By Concussion is an extremely common injury which may cause life long health issues. Osteopathy has always been a modality people turn to to get help for this type of injury. It is estimated that there are 24,000 cases in New Zealand each year. Mild concussions can resolve in a few days however 15% of people can have long term consequences. This is due to reactive oxygen and other toxic elements generated by inflammation that continue to cause damage to brain cells. The glymphatic system is responsible for detoxifying the brain whilst we sleep and this is where Osteopathy can greatly assist the process. Gentle mobilising of the cranial mechanism (inherent motility of the eight cranial bones) helps to improve the flow of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This fluid supplies nutrients and neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) to enable the brain to function normally. Concussion also causes tensions to develop in the membranes that divide and surround the brain. These contribute to reduced circulation of the fluid resulting in reduced attention span and altered moods. A skilled osteopath can assist the cranial mechanism to improve this circulation.
References:
1.Corps KN, Roth TL, McGavern DB. Inflammation and neuroprotection in traumatic brain injury. JAMA Neurol. 2015;72(3):355-362. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2014.3558.
Plog BA, Dashnaw ML, Hitomi E, et al Biomarkers of traumatic injury are transported from brain to blood via the glymphatic system. J Neurosci. 2015;35(2):518-526. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3742-14.2015.
Sergueef N, Nelson KE, Glonek T. The effect of cranial manipulation on the Traube-Hering-Mayer oscillation as measured by laser-Doppler flowmetry. Altern Ther Health Med. 2002;8(6):74-76.
Chappell C, Dodge E, Dogbey GY. Assessing the immediate effect of osteopathic manipulation on sports related concussion symptoms. Osteopath Fam Phys. 2015;7(4):30-35.
