Top Health Tips on Treating a Head Injury

Head injuries occur due to a variety of injuries - road accidents, falls, sports, assaults, etc. While some injuries might be obvious, others may not have an external injury. However, given the structure and vascularity of the brain, there could be definite damage to the blood flow and brain function. There would be an alteration in the person's behavior which may seem weird to others. A detailed history and examination will help unearth these symptoms and the underlying causes and thereby manage them.

Any of the above injuries can result in jarring of the brain, and especially in cases of children, it is advisable to immediately consult a doctor. If it was a very minor injury, then any of the following symptoms should warrant a visit to the doctor.

- Worsening headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Difficulty waking up from sleep
- Irritability and confusion
- Unequal pupil size or dilated pupils
- Confused about name or place of belonging
- Unclear speech
- Numbness in the legs or arms

As with all other conditions, homeopathy believes in getting to the root of the issue and not just treating the symptoms. There have been cases reported where the patient had severe symptoms, was given homeopathic remedies with complete cure of symptoms. There are specific remedies in the acute phase and the chronic phase.

Acute phase: The commonly given remedies in the acute phase include Aconite, Arnica, and opium. They are aimed at stimulating recovery and should be given immediately after the injury has happened.
- Aconite: Used when the patient is restless and panicky with the fear of death.
- Opium: These may have injuries elsewhere but not on the head, may feel dazed or be in coma, could also have a bloated face.
- Arnica: If the patient is severely bruised, however, is denying help and claims to feel well, then Arnica should be given

Chronic phase: These remedies help in managing the long-term implications of a concussion that sets in sometimes even after months.

Natrum sulphuricum: The person here is usually depressed and irritable, suicidal in some cases, have a feeling of ringing in the ears, experience vertigo. The symptoms are worsened in wet or damp conditions.

Natrum muriaticum: The person becomes sad or withdrawn, have a chronic headache that is worsened when out in the sun, and develop a dislike for salt. Being at the seaside can make these symptoms to improve or worsen dramatically.

Hypericum: The person will have convulsions immediately after the injury and can complain of "pins and needles" sensation later on.

Helleborus: The person seems to shut down since the injury has happened with indifference to pain or pleasure.

Hyoscymus: The person becomes talkative, excited, laughs inappropriately, and in rare cases, muscle spasms or even epilepsy.

Frequent headaches can be uncomfortable at best, and debilitating at worst. While a chronic migraine can come with a throbbing pain on one side of the head, headaches due to tension can cause mild to moderate pain on both sides. Also, daily headaches happen in at least 15 days, Hemicrania Continua is a condition that brings about constant pain, and usually happens on one side of the head. Other causes of headaches include eye problems like myopia, presbiopia, squint, long sitting on computer screen, low sugar, acidity etc. A proper eye checkup, neurologist opinion, diet, meditation for treatment is important. Read on to learn more about dealing with these different kinds of headaches.

1. Medical treatment: Inflammation, infections like meningitis and brain injuries that have been proven to be traumatic should be treated with due medication after a proper consultation with a doctor. In certain cases, headaches can be caused due to brain tumours and they must be treated at once. Also, headaches that come with fever, stiff neck, confusion and constant vomiting must be treated by a doctor immediately.

2. Take an over the counter drug: Taking an over the counter drug for instant pain relief can stop the pain and give temporary or long term relief, depending on the kind of headache you are experiencing. It is advisable to speak with a doctor before taking any kind of drug.

3. Find your triggers: Find and limit your triggers like certain food types as well as stress and certain seasonal changes. Stepping out in the summer with an umbrella and avoiding caffeine or too much of chocolate and cheese can also help in alleviating the pain. Stress is also a major factor that contributes to headaches and should be avoided in order to prevent or stop the pain.

4. Drink plenty of water: Staying hydrated is a good way to treat headaches instantly. The consumption of water is known to soothe the pain effectively.

5. A soothing break: Find a quiet place with dim lighting to take a break that should ideally last at least half an hour to one hour, or even more. This will help in diminishing and removing the pain. You can also use a cold compress and get yourself a massage.

What does neck and shoulder pain indicate?

The stabbing pain that you experience around the neck and shoulder region should never be ignored as they may indicate health problems that require medical attention. There are certain points that you need to keep in mind the if you experience prolonged pain in these areas of the body.

1. Neck injury? your neck and shoulder pain should be seen as a warning sign that you need to take a look at the neck injury you may have sustained during a rear-end automobile accident. More specifically, whiplash injuries that happen when the head experiences a sudden backward and forward jerk, straining the tissues of the neck.

2. Pain in these areas of the body could indicate abnormalities in the vertebrae of your neck such as herniated disc, causing added pressure on the nerves of the spinal cord.

3. Your neck and shoulder pain complaint may also point towards muscle strains. Lifestyle factors like working long hours in front of laptops or desktops leave you with no time and zero energy to exercise, resulting in serious neck and shoulder pains.

4. Your neck and shoulder pain may also indicate the problem of cervical spondylosis. This is a degenerative disc disease, which is characterised by severe pain that originates from the neck and radiates till the shoulders.

5. Even heart problems, such as a heart attack can cause pain in the shoulder and the neck. When this happens, the condition is known as referred pain.

6. Adopting an improper body posture during lifting of heavy materials can induce pain in your body parts, with neck and shoulders being the most vulnerable areas.

7. You may be suffering from a condition known as rotator cuff injury in which the group of ligaments and muscles that support the shoulder get injured during lifting or playing any sport.

To avoid aggravating the pain from becoming more severe, you shouldn't ignore any ache that arises from these areas.

When a sudden bump, blow, or jolt occurs to the brain, it results in a traumatic brain injury. According to the area involved in the traumatic brain injury, the patient may lose his consciousness, or he may lose the function of any part of the body. In the first few weeks following a traumatic brain injury, rapid recovery occurs but slows down over the following years. Hence, in order to gain rapid recovery, physiotherapy treatment should be started immediately.

Why physiotherapy is helpful in traumatic brain injury?

Along with the proper medication, physiotherapy assists in rapid recovery of the patient in the following ways:

It improves balance and co-ordination, thereby, decreasing the risk of fall.

It increases the ability to move in the bed, sit, stand, or to do activities for daily living.

It reduces muscle spasms, pain, and stiffness in cases of muscle involvement with traumatic brain injury.

It increases strength of the paralyzed (non-functioning, weakened muscles) limbs in cases of paralysis which occur after traumatic brain injury.

Continuous and persistent practice of physiotherapy ultimately results in independence and increased quality of life.

What therapies are included in physiotherapy for patients with traumatic brain injury?

The therapy needs to be followed on a daily basis under a proper guidance of a physiotherapist. It includes following methods:

Sensory stimulation: It includes application of specific stimuli, such as tactile (touch), proprioceptive, vestibular, auditory, visual, or olfactory stimuli. It is given in comatose patients. It acts by stimulating the brain and improving stimulus transmission, and it results in overall a rapid and better recovery.

Respiratory therapy: It is given to ICU patients. The main aim of this therapy is to promote ventilation, to improve oxygen saturation, and to improve thoracic mobility.

Therapies for prevention of contracture: Contractures mean that there is a loss of joint mobility. Hence, for the prevention of the contracture, active or passive movement of the joint or stretching exercises is generally advised.

Use of a serial cast: Serial casting is widely used to reduce stiff muscles and to improve the range of motion. They are changed in an interval of 4 to 7 days.

Mobilization: Mobilization therapies, such as bringing the patient into an upright seated position at the edge of the bed, outside the bed, or to a standing position are advised to improve the mobility of the patient.

Training for self-care: Training for improving the activities of self-care and the activities of daily living (ADL) is generally taught to the patients with sensory, motor, or cognitive dysfunction.

Use of tools: Various tools, such as walking aids and supports are generally advised to improve and maintain the balance of the patient.

Facial paralysis can happen due to many factors. Sometimes inflammation develops around the facial nerve as it passes through the skull from the brain. This presses on the nerve and makes it stop functioning. As the nerve stops functioning, so does the muscle it controls.


This is what happens in Bell s palsy, the most common cause of facial paralysis.


Bell s palsy can happen to anyone and its cause is, hold your breath, a viral infection. Herpes zoster, Varicella zoster and HIV viruses can cause Bell s palsy.


Bell's palsy is a common cause of a facial paralysis but there are many others too that affect or damage facial nerve. These include head injury, sarcoidosis, lyme disease, growths in the ear, tumours in the parotid gland, brain tumours and stroke.


The weakness of the face usually one-sided is a symptom of Bell s palsy. The face may droop to one side, chewing food is also tough, drooling, dry eyes and difficulty wrinkling forehead and speech are other symptoms of Bell s palsy, the most common reason for facial paralysis.


Treatment:
The type of therapy you receive for facial paralysis will depend on its cause. It will also develop on how long you ve suffered from facial paralysis and the extent of damage to the facial nerve.


Your physiotherapist can help and so can speech and language therapists to deal with the issue.


In physiotherapy, a treatment called 'facial retraining' with facial exercises helps with facial palsy. It is important that you seek help from a therapist who specialises in facial rehabilitation only.


This is what you can expect from facial rehabilitation therapy-
Exercises for eye care
Exercises for dry mouth management
Exercises to make drinking and eating easier
Speech therapy
Your physiotherapist will educate you on how the facial nerve works and how it recovers. This is important to make you recover. A home therapy programme plays an important role too. It includes massages to keep face muscles mobile and healthy, stretches to lengthen muscles, exercises to help re-learn balanced facial movements and relaxation of your facial nerve and muscles.


The physiotherapist will work on your facial movement to make muscles fit. The basic idea is to slowly rewire the brain-to-nerve-to-muscle pathway. The physiotherapist s first step is to retrain you to do correct movements voluntarily, while mentally focusing on the movement.


Physiotherapy may take months but keep at it to recover completely, especially the home exercises.


Injections of botulinum toxin or Botox also help especially if you suffer from spasms in facial muscles. Surgery is also an option for chronic cases.


Remember that exercises should be done gently as well as daily to reap benefits. Always do these exercises with the help of a therapist only. Doing exercises by yourself can be counter- productive.

Physiotherapy can greatly help a patient of paralysis by making him/her independent to the maximum extent. Physiotherapy also plays an important role in negating potential complications after a paralysis. Although the process of rehabilitation can take time, it produces significantly encouraging result for a patient to continue with it until full recovery. The recovery depends on the type of paralysis a person has undergone. Notably, there are four types of paralysis:

Hemiplegia

Quadriplegia

Paraplegia

Monoplegia

Role of Physiotherapy-

The process of physiotherapy should resume as soon as the patient is stabilized. It not only helps in relaxing muscles, but also helps in smooth blood circulation. Long-term therapy can ensure muscle tone and overall well-being of an individual.

In the case of an external injury related to the brain, physiotherapy can speed up the recovery and reduce swelling to a significant extent. Some of the benefits are-

Physiotherapy can help a person regain the highest possible mobility.

Physiotherapy can increase the respiratory function of a person.

It helps the person in bringing down blood pressure and contracture.

A physiotherapist also focuses on unaffected area and works on them to ensure that the unaffected part of the body, in no way, loses mobility and retains the natural strength.

Physiotherapy also helps to manage a paralyzed bladder.

A physiotherapist suggests proper wheelchair, splint, braces, orthosis etc. These help a person to reintegrate quickly after the paralysis.

Physiotherapy lifts the morale and motivation of a patient by addressing post-traumatic experiences such as denial, anxiety, hostility, depression and anger.

It also serves as a perfect guide for the family of the patient.

Exercises that a Physiotherapist Suggests-

Aerobic Exercise: This is a set of physical exercises that lets the muscle tissues exchange oxygen at a rapid rate. The goal is to enhance the function of the motor neuron and the aerobic capacity of a patient. Support straps and gain belts might be required for a patient to stand on feet. A handrail helps to walk during this phase.

Physical Conditioning: Balance, stability, and coordination is the motive of any physical program for a paralyzed individual. Passive or active motion exercises help an individual to regain function of the limbs. Passive exercise also helps to regain strength. A physiotherapist rotates the thumb of a patient in such a way that the back of his hand faces forward.

Leg Rotations: One common exercise that is tried by a physiotherapist is to make the patient lie down on a mat with his/her legs straightened. Supporting the knee joint and the ankle, the right leg is moved outward and pulled backward. This is again repeated with the other leg.

Are you aware of the causes and symptoms of vertigo? Also known as bhrama, vertigo is a balance disorder. It is also referred to as a spinning sensation and head rush. A sense of spinning of the nearby surroundings is experienced by a person affected with vertigo. Standing in an upright position becomes difficult. The onset of this condition occurs in several ways. Ayurveda has a complex explanation for vertigo or bhrama, which is as follows:

Ayurvedic approach
According to Ayurveda, vertigo is caused because of your pitta and vata doshas.

When the vata and pitta doshas get excited, an abnormal functioning of the balance mechanism within your inner ear is caused.
A vestibular imbalance, or an imbalance in the inner part of your ear is the primary cause of vertigo. It disrupts the coordination of a stimulus and response.
Any defect or disruption in the proper flow of oxygen to the ear can result in vertigo attacks.
Factors causing imbalance in doshas

Viral infections like common cold
Ear problems like discharges, infections in the ear cavity, and perforation of the eardrum
Certain cardiovascular diseases such as low blood pressure, valve diseases, and improper heart rhythms
Migraine and anemia
Certain neck ailments such as cervical spondylosis
Arthritis and injury to the head that leads to concussions
Ayurvedic treatment

Several Ayurvedic herbs and remedies are used for the treatment of vertigo. These herbs are added to a patient s regular diet. They are as follows:
Ashwagandha improves the flow of oxygen in your body. It is commonly used for dealing with respiratory problems that result in vertigo or bhrama.
Ginkgo is the most effective Ayurvedic herb for curbing all forms of circulatory problems. It enhances the flow of oxygen to various parts of your body. It is ideal for the reduction and elimination of vertigo. It also cures ringing in the ears, which is a common vertigo symptom.
The roots of the vacha tree are effective in giving relief to vertigo patients.
A concoction made of Guduchi Kasaya is effective in curing a vertigo. One should have 30ml of the concoction every morning, at least half an hour before breakfast.
Other important Ayurvedic remedies that help with vertigo management include Triphala, Sarpagandha, Yogendra rasa, Saraswatarishtha, and many others.
It is recommended for you to visit an Ayurvedic practitioner before starting Ayurvedic treatment for vertigo on your own. He will be able to diagnose your condition and severity, and accordingly prescribe the best treatment.

Brain injury can happen as a result of trauma, infection or degeneration with old age. Whatever be the reason, injury on the head can result into brain dysfunction and should be given required medical diagnosis. In these cases, occupational therapy can be a major help.

It helps in improving health, providing rehabilitation and educational service to enable people to participate in things they are interested in and manage their daily activities. Occupational therapy can be used to manage issues relating to memory, organization and attention span, behavior and emotion control, safety issues and issues which contribute to society. Depending on expectations, different therapies can be sought. Read on to know a little more about how occupational therapy can help adults with brain injury.

The person's skills and what they want to do are to be assessed and accordingly a daily plan that can be easily followed is made. Where possible, use technology like smart phone or voice recorder to manage this plan. The therapist can train the person to use these tools, review progress and make changes as necessary.
The therapist will also teach ways to do things on their own like cooking and small shopping, so they become independent and are therefore less frustrated.
Patients in need of anger management, the therapist will help them to identify what induces anger or frustration and support in managing those before it turns into actual anger. This will help the person relax and be more positive.
This could also be done using small roleplays, wherein they are taught ways to respond and be more relaxed and calm.
If you are keen on participating in social events or volunteering opportunities, then the therapist can recommend options for you based on your areas of interest. The therapist can also work with the identified organization (school, NGO, or workplace) to inform them of the kind of support required by you. Work behavior and social behavior can be taught to help the affected person succeed.
If the affected person happens to be alone, then they need to be assessed for ability to judge (e.g., self-awareness, impulsivity, and reliability), even while doing daily activities like bathing and dressing. Driving is permissible only if cleared for it by the therapist.
The home needs to be assessed for safety. You may have to make some safety modifications, for instance replace power tools with hand tools. Else, shared housing options, where independence and having someone close by is possible, should be evaluated.
So, with a brain injury, not all is lost. Occupational Therapy can definitely help restore function to a large extent, so use it to reap maximum benefits.

Child care is often one of the crucial aspects that have to be given due consideration during the growth of a child. Children now are susceptible to a variety of impairments, and even though there are medications and treatments to take care of their needs, they would still require a personal touch. This is where pediatric physiotherapists come in. Their primary job is to work with people of different ages from premature babies to young adolescents to ensure that they interact optimally and address their development stages. Like any physiotherapist, they are also concerned with the movements of the child, their postures and their coordination with the outside world. Let us have a look at their profession in depth.

Role of Pediatric physiotherapists
The major role of the pediatric physiotherapist would be to assess the child and make a detailed physiotherapy plan according to his/her needs. They are also required to work in close collaboration with parents, teachers, doctors and other health care professionals. Based on the length and the gravity of the treatment, it can either be done at home or at the designated health care centers. Some of the conditions they address can include:

Cerebral palsy
Developmental delay
Visual handicaps
Premature babies
Postural problems
Respiratory problems such as asthma
They also give across treatments in older children for:

Brain injury and spinal injury
Neurological diseases
Post trauma injuries, such as fractures, sports injuries
Burns and plastic surgery
Limb deficiency conditions
Chronic pain
The Challenges:
Their major focus would be in imparting guidance for the movement that the child might be hampered with. Since children would not be having the necessary control to fight a disease, they can also focus on strength training in a child. They can also slowly groom up your child to let them feel at ease with the physical world. Most of the exercises and session would focus on one critical issue their confidence level. Pediatric physiotherapists would always concentrate on this aspect, apart from the training. They always encourage the children to take part in a wide variety of activities and will also groom them to be independent. Also in older children when they have the capacity to understand, the pediatric physiotherapist should always inform the child about his/her physical nature and that there is nothing wrong with him. The more open they are to the child, the more the child would reciprocate.

There are also many medications and physical treatment plans that can be given when the child is undergoing the therapy. These can include wheelchair assist, walkers or canes. Most of the children who are affected by the conditions may also have a poor development of their vision. The pediatric physiotherapist should liaise with the ophthalmologist to take care of their needs as a sense of right vision can sometimes go a long way in how the child responds to a treatment. They also have an added commitment of making the child respond to a treatment in which he/she is comfortable in.

Fregoli syndrome and Capgras syndrome are psychological disorders which cause the patients to develop delusions regarding the people around him and his social interaction. They are called delusional misidentification syndromes (DMs). Both conditions are extremely rare and are believed to develop in patients who already have other psychiatric disorders. The two conditions can be compared in the following ways:

Nature of the disease: Patients with Fregoli delusion believe that the many people around him or her are actually the same person in many different disguises. Capgras syndrome, on the other hand, causes the patient to think that someone who he or she interacts with on a daily basis has been replaced by an impostor.
History: Fregoli syndrome was discovered in 1927 in a woman who thought her favorite actresses were disguising themselves as her friends, her employers and even strangers. The doctors named the condition after Italian entertainer Leopoldo Fregoli who did excellent impersonations of contemporary political figures. Less than 50 cases of the disorder have been reported worldwide since then.
Capgras syndrome was discovered in 1922 by French psychiatrist Joseph Capgras. The patient claimed that identical impostors had taken the places of her husband and some of her friends. This disorder is seen more commonly in women than in men and has more reported cases than Fregoli syndrome.

What causes it?
Fregoli delusions can be caused by severe injury to the temporal and parietal areas of the brain or other neural pathways.

Capgras syndrome has more complicated neuroanatomical causes. It is often seen in patients of Alzheimer's disease and dementia and sometimes in patients of bipolar disorder and paranoia.

Symptoms behind them
The symptoms of Fregoli syndrome are delusions, visual and auditory hallucinations, cognitive defects, problems in visual memory and motor functioning.

Capgras syndrome is characterized by delusions, lack of emotional response to a familiar face, constant anxiety and depression.

Treatment
Antipsychotic medication is generally used to treat Fregoli delusions. Anti-seizure drugs and anti-depressants are prescribed to combat other symptoms of the disorder. The family members of the patient are also counselled so that they do not feel insulted by the patient's behavior.

Individualized cognitive therapy is much more beneficial in case of Capgras syndrome than medication. Habilitation therapy is a form of treatment where the patient is not repeatedly contradicted and corrected. Usually the patients' family members are made to talk to them about their mistakes gently without arguing with them.