Medication alone will not solve the majority of PCS cases. These are some of the types of therapies you can try

Sorted alphabetically, with type, description and local resources

• Aqua Therapy: Used to gently raise heart rate with “water-walking” or light swimming. We use a heated pool here at the inpatient program for AMPS
• Atlas Adjustment: Also called NUCCA adjustment is the chiropractic adjustment of the atlas bone (a high vertebrate). A misaligned atlas can cause headaches, high blood pressure, center of balance off (resulting in unsteadiness and one leg is often much shorter than the other). While the atlas device looks very scary, in reality, it is an ultrasound so you feel nothing whatsoever.
  • I went to Atlas Orthogonal with Dr. Colavita in Moorestown NJ, which is a really cute town. If you go, you must go to Passariello's because it is SO GOOD. Anyway, Dr. Colavita also has an office in Clifton NJ.
  • Visit the Local page for more information
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: This is typically a type of talk therapy that focuses on looking at thoughts and feelings influence our behavior. This is a huge part of the AMPS treatment, and can definitely help people with PCS and other concussion issues along with anxiety, depression, addiction, panic disorders, and phobias.
• Craniosacral Therapy: See massage therapy
• EMDR therapy: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is used to treat PTSD by taking you back to the trauma and working through it using side to side eye movements. It is a relatively new technique but it has been revolutionary in the field. Not all therapists are certified in EMDR but you can find a normal psychotherapist that is licensed to do it, like my therapist, though I have not tried EMDR.
• Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy: Where pressure is applied that is greater than sea level air pressure to a specific point.
• Massage Therapy: Used to loosen up tight muscles and joints. It is especially helpful after a whiplash concussion because often the neck muscles are so tense you can lose range of motion and massage therapy can help you regain that. There may also be trigger points that release some pain that you can learn about.
• Neuro Rehab: I was not aware of this one until I arrived at my AMPS program, meeting someone who was here for major concussion rehab. There is an inpatient program at RWJ that is designed to help you regain function after a TBI. The neuro rehab patient spends a lot of time with the AMPS/ chronic pain kids with some differences in individual activities.
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• Physical Therapy: Often PT for PCS includes some light exercise, massage therapy, and vestibular therapy, though it will differ depending on therapist and patient.
• Radiofrequency Ablation: A procedure where electrical current is used to heat a small area thus reducing the pain signals. I have not personally tried this, but I know it helps some people.
• Vestibular therapy: Used to work on balance, which can be hard for people with concussions. VT is available at Capital Health Hopewell, but I’m sure it is available in many PT places and in hospitals around the country.
• Vision therapy: Vision therapy retrains your eyes since many concussions change your vision. This therapy is challenging and tiring but doing it in short bursts over a while can really help, especially with reading, even just the basic things like signs. This can be combined with Light therapy and you can get tinted glasses if you find a color that helps. I have purple.
  • Eyecare Professionals of Hamilton is where I did my vision and light therapy, they were really nice and committed to getting me better. Dr. Tannon was very experienced and Dr. Moore was really nice and knowledgeable. All of the people who did the therapy made it fun but also were friendly and made it seem like you were going to hang out with a nice group of friends who were helping you.
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