Do you suspect that your coworkers roll their eyes when they hear that you will be absent again because ‘your concussion is malfunctioning’? Do you want to convince them that you are genuine but don’t know how? Does the stigma of ‘pretending’ cause you stress and anxiety? This is a common situation that we see at our Aurora Rehabilitation Clinic and Thornhill Physical Therapy. As in all cases of prejudice, ignorance is at the root. Education about the injury is the best way to control such suspicions.
1. Concussion is a heterogeneous injury
About 80% of injuries are reported to be self-limited, meaning they resolve smoothly with the general advice provided by our Toronto-area post-concussion syndrome specialists; however, 20% are more complicated. This may be due to the mechanism of the injury, the specific place where your brain was traumatized, or due to subclinical conditions that you had, and were not aware of, prior to the injury. So right away, if you’re in the 20% who have long, complicated recoveries, your coworkers will think of 4 other people who didn’t have the same issues as you, so they’ll start to suspect you’re using your concussion as an excuse. to escape from work.
2. Concussions have a heterogeneous course
This is something we can all relate to. Have you ever been in the “zone” and said to yourself “I get this!”? The reason is that our physiology at any moment has an infinite range of potential states and some states are more advantageous than others. For example, the quantitative EEG shows an infinite range of neurological activation in the brain, some more efficient and better suited for certain tasks. This is influenced by how well you slept, how you feel, your beliefs, your energy level, etc .; and in turn influences hormonal levels, your immune function, your ability to regulate the function of your autonomic nervous system, and so on. These, in turn, will affect your energy level, your concentration, your resistance to possible allergens or viruses, your ability to focus your eyes, etc. These factors are a bit like the different colors in a Rubik’s cube and therefore it is easy to see how one might feel stuck at some point.
It is perfectly possible, the rule rather than the exception, to suffer from post-concussion syndrome and perform quite well one day, but not be able to get out of bed the next day. For reasons similar to the examples above, a patient’s ability to perform well after a concussion can quickly be compromised by such mundane things as sinusitis, not getting a good night’s sleep, a headache, too much visual stimulation, or even stress caused by headache. the stigma of “pretending” created by suspicious co-workers in relation to their non-shocked co-workers.
For those looking for physical therapy in Aurora, Ontario or sports physical therapy in Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, or the surrounding areas, we have 2 conveniently located locations to help you recover from your concussion.