Most concussion injuries are mild, and the symptoms heal quickly. However, for some folks, concussion symptoms can last for months or even years.  Headaches, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and neck pain are just some of the problems that can persist. Fortunately, these chronic symptoms are often relieved by gentle fascia release therapies.  

In the United States, over three million people suffer from concussions each year. These injuries are mostly diagnosable by symptoms because concussion does not show on MRI or CT scans. This lack of test findings means that when symptoms from such a mild brain injury last beyond the normal recovery time, the reason is usually unknown. Based on my clinical experience, though, one reason is altered tension in connective tissue called fascia.   

Fascia is fibrous tissue that covers other bodily tissues such as muscles, bones, blood vessels, organs, and the brain and spinal cord. Impact injuries can result in increased stiffness in the fascia, which often lasts long after the injury heals. Gentle treatments to release this stiffness can offer chronic pain relief, including in cases of past head injury. 

As an example, a short while ago, a patient I will refer to as Bill came into our office for help with lower back pain and concussion symptoms that began six months prior. Bill was concussed when standing up from a crouched position, hitting his head on an open cabinet door. While the nausea and disorientation from the initial injury had since passed, he still dealt with frequent headaches, neck pain, dizziness, and lack of concentration at times.   

On examination, Bill presented with stiff fascia at the top of his skull, as well as on both sides of his upper neck and mid-back. Because “position sense” for coordinated motion comes from fascia, this stiffening can disturb position sense, which causes abnormal muscle tension and joint alignment. This can result in pain and other uncomfortable symptoms.  

After one treatment, the intensity of Bill’s headaches were already starting to diminish. Over the course of several visits, his mental focus returned to normal, the headaches and lower back pain disappeared entirely, and his neck stiffness also improved. 

Bill was surprised that he achieved so much relief from a gentle hands-on therapy.  Because the stiffness in fascia from injury is caused by the nervous system, treatment does not require much force. The therapy used in our office utilizes precise, light pressure to relax the tight fascia. When explaining this to patients, I often compare the treatment to fixing a dent in a can. The tissue is returned to normal, and it remains that way.  

Once again, the reason that fascial stiffening can contribute to head injury symptoms is likely due to glitches in proprioception, or position sense. Because most of the nerve endings for position sense are held within fascia, the stiffening from a head impact can cause subtle confusion in the body’s position sense, leading to abnormal muscle tension, nerve irritation, dizziness and other symptoms.    

Gentle fascia release therapy can be an effective way to treat chronic symptoms from a past concussion. If you or a loved one suffer from lasting, unresolved symptoms after a head injury, I recommend an evaluation by a practitioner who is experienced in using fascial therapy for this kind of problem.   

Eric Winder, D.C., uses gentle manual therapy and rehab techniques to help patients with a wide range of pain and injury problems. Dr. Winder has been in practice for 28 years, and his office is located in the Gulf Gate area of Sarasota. For more information, call 941-957-8390 or visit  https://gentlebay.com/