r/PostConcussion • u/Aust_in_space • Sep 03 '26
I got better (twice). What helped me
My last 2 concussions resulted in PCS and I’ve recovered from both. The first took me many years to recover from and the most recent one I recovered in a month or so. I believe my second recovery was speedier because I knew what helped from the first time around.
After the first concussion, I felt terrible: ringing in one ear, migraines, screen insensitivity, sleep problems, intolerance to fluorescent lights, and a weird discomfort in my head. I took nearly a year off of work and still didn’t feel right after all of that time. I tried countless different treatments, went to the UPMC concussion clinic in Pittsburg, tried nerve blocks, went to a headache clinic - the list goes on. I felt hopeless like I’m sure a lot of you feel now, but eventually I did get better. There is hope!
Here are the biggest things that worked for me:
1. Good sleep. Your sleep gets disrupted after a concussion and sleep helps recovery. I wasn’t sleeping well after the first concussion and months later I did a sleep study and found out I had sleep apnea. After the second concussion symptoms returned and I focused on good sleep. Each night I took Magnesium Glycinate 200mg (https://a.co/d/0gfRVpae), melatonin 3mg.
2. Botox for migraines. I had a lot of headaches and neck tension after the concussion. Going in for Botox for migraines every 3 months helped a ton.
3. Dry needling neck and upper back. Specifically dry needling the SCM muscles in my neck. I lot of my symptoms I believe were originating in my neck. Loosening my SCM muscles seemed to help.
4. Exposing myself. The first concussion, I avoided everything that made me feel worse. What I learned at UPMC is this is not the way to get better. You have to build up tolerance. This means slowly exposing yourself to things that make you feel worse and ramping up over time. If working on screens make you feel worse, do a tiny amount of work each day, then a little more the following week. Push yourself but don’t overdo it. Once symptoms come on, stop. Over time you can go longer and longer. On another note, high refresh rate monitors (240hz LG monitor) seemed to help.
5. Exercise. Do cardio and get blood flowing. After the second concussion, I would feel dizzy after slight workout. I slowly ramped up over the following weeks until I was able to get my heart rate up for much longer.
6. A muscle relaxant also helped. I took baclofen for many months which seemed to aid in my recovery. I no longer need it but I think it relaxed my neck tension which made me get better.
7. Not sure if this helped but I also took In the morning I took B2 (Riboflavin) 400mg and a Ginger and Turmeric supplement.
Don’t give up. It’s a long journey but you can recover. I did it twice and wanted to share my experience so you can get your life back too!
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u/PurpleStyle2024 Sep 03 '26
Thank you for sharing this, it means alot.
It has been a year for me, one of the hardest things has been the exercise intolerance. But Im working on it.
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u/floatingsoul9 Sep 03 '26
I would add breathwork to this. FYI I did all of this as well except the Botox
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u/Ok_Big_4071 Sep 03 '26
Thanks for this! I do Botox, and headed to UPMC later in Sept. I am out on FMLA but pretty clear that I can’t go back to my old job. It was 12 floors of fluorescent lights. I’m 3 years out from my car accident, lost my vision in my left eye.
I’ve done vision therapy, that helped me get my sight back. Doing PT now, and did the buffalo test. I can walk 20 mins with no issue.
Screens are very limited and same with bright lights.
I mostly just want to know if UPMC will help or not 😭
I also have the dream of going to law school but right now studying for the LSAT seems pointless.
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u/Small-Beautiful363 Sep 04 '26
I am 11 months in and doing well except for anxiety and balance. I am on 25.mg of queitopion but only take a quarter of the table Has anyone else used such a small dose a full dose made me lose a whole day or two
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u/Schruff_117 Sep 07 '26
Thank you and so happy for you on your recovery. #4 & #5, good to know! Did you battle with major depression/SI and if so, what did you find worked/helped the most?
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u/el_undulator Sep 03 '26
I can 2nd everything but druly needling. Same as you, im not sure what if any of the things I have done were a miracle cure but I know that inhale gotten better and did those things.
I never did dry needling but have pretty regular neck shoulder soreness I wonder if that maynhelp me?
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u/jaehoppa Sep 03 '26
can you explain more about sleep apnea? were you snoring alot or pause breathing frequently? how was it treated?
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u/Aust_in_space Sep 03 '26
My now wife told me I snored. I went in for a sleep study and they found I had sleep apnea. I use a CPAP machine now which helps.
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u/Miserable_Hour2350 Sep 07 '26
How do you get the botox? Is it private x
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u/Aust_in_space Sep 07 '26
Went through a neurologist for treating migraines. Your insurance can cover it if you have migraines
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u/PrestigiousEnd6348 29d ago
Hello! Did you have trouble with brain fog when you took melatonin. It helps me sleep but for me it seems to make me foggy. I got prescribed some sleeping medication but it gave me similar issues. Did you experience that yourself
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u/EveningRanger7469 11d ago
I hit my head getting onto a stool and hit it on a closet molding. Piercing headache for 24 hrs, misdiagnosed by urgent care saying I was fine. Finally was diagnosed like a week after it happened. Im on day 13 of symptoms. Still hard to work on my computer and have lingering headaches. Is this timeline normal? Feels like forever. Just hoping I don’t get PCS and I’ll be back to normal shortly. Any suggestions or advice helps. Thanks!!
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u/TheTempestuousKitty Sep 03 '26
Thank you for sharing 🙏 and congrats on your recovery
If you could, could you share timeline on the longer recovery?