Prolonged Concussion Symptoms (PCS) - Why some people get better quicker than others

Why do some people get better in a week while others take months to years?
PCS” is the acronym that was originally assigned to Post-Concussion Syndrome which was defined as having 3 or more concussion-related symptoms 1 to 3 months or more after a concussion injury. The term Post-Concussion Syndrome was replaced a few years ago with “Persistent Concussion Symptoms” and more recently by “Prolonged Concussion Symptoms”. In any case, the acronym remains: P.C.S. Anyone who has struggled with PCS or knows someone who has knows how difficult this condition can be. We are often told by healthcare professionals that there is no treatment for this condition other than TIME. Recent research over the past decade however has uncovered a lot of new information regarding the CAUSES and TREATMENTS of this complex condition. In part 1 of this two part series we break down the CAUSES of persistent concussion symptoms. In part 2 we will discuss the treatments.
Concussion is treatable. If you or someone you know is suffering with PCS, we hope this information will provide some guidance and hope to continue pushing on.
If you’d like additional support in your recovery, check out our Concussion Fix program where we dive deep into each of these concepts and teach you how to take control of your recovery in a controlled and evidence-based way! concussiondoc.io/offer/the-co...
Check out what our members have to say about the Concussion Fix program: • Treating Post-Concussi...

[@Nickrarri]

I'm just finding this for the first time. I've been struggling with chronic concussion symptoms since 2016 and my health has been deteriorating over the past 5 years. I had a history of concussion from sports in school but it wasn't chronic until I got turpentine poisoning at work. I'm 22 but feel so old. My heart rate is 100bpm resting, 115bpm after eating, and 130bpm if I just walk up a flight of stairs. I can't excirse. I have fast shallow breathing. I often feel foggy and slow. I need 9 hours of sleep and a 2 hour nap but still have low energy during the day. I have had worse IBS since then. My eyes can't focus on words and reading a page is challenging. At work I can get easily overwhelmed by a task that involves learning something new, even if it is simple. I also just recently started to have my limbs go numb or tingly for no good reason. I'm starting to give up hope. Every time I try working to excirse under a threshold I fail because my excirse intolerance is so bad and when I'm feeling good & bad is so blurred I can never tell when to stop or push the boundaries.

[@Nickrarri]

Update: I joined and am starting to feel hopeful. I'm not very emotional but broke down crying at certain points through the intro.

[@wesporter2176]

@@Nickrarri Good to hear you should also look into upper cervical chiropractic check out Dr. Drew Hall's channel.

[@jessbooth5495]

I hope things are improving. Every case is different but taking breaks and listening to alpha waves helped to slow down my brain. I’m still working on recovery but I found Cognitive Fx also has some good (free) content.

[@estebanquito545]

walk, walking is the best exercise, walk fast as fas as you can, drink lots of water, i got pcs as well from two punches in my right ear, my cervical suffered as well, memory problems, and as you mentioned, i feel overwlelmed with simple tasks, tasks that before were a piece of cake, dont push yourself beyond your capacities, all the best from Buenos Aires, Argentina

[@JiveBunny997]

@@Nickrarri same bro, i suffered a knock to the jaw in feb last year and afterwards, as per what my neurologist told me developed pcs. I can tolerate the ear ringing but the balance issues and waywardness is what really concerns me. Some days feeling ok, yet other days feel like crap. Very rare but on a few occasions did cry it out. It hits you for a six. The brain fog, confusion and headaches have somewhat settled though.

[@hebrewhillbilly]

I’m at 3yrs post injury with severe chronic PCS. I’ve been through so many different treatments and the only things that have given me relief are neuroocular therapy and Cognitive FX in Provo UT. This video was spot on

[@ESCAPEDscapegoat4life]

SO GLAD I FOUND YOUR CHANNEL I'VE BEEN SUFFERING FROM THIS SINCE MY CAR CRASH JUST OVER 3 YRS AGO AND HOPING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS. TY I LOOK 4WARD TO MORE OF WHAT U HAVE ON YOUR CHANNEL.

[@angiekanabar4463]

Great information. Thank you

[@ger128]

Very informative video, thank you

[@Suttpups]

Thank you for making these video :) I had a surfing accident in 2019 And I’m still having symptoms Weird food intolerances Dizziness Vertigo Foggy head Everyone keeps saying I’m perfectly healthy But I’ve managed to find someone who may be able to help and everything you’ve explained is what he is saying Honestly this is the worst things I’ve ever been through

[@CompleteConcussions]

Be sure to check out the Concussion Fix program if you want some extra help! The link and info is in the video description :)

[@wesporter2176]

@@anthonyhou9374 I can't believe you can't spell alignment and are trying to tell me the only thing that has helped me and thousands of other people is a lie. In fact there are times when I feel better then I have in decades thanks to this practice. There are many scientific papers confirming upper cervical chiropractic check out the Progressive Chiropractic channel they go into much detail about it.

[@wesporter2176]

@@anthonyhou9374 I did a lot of research into this maybe you can enlighten me? I looked at the x rays of my neck and could see the misalignment myself. Mainstream medicine has steered me wrong before and are proving themselves to be in violation of Hippocratic oaths especially today maybe they told you this absolute rubbish.

[@bhupendrasingharora6183]

@@CompleteConcussions sir please reduce cost of your programme

[@Coz-I-Can]

Get checked for a CCI C0-C1

[@joshuajohnson130]

I'm tuning in

[@mig4634]

I enjoyed this one dr Marshall....cheers . Listen to what he says I went through this for 2 years.

[@mateodominguez1216]

Thanks for the info! Any advice on treating visual snow caused by PCS?

[@charleneboyle5870]

I am researching for my husband who suffered from two concussion as a child and now he has very bad headaches …very excited to hear more about this

[@wesporter2176]

You should look into an upper cervical chiropractor it has been tremendously helpful for my "concussion" which was really a light bump on the head. The issue is often in our neck and the C1 atlas being out of alignment with the skull causing interrupted blood and CFS flow

[@brotherbrenden]

Thank you for your wonderful insights and information about concussion. I'm ready to put into practice yr ideas and thoughts. Very encouraging. God bless you lots.😊

[@tinatill1455]

I believe prolonged concussion symptoms is fluid build up in the brain. I think getting 8 hrs sleep, eating unprocessed food and staying away from drugs & alcohol. 😢 Is a must.

[@SouthsideChristian]

Glad to know some doctors understand this and it’s not all in my head. I’ve had PCS for a year following a vehicle accident. My pcp sent me for multiple expensive, time consuming tests and would never listen to me when I tried to talk about how none of my symptoms presented until my wreck. He didn’t want to be a part of the legalities of my wreck so he refused to believe any of my symptoms were from PCS or my wreck. He diagnosed me with MS after a year of all of these symptoms plus some. I haven’t been able to drive since July and I’ve missed my daughters senior activities because I have to get someone to drive me and nobody was available during these events 🥺 turns out I do NOT have MS and I could’ve been getting treatment for all of this over the last year. I am now, thankfully, getting treatment to get my life back!

[@CompleteConcussions]

This is heartbreaking :(. I'm so sorry that you went through this terrible management. Check out our Concussion Fix program - it will be a complete game changer for your recovery (and you have 14 days for a complete money back guarantee if you don't think it's worth it) - concussiondoc.io/offer/the-concussion-fix/

[@zakrios7389]

How are things looking now 7 months later?

[@Brandon-tg7dl]

Honestly this video doesn’t make me more prepared to combat my 3 months of pcs than before I watched. Highly academic > practical. Biggest exception was explaining misconceptions about exercise and activity. In general, I am greatly appreciative of the work!

[@thegbgfamily]

And that is not what he promised. No one promised you would get your shit together because you watched a youtube clip. Did you actuallythink that? Did you think it was so easy?

[@thegbgfamily]

"make you feel" like you expect some causal link between this clip and your body...

[@TheVideoful100]

Thanks a lot that you make your findings public. Some of the underlying problems you describe remind me of symptoms that parasites can cause. Have you checked with PCS patients if they have parasites?

[@marilouremo1738]

Hi I'm with a concussion. I was taken to ER here at the North Jackson North Miami,Florida hospital. I was,given CT scan and they found something on my mandible but I still have dizziness. I got mri with and without contrast but results aren't given to me yet as it was done last February 14,2022. My real neurologist had done EEG and a red light that passed in front of my closed eyes made me dizzy and I have yet to ask if I got blood clots.

[@1bunnypie]

Omg, you just described majority of my symptoms perfectly, neck pain, headaches, balance etc. I just forwarded this to my physiotherapist, who is reluctant to do much work on my neck because of the Post Concussion Symptoms (neck) I am suffering from. And I keep telling everyone I see, My Neck, My Neck, My Neck... 4 months of agony in neck so far.

[@CompleteConcussions]

The exact reason they SHOULD be treating your neck is because of your post concussion symptoms!! If they won't listen find someone who will!

[@carolpolaseksoares5559]

I Have many head injuries 1991 was all I could Take Had a closed head Injury and is was in bed shape I had it least 10 Concussion Stitches in my head and of course that head injury in 1991 that really did me in and I'm still suffering for it now will it ever end?🤕 Thank You for your Time😊

[@donnacochrane1410]

What is it you can do to combat the Post concussion syptoms as I have all of these disfunctions after landing on the back of my head multi fracturing T1, collar bone, ribs and hip. after a Greyhound bus went of the road and landed 15 ft on its side where I landed with that smashing into the opposite side of where I sat in the front seat. I have not been treated, with the care and consideration of what I may be experiencing for five years. Symptoms are worse but also my stoic nature being a physical fit buff all of my life right up to 65 years old still fit and youthful as a 35 year old and or younger with energy, certifying multiple studies in Yoga teacher to practice in the field, where I taught same types of movement as Assana's all my life, and furthermore studied and completed courses in Thai massage certified to practice with Excellence accolaides from my teachers, in both healing arts programs and in closing was the oldest student of students from Canada, USA and all over the world, participating in my courses, felt that I was a inspiration to them with my physical application was perfect. This has all changed but my cognative mind keeps telling me to not stop moving. With all the movement, I suffer arm severe pain and disfunction, head fog, severe atrophe in my muscles in arms and now seeing a loss of that same tone in my face making me look and feel 20 years older instead of the 20 years younger. Yes anxiety and loss of function is evidently causing me to suffer, loss of life, with my home being my sanctuary but not as I continue to try to make things newer and more pleasant with all the years of trades learned over my lifetime as well as the art, my constant need to help others, feel better about themselves, with encouragement, is still my core personality but my deepest need is to restore my personality with action as I did before the accident. Im forever being told it's too much for me, Im too old now at just turned 70 and feel that age when I have hurt myself pushing the envelope. I have lost the confidence in my having any intimacy in having an emotional and physical intimacy, since my identiy has changed and fear is my distraction taking me in and out of pushing foreward through the crap and finding a new beginning without the pain, and all the disfunction that is the aftermath of damage. How, what, where, and who, do I start for help ythat you speak of. Thank you for your response, as I am still after five years trying to combat what is my suffering.

[@datractor]

Great content. Microphone shape and placement was a bit weird lol

[@joshuajohnson130]

My sports concussion from hischcool still effects me today I'm 24 I was told it was traumatic.

[@thegbgfamily]

I realized after 22 years

[@JKnSK]

Mine was caused by CIRS from exposure to toxins. 4 years in, having addressed most of my metabolic issues, gut issues, now in prism glasses. Is it possible to recover completely?

[@user-zv4ux5wb4i]

Could a 61yr woman that had a concussion almost 12mos ago end up haveing a flare up of siatic nerve and blurred vision?

[@kjones5710]

Good information. There are two opposing schools of thought regarding best steps to recovery. Yours is one way, based on studies done by others. PT, light exercise, as one can bear without tossing their undigested lunch, founded in those particular success stories. The question is, does the person recover because of exercise, "positive thinking", and working, on all fronts, as you state so adamantly, or, in spite of this full-metal approach to "getting back in the game"? The jury is out. There is no one-size-fits all diet for all human beings and there is no "one way" (your way) to help a person with a level 3 PCS situation recover his or herself fully. It is clear tht you have never had a concussion nor do you have PTSD. If you had either or both, you would never have said with utmost authority that they present and/or feel exactly the same. They feel nothing alike. Stating this with zero personal experience translates to zero compassion for both very different but sometimes comorbid conditions. As for patients thinking that their lives were perfect and without stressors and challenges prior to their injury, that would have to include some next level memory wipe. PTSD greatly affected my life. Now, the PCS, regardless of what the DSM-V would like that to stand for, makes PTSD look like a freaking walk in the park. It does not matter how many degrees a person has or what they comprise. There are some things one cannot get from "book learnin".

[@CompleteConcussions]

My decade-plus of experience in treating patients with PCS as well as being a researcher in the space as well as an adamant reader of the medical literature on this topic would greatly disagree with you.

[@thegbgfamily]

This is livechanging knowledge for me. You are basically mapping out a whole lot of my being 😂. AND I am updating professionals around me already. They constantly want to frame me as ADHD but I have "resisted" for years, because I have been interested in science. I'm like: "yes maybe but symptoms and reasons is not the same so I might just want to stress one thing.. yeah maybe pills is not for me".

[@tomibriseno9383]

I had covid and phenomenon I am well from both of those. I fained knocked out hit my head I don't know how long I was out. When I woke up I was on the floor everything was dark I did not know where I was at. It took a while before I realized where I was I crawled back to my bed. I had a CT scan, MRI, went to eye Dr. They saw nothing except the Cat Scan showed a stroke but MRI did not show any thing. Eye Dr found nothing. But I still have extreme headaches, dizzy, insomnia, eyes hurt, neck hurts

[@cherylbeecher6703]

I just had a concussion last year anyway I fell backwards on the stairs can't remember anything bad headaches agitation it's just not good I don't know what to do I'm going to neurologist not really helping just foggy dizzy very dizzy not good

[@BL-rb7jm]

lack of vitamin d will cause high C reactive protein. when your inflammation is high you should take at least 5,000 milligrams of vitamin d 3 with k2. to bring that level of inflammation down. this is what my doctor said. I know that your cholesterol can be normal and end up with a heart attack the problem could be is that the doctor did not do a test for reactive protein level. so my doctor did the test and said my cholesterol was perfect but the inflammation measured very high, so he told me to take 5,000 milligrams of vitamin D. I thought wow is he crazy. well in one month my c reactive protein went down to normal, that quick. my doctor is no longer a regular GP of 15 years he is now a natural-path doctor, along with his sister who was a nurse for many years.

[@marz3382]

Does the same 100% definition come with a diagnosis of whiplash. I was diagnosed with whiplash but only recently has a psychiatrist asked if I was diagnosed with TBI. This is 3 years after I was hit repeatedly by a double decker bus door in London 😢

[@CompleteConcussions]

It doesn't...because whiplash requires less force than concussion. So every concussion will come with some element of whiplash...but not vice-versa

[@marz3382]

Thank you for your reply, I have multiple symptoms related to TBI though, from extreme visual impairment directly after the accident, to highly food sensitive ( carnivore diet has helped immensely) to blinding constant headaches, seizures ( 3) trouble with my walking gaite, memory problems, extreme systemic nerve pain, inability to be slavishly aware( as in there is no way I could cycle or ride a bicycle or car, terrible neck pain, nausea, still a feeling of falling back in space etc…. And yet the pain specialist I have the other day said that they only diagnose TBI if there is a bleed to the brain or surgery is needed and my doctor said she is not qualified to diagnose TBI even though she knows all my symptoms, there are many more symptoms than I wrote about here. I got hit 7 times by a London double decker bus door, was unable to free my foot so I was hit repeatedly but was unable to be forced away by the hit as I was trapped. I’m at my wits end with the treatment I’ve received. I’m back home in Ireland now and I feel so alone in all this 😢

[@paullennon8586]

Silly question but do you think using a jack hammer at work will keep the symptoms going ?

[@dr.cameronmarshall1032]

It depends on the driver of your symptoms - you're dealing with noise and intense vibrations - this could be a driver of headaches, vestibular symptoms, neck issues, sound sensitivity, visual issues, etc.

[@paullennon8586]

@@dr.cameronmarshall1032 well I think I've got a reocurring concussion or something can't quite put my finger on it I've noticed if I fall over skateboarding or something next day I feel like I've been dragged through a Bush no headache just dopy and confused I think the jackhammer could be doing the same so am not going to use it and see

[@RusHnRelaX]

Well I hope you have the time to respond and read my story respectfully, cause God knows we all have 1. Ok so I am without insurance a stay at home dad rt now w/2kids 11&4 and I'm living in a groundhog day nightmare telling myself ok i will begin or start over tomorrow etc but tomorrow never comes and I have been doing this for 8 years give or take a year. It started when I received not my 1st but my 1st severe Ko concussion in a t-bone car accident, a SUV drove into the driver's door & being in a low car the front grill was level with my head & it was lights out for at least an HR or so but I was told later I was talking eyes open but wasn't making sense, I came to towards the end of them cutting the door off to get me out. Than a yr and a half later another extreme car accident I remember I spun out of control & flew out the front windshield where I was knocked out woke up 3 days later with maybe 4 10sec memories through out those 3 days & they told me the van drove over me & dragged me into traffic & a car hit the van stopping it while I was trapped underneath but for yrs I never noticed the little change in my personality, drive, cognitive thinking even down to the way I talk how I talk what I'm saying to what I'm thinking I was focused on all the physical obvious injuries etc even though it's yrs now I never was told or knew about PCS . so fast forward to now I'm 100% antisocial in the house 24/7, I moved far away from any family or friends, I isolated myself a 100%, my gf works and takes the kids most of the time, I'm depressed, health is deteriorated, went from stocky build to over 300lbs, with no middle ground I'm either emotionless or extremely emotional, moods are changing with a flick of a switch through out the day, I'm always tired no matter if I sleep 18hrs or 2hrs I feel fatigued no energy hell you have no idea how long it took me to just write this ☝️it was never this way I had a promising career in medical had almost a decade in the field, I loved people people loved me had so many friends girls & guys fast thinker and talker, I got praised & promoted by co-workers even the most difficult people with snobby rude personalities liked me I just had it all in my life's lil bubble. Now I'm alone in a room and I'm about to lose the last 3 people in my life I know this comment is all over the place probably doesn't even make sense lol but I nodded off 5 to 6xs writing this comment to think of what I wanted to say next yea it happens that quick 😫 anyhow of all that please at least answer this can I reverse the damage of the concussions is there hope will I ever be me again I miss me my kids miss me and my girl needs me so who what where do I go what do I do/need how to do I do it or get there. help me cause I hear & read the info but nothing absorbs anymore when compared to before the accidents I was like a beach towel over a small puddle I just soaked up info. Jesus I don't stop idk God bless you 🙏 hopefully you can help

[@JKnSK]

I'm so sorry for your suffering. Have you had any positive changes?

[@marthapineda9849]

My brain is definitely terrible 😢

[@marthapineda9849]

I haved more them 5 years is so sad my memory is bad end my inyurys are bad too.

[@user-zv4ux5wb4i]

What about ears bleeding after going to er and he fell head first into a tree and sleeping alot ?

[@user-zv4ux5wb4i]

He is 38yrs old it happened 2 to 3 weeks ago so who do I get him chked in with or do i?

[@joshuajohnson130]

Next week

[@Trolls584]

You have your on own opinion if you never had post concussive syndrome you can’t say how people feel that like saying some one with cancer is not that big of a deal

[@joshuajohnson130]

John letti.

[@denisemeissner1929]

My question is have you ever had a concussion?

[@mercy3219]

I wonder if CRPS can be thought of in this way and perhaps improve treatment of this nasty and very painful disease!

[@CompleteConcussions]

not really my wheelhouse however I wouldn't be surprised if there was some overlap!

[@bradgrange5732]

should be called welcome to hell and give me some relief its even a year .

[@tomibriseno9383]

It's been 4 weeks I still have headaches and dizziness, eyes hurt, can't concentrate 😫

[@gabeengel8142]

how are you feeling now? I’m 3 months in.

[@raiderscreed8999]

@@gabeengel8142 how are you feeling. im 6 months in chronic brain fog and fatigue

[@Trolls584]

Are you a doctor

[@marthapineda9849]

I get angry all time end l get crazy too y have hart time too sleeping too my pian is bad my twisted ribs are bad my concussion is kill me y haved lines in my cráneo end aplastado too l los my hearing y have purple on my ears 😢 went I’m with the Dr lm dont remember my inyurys them went a get home l remember little bye little my intyurys is so sad .l have a lot inyurys l feel like nothing get better lm worry about my bad memory end my inyurys my head is kill me😢.

[@joshuajohnson130]

Can't speak at the same pace for 3 months.

[@joshuajohnson130]

Symptom.

[@joshuajohnson130]

Not 4 seconds ago

[@Layingflat]

I couldn’t cope with your black walls, it looks to clutter and sets my pain off

[@kimowen8492]

You keep saying the concussion is NOT the cause of the symptoms, rather it's ANS, or hormones, etc., etc., but you FAIL to acknowledge that ALL of those systems are controlled by the concussion brain....a concussion is a FUNCTIONAL injury and ALL of those disregulated systems you are passing blame on ARE regulated by the brain! You are merely talking in circles!!!

[@CompleteConcussions]

What i'm saying is that the initial symptoms of concussion are due to functional brain issues and metabolic processes. That stops within the first couple weeks. Ongoing symptoms are NOT due to ongoing brain injury but rather other processes. Concussion can be a trigger for these dysfunctions, yes...but so can a variety of other issues - aka these dysfunctions are not specific to concussion. These same symptoms can be triggered by PTSD, chronic stress, musculoskeletal pain, post-covid infection, vaccinations, viral infections, lyme, etc. So although concussion may have been the straw that broke the camels back, persistent concussion symptoms are due to more systemic dysregulations as opposed to damage to the brain.

[@deepaksinghsisodiya5690]

I feel constantly head pressure .only 25 feel very old.cant concentrate at all.teeth ash is also ....some time thinking problem

[@kartikeyabehl7]

Did your symptoms get better?