In February 2021, I was skating on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa on a snowy day and tripped in a pothole. I fell backward very quickly and, unknowingly, sustained a concussion via whiplash. In the moment, I felt like I “shook my brain” but got up quickly and finished the skate anyways. I opted not to have any alcohol at that night’s Super Bowl gathering to be safe. When I woke up the next morning, everything was too loud and too bright and I had a headache. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and the fact that I didn’t have a family doctor, I called a healthcare provider at my university, who said I didn’t have a concussion, even though I felt like I did. She advised me to do nothing except for school. Everyone I knew who previously had a concussion told me they laid in a dark room for days, weeks, months on end. So that’s what I did. Little did I know, the science had changed. It was only a few weeks later when my post-concussion symptoms–or persistent concussion symptoms–began, that I had to relentlessly seek a more accurate diagnosis and care. This was the start of a 3-year journey to recovery.
I am one of the lucky ones, as I can now live my full life unencumbered by persistent concussion symptoms. But it took three years to get to that point, thousands of dollars of uninsured sports medicine, several different pharmacological solutions, therapy, patience, and the support of my employer and people I care about. I tried massage, physio, craniosacral therapy, corticosteroid injections, different prescribed pain medications, topical creams, psychotherapy, chiropractic care, and acupuncture. Many of these solutions worked at first, and then I would hit a plateau in my recovery, and then have to try something new. The solution [for me] ended up being a combination of chiropractor and acupuncture.
For a long time, I carried around a toolkit to help me when I’d have a flareup: topical peppermint oil, an acupressure pen, a lacrosse ball and Aleve. Ergonomics for school/work make a huge difference in your day-to-day.
If you could go back to when you first acquired your brain injury and tell yourself one thing, what would that be?
Concussions are multi-system, functional injuries. People around you have experienced them, too, but the science has changed since then. See a functional care provider as soon as possible and make a holistic plan to get you back to where you need and want to be. The process is about adaptation, resilience, and growth. One day, you’ll get to a point where exercise makes you feel better instead of worse, and that’s a really good place to be. Go to therapy as soon as possible to help adjust to your new, more restricted lifestyle. Anxiety and depression will make your concussion symptoms worse, so having a support system and patience will help significantly.
What would you like people who don’t have a brain injury to know?
Having a concussion is similar to experiencing grief, in that it’s a glass shattering moment where you realize how many people around you have also experienced it. People with concussions—and especially more serious brain injuries–have to re-learn how to live their lives. It’s a very difficult, long, and draining process. Sometimes you don’t feel like you’ll ever return to normal. If someone you know has a concussion and retracts from your life or is struggling, provide compassion, patience, and any form of understanding. If you’re an employer, provide time and flexibility for recovery.
