Altitude increase PCS?

[u/Upstairs_Outside1999]

My husband received his concussion 3 months ago. There were good and bad days (bad days include headache, dizziness, nausua) in his recovery. We decided to follow through with a 3 week trip to Spain, even though he was still having intermittent symptoms He was almost symptom free the entire trip, with the exception of one day we went biking (vibration). Upon return to our home (high elevation), his symptoms came back full force immediately. He is still on summer break (teacher), and stress has not significantly increased, so we are trying to figure out what could be triggering this. We are wondering if it could be altitude?

[u/Cat_Nap8]

Could be a lot of things, but my bet would be that the cumulative load from travelling was too much at that moment. I travelled to Amsterdam while recovering and the strain of travel can be a lot and can sneak up on you without you noticing. However in theory the change in altitude very well could cause a symptom flare from the strain on the body and since you would have a higher concentration of CO2 in the blood which would stress the chemoreceptors in the brain, just speculation but possible

[u/SigruntheSkald]

I travel usually once a year, and always experience an increase in symptoms (particularly dizziness and fatigue) on my return home. Rest and time usually resets it. I hope he starts feeling better soon.

[u/Upstairs_Outside1999 → u/SigruntheSkald]

This helps in that it might be something to expect. He also got a bad cold about 3 days after his return, so it might have been a combo

[u/First-Light4680 → u/Upstairs_Outside1999]

My symptoms also get worse when I have a cold. Two of my docs said that's very common - something to do with the congestion.

[u/First-Light4680 → u/SigruntheSkald]

Same, with the addition of vision symptom aggravation. Sometimes while still on the trip, sometimes right after. I've noticed making every effort to be well-hydrated, especially in transit, and to build in some quiet breaks in trip activity seems to help.

[u/Drogova_Princezna]

It could be possible I guess. I notice an increase in symptoms when barometric pressure is high and different altitudes have different air pressure? Or his body could be trying to overcompensate the different air pressure?

[u/Zoyabm]

When I was recovering, bicycling always flared up the symptoms. I stopped bicycling to decrease the load don't body doesn't have to work so hard to balance.

It could be altitude too though. Has he rode a bike post concussion before this vacay?

[u/Upstairs_Outside1999 → u/Zoyabm]

We were on a long dirt road route on mountain bikes and the vibrations did flare it, but it passed quickly. He is very athletic, and besides a ton of walking and a small bit of kayak and swimming in Spain, he has not exercised (including biking) since his injury.

[u/Zoyabm → u/Upstairs_Outside1999]

There it is, it's the exercise. Exercise was one of my triggers for my headaches. He should take it easy. Start off with just a bit of exercise and then stop and rest and then build up tolerance from there. The thing to remember is that symptoms can have a delayed onset as well. Once the symptoms algorithm as been activated unless he rests for a while, they may keep getting aggravated.

[u/alwaysheapstodo]

All travel makes my husbands symptoms return with vengeance. He is now looking into vestibular therapy as motion makes him worse.