician from the story of the injury and an examination, not by how someone looks.
Common Symptoms
Symptoms can show up right away or build over the first day or two. People describe:
- Headache or a feeling of pressure in the head
- Dizziness, nausea, or trouble with balance
- Sensitivity to light or noise
- Feeling foggy, slowed down, or unable to concentrate
- Trouble remembering what happened before or after the injury
- Unusual tiredness, sleep that is lighter or heavier than normal
- Irritability, sadness, or feeling more emotional than usual
- Neck pain and stiffness
Children and teens may not describe any of this clearly. A parent might notice a kid who is quieter, cranky, clumsy, or who suddenly does not want to go to school or practice.
Warning Signs: When to Go to Emergency
Some signs mean the injury may be more serious than a concussion. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department right away if there is:
- A headache that keeps getting worse, or repeated vomiting
- Loss of consciousness, a seizure, or difficulty staying awake
- Increasing confusion, slurred speech, weakness or numbness
If you are unsure, call HealthLink BC at 811.
Why the Neck Is Often Involved
When the head is hit or snapped suddenly, the neck takes a lot of that force. The same moment that can rattle the brain can also strain the joints, muscles and ligaments of the neck, much like whiplash after a car accident. And so a person can walk away with a concussion and a sore, stiff neck at the same time.
That matters because the two overlap. Headaches, dizziness and a foggy feeling can come from the head injury, from the neck, or from both, and it is not always easy to tell them apart. A physician sorts out what is happening in the head. The neck is the part we can look at and help with.
Where Chiropractic Care Fits, and Where It Does Not
Diagnosing a concussion and managing the brain injury is a medical matter. That is not our role, and we will not suggest otherwise.
What we do is look after the spine and nervous system, with the neck as the focus after a head injury. Once a physician has assessed the injury, care at our clinic is aimed at the neck-related side of things: stiffness, whiplash-type strain, the postural habits that creep in when you are guarding a sore neck, and headaches that seem connected to the neck, which we look at during the assessment.
Our clinic uses a gentle, low-force instrument-based approach, the Torque Release Technique. There is no twisting or cracking of the neck. After a head injury we move carefully, and the pace is set by how you are doing and by your physician's guidance. If something in your history or symptoms suggests you should see a doctor, we will tell you.
For more on how we look at the upper neck, see our page on upper cervical chiropractic in Vancouver.
Your First Visit at Our Main Street Clinic
The first visit is about listening and looking. We start with a detailed conversation. When did the injury happen, how, and what has changed since? Who have you seen so far, and what did they tell you? Has this happened before? We want the whole picture, including any head injury history, medications, and what a normal day looks like for you now.
From there we do a physical examination of the neck and spine, with posture analysis and range of motion testing. We also use the neuro spinal scans described on our facilities and equipment page. These scans record muscle activity, temperature and heart rate variability as a baseline. They do not diagnose or measure a concussion, and we do not use them that way. X-rays are only taken at the discretion of the doctors, and only if there is a reason.
At your second visit we go over your findings, a written report and your care plan.
Working With Your Doctor and Other Providers
A head injury is looked after by a team, and we are one part of it. We collaborate with other practitioners like physiotherapists, kinesiologists and trainers, and we refer people on when we are not the right fit for what they need. You can read more on our referral sources page.
If you have been told to rest, avoid screens, or stay out of sport until cleared, please follow that. Nothing we do changes your doctor's instructions.
Easing Back Into School, Work and Sport
Your physician guides when and how you return to school, work and sport. Our clinic can work alongside that plan for the neck. If symptoms return or get worse, check in with your doctor.
For Young Athletes and Their Parents
Kids and teens are looked after more cautiously after a head injury, and their return to school and sport is usually slower than an adult's. Vancouver is an active city for young people, with soccer, hockey, rugby, basketball, gymnastics, and skiing and snowboarding on the North Shore mountains in winter. Head knocks happen in all of them.
If your child has hit their head, start with a physician. Once they have been assessed, we can look at the neck and talk with you about gentle care that suits their age. Our approach with children is very gentle. If you are curious, our pediatric chiropractic page explains how we work with kids, and our sports chiropractic page covers athletes more broadly.
Whiplash, Headaches and Related Neck Concerns
Many people come to us after a car accident, a fall, or a sports collision with neck pain and headaches, and sometimes a concussion on top of that. We see adults with these concerns regularly. Our adult chiropractic page lists the other concerns we see.
Find Us in Vancouver
Our clinic is at 3496 Main St, Vancouver, BC V5V 3N2. Patients come to us from across the city, including Mt. Pleasant, Fairview, South Cambie, Oakridge, East Vancouver and Kitsilano, and from neighbouring Burnaby and Richmond. If you are not sure whether to come in, call us at 604-731-3006 and we will talk it through. For the clinic overview, see our chiropractic clinic in Vancouver page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can a chiropractor diagnose or treat a concussion?
A: A concussion is a brain injury, and diagnosing it and managing it is a job for a physician. We do not claim to treat the injury itself. What we do is assess and care for the neck and spine, alongside your medical care.
Q: Should I see a doctor before I see a chiropractor after hitting my head?
A: Yes. A suspected concussion should be assessed by a physician first, and any warning sign listed above means going to emergency. If you have already been seen, bring any notes or instructions you were given to your first visit with us.
Q: Why does my neck hurt after a concussion?
A: The neck often absorbs a lot of force when the head is hit or whipped suddenly, much like whiplash. Neck pain, stiffness and headaches that start in the neck are common after a head injury. Your physician can help sort out which symptoms come from where.
Q: Will you adjust my neck after a concussion?
A: A physician should assess the head injury first. After that, any care starts with a full assessment at our clinic, and the techniques we use are low-force, with no twisting or cracking of the neck.
Q: When can my child go back to sports?
A: That is a decision for your child's physician. We will not clear a child to play.
Q: How long does it take to recover from a concussion?
A: That is a question for your physician, who is tracking the head injury.
Q: What should I bring to my first visit?
A: Any notes from your doctor or the emergency department, a list of medications, and details about how the injury happened. If your child is the patient, a parent or guardian should come with them.
