Vestibular pysio

[Nackapan]

Hello I've not been posting on here for some time as use the PA forum.

I've never had a formal diagnosis.

Strange as seemingly back to 2018 as started vestibular physiotherapy again.

3 neurologists could not agree.

I had a very bad fall hitting my head hard .

Only thing that showed on z blood test was very low b12.

One neurologist thought alot of symptoms were down to a TBI

I'm left with a chronic vestibular disturbance

Unable to read a book

Light sensitive and noise sensitive and have tinnitus and chronic fatigue.

I have regular b12 injections.

Just wondered what symptoms others have with post concussion syndrome?

I've come a long way bug feeling a long way to go.

Hope all are doing as well as possible

[khathe]

Hi, I have been diagnosed with persistent post concussion syndrome due to a bad fall and TBI. I have Tinnitus, which I’ve been told they can do nothing about. I also have BPPV, benign positional postural vertigo, I have had vestibular rehab 12 sessions, I have the BPPV on both sides, I have been taught to do a home epley manoeuvre, and have been advised this will most likely be lifelong and recurrent. I have the direct number for the rehab team to re refer myself when symptoms worsen again. I have chronic fatigue, and am just learning to pace myself. I also have short term memory problems, I’m getting neuropsychology rehab for this. Not much they can do, just coping strategies. My accident was March 2021, so I have a long way to go with rehab. My physiotherapist is taking a holistic approach including physical exercises, walking, swimming, pilates along side meditation and a weekly plan to work with, hopefully making life more manageable. It’s hard work, but if I don’t put in the effort then I am holding myself back. It takes up a lot of time. I can’t work now, so I am on a mission to make myself my work and try and stick to a schedule. Ask for help is what I would advise. I waited too long not realising the severity of my TBI. Hope you get on well,

[khathe]

Sorry meant to add, vitamin D is recommended for vestibular problems.

[Nackapan in reply to khathe]

Yes I take vitamin D Hope you continue to find coping strategies.

I have made good improvements .

My first vestibular pysio session was in 2018 after vertigo.

Stillnot sure what exactly caused all of thus.

I was falling alot that was undiagnosed severe b12 deficiency

Which also causes a very long list if symptoms.

I've also looked into diet.

I remember eating alot of plain yoghurt and almonds.

Daily exercises do pay off.

Impressed you can swim!!

A very good sign.

My bad fall was after a swim .

Haven't swim since as unable.

I wish you well too

I have found pushing g through does not work as sets me back big time. We are all different though

[peege]

Hi, about a month ago whilst playing with 8 year old granddaughter I had a go on her Segway, she made it look so easy 🙄. I can only think that as I was getting over a chest infection I wasn't in my right mind. I fell off backwards smashing my head on stone patio. Felt alright that evening and drove 90 miles home. Next day I felt so weird I looked up concussion so rested all day as I wasn't in a fit state to do anything else. Following day I took myself to emergency department of nearby hospital. Doctor confirmed concussion and did all the tests for stroke symptoms & declared that she didn't think I'd had a bleed inside my scull, said to rest as much as possible, no screens for a week (this i found impossible as I'm addicted to Kindle app since pandemic restricted, life so much). In last few days I found that I absolutely can't remember a simple word in mid conversation, normally when this happens the word comes to me pretty quickly (I'm 70) but week it's not coming back to me at all. I suddenly realised that its probably due to hitting my head so hard (slightly left of crown area).

So thank you khathe, I had no idea there was such a thing as post concussion syndrome so will be reading all the 'Related Posts' on the right to learn as much as possible (I joined this forum to seek info to support my beloved sis who had a massive stroke in September).

I already take high doses of B12 & D3 to support CFS which I cope with by pacing myself. Also Ubiquinol is really helping with the chronic fatigue

Thanks so much for enlightening me Nackapan & khathe.

Peege

PS I've had right sided vestibular disease for some years & use Epley Manoeuvre so shall also look up vestibular physio

[Nackapan in reply to peege]

Cawthorne exercises are online if you Google.Get a brain scan if concerned

[Hidden in reply to peege]

The problem with 'forgetting' words is called aphasia, it is a language and communication issue. Your health authority may have help for this, ask your GP.

[khathe]

Oh I wouldn’t say I was pushing through, it’s a very gentle plan that’s been put together, however my next appointment I am going to have to say I need to pull back on some of it, I’ve not managed it and that sets me back. I have to do achievable goals and thought this was, however it’s not been. Mine was an accident at work. Sorry you’ve been traumatised for swimming. I’m getting post trauma meditation treatment, and post trauma counselling has been suggested too. If I have too much on or to do it’s overwhelming and I end up procrastinating over everything

[Nackapan in reply to khathe]

Sounds familiar.Good you going at tour pace.

I'm not traumatised over swimming

I miss it

Worded wrong...sorry

The last worse fall was tripping ovef twine used fir newspapers. I went to kick it out if the way.

It doesn't break!!

Fell flat on my face on concrete ankles still tied.

The pysio wanted a potted history so re visited it all .

That was quite traumatic.

Weary/ hungry after swim getting water and a sandwich I was still holding !!!

Why don't humans just stop rather than carrying on???

[khathe in reply to Nackapan]

I don’t know the answer to that? I went back to work, was making mistakes and was very slow at doing things, couldn’t understand why? Not retaining information, which I now know is the short term memory problems. I guess I just wanted to be who I was and thought I could be, but I’m not. That’s been difficult to accept, however I’m getting there. It’s like having dementia, I can’t find words I want to say, I wander about my house forgetting everything, I get angry and frustrated by it, so acceptance will take time.

I thought concussion was just a bump on the head, not fully understanding what could happen, and I was a nurse!!!! I now have more empathy.

[Nackapan in reply to khathe]

It can improve Get whatever help you can

[Leaf100]

Hi Nackapan,

I was in a car accident and srated having a lot of problems with noise,

balance, falling, not knowing where I was in space, feeling like I was

floating, tinnitus, etc.

Brain injury can result in all you describe, including vestibular like

symptoms that do not respond to vestibular therapy. It may be the injured

brain can not react to those treatments the way an uninjured brain can. I

tried that sort of therapy and it was a nightmare that lead nowhere.

Other symptoms are often balance issues, vertigo, headaches, strange

sensations in the body, increased pain and inflammation, difficulty

speaking and listening and reading, processing more slowly, fatiguing

easily, difficukty findng the word we want - for example being able to say

the place the car gets left instead of parking spot or driveway, not having a

good sense of where you are in space, dropping things, being very irritable,

being very emotional or being less emotional, not being able to understand

things as fast as before, not keeping up with conversations, changes in

what you enjoy doing, needing more rest, changes in sleep patterns, less

impulse control, getting lost or not being able to find your way to places

you used to go (including nit recignizing where you are even though you

have been there before), memory loss - some or all may return but maybe

not.

Brain injury is sort of the same and sort of different depending on what you

injured. Different parts of the braindo different things.

It is cummukative - the more concussions you get the worse it gets. Yes, you

brain can and does find different pathways. But, it is like you used to have

50 people running the factory and now there is only 10, and the other 40

didn't leave instruction manuals for how to do their jobs. This means the

other 10 have to figure out how to, and can only do so much work so you

just do not have the capacity you had before. This is why one day you can

do x and the next you can not - the workers who did x yesterday are busy

doing y today.

The injury also impacts the automagic stuff, like regulating body

temperature, digestion, etc. You will tend to be more tired than usual if

unwell and will take longer to recover. You will find your symptoms worsen

when the weather changes, as your system is busy adjusting to the change

in atmospheric pressure.

You may not be able to listen to people talk when music is on. You may not

be able to listen to music. You may find talking on the phone exhausting.

You can not push through things - it just makes it worse or gives you more

fatigue.

Regular resting is good. Resting meaning doing nothing in a dark room.

Reading and watching tv are not resting. Atsome point you may find

certain activities do not fatigue you , but that is not true for everyone.

The pomodoro technique may be helpful, ir a modified version. You inly do a

task a certain amount of time and then rest before you get tired. This may

mean 30 seconds, or it may mean 25 minutes. The technique as writtenupis

meant for increased work performance, and is 25 minutes work with a 5

minute break, and after the 3rd or forth one the break is 30 minutes.

Remembering to rest and counting it as 'doing something useful' is really

important.

Try finding a green oiece of plastic and put it over what you need to read, or

get stuff on green paper. For some reason it's easier.

Anyway long novel . It is complicated. Some may apply and some may not

and you may have others. You can have more than one thing at a time,

ie a brain injury plus . It is easy to overlook because you don't see it yourself

often and those looking from the outside may think it is something else.

Awareness comes slowly.

Oh, you can have a bi and a clear scan. Not all damage shows.

Best wishes

Leaf

[Nackapan in reply to Leaf100]

Yes some if thise things do apply to me.I did go for trstibgvto se if overlays or vilified lenses helped.

Unfortunately they didn't do much.

I couldn't watch TV fir 3 years

Or tolerate the radio or much really.

I alot of time in the dark with essential oils blasting out.

Still can't tolerate artificial lights.

I've managed to stay positive most of the time snc fo believe I cxn continue with improvements.

I did have z bad concussion as a child .

The 3 neurologists I've seen said not of consequence.

B12 deficiency also causes such problems but seemingly alot csn be resolved with enough injections .

Only thing and tine that's helped me so far.

I hopd you can make a good recovery

[Leaf100 in reply to Nackapan]

Thanks, Nackapan. You too.