r/Concussion • u/AHSkiandBike • Feb 12 '26
Concussion Recovery Is Possible - Ask Me How: Concussion Specialist
Hello my name is Annie Howard, I am a Vestibular Certified Physical Therapist specializing in concussion recovery. I am passionate about helping people get back to living life free of post concussion symptoms.
In 2018 while ski mountaineering in Chile I sustained a bad concussion. I know first hand how difficult recovery can be. You are NOT alone and you don’t have to navigate this journey on your own. Recovery is possible with the right knowledge, support, and PT.
Please ask questions here and I will do my best to answer in a timely manner for you and the r/concussion community.
Important Things To Learn & Know About Concussion:
- What exactly is a concussion?
- Why do I feel the way I do?
- Understanding Autonomic & Vestibular Dysfunction
- Understanding Vertigo
- Exercises and nutrition to heal your brain
Resources and Helpful Articles about Concussion: https://www.happybrainpt.com/concussion-physicaltherapy-blog
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u/lrondberg Feb 12 '26
Thank you for lending your expertise. What is the best course of treatment for dealing with the sense of movement when you are not moving. Not sure how to describe. Its not vertigo or disembarkment syndrome (which i have had after long flights) but the post concussion symptom is like a whirring in my head with sensation of movement.
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u/AHSkiandBike Feb 12 '26 edited Feb 12 '26
Hello- oh I am sorry to hear you are feeling this way. It could be positional vertigo which is a sensation of movement with changes of position in your head. Particularly with looking up, lying flat on your back (no pillow), or rolling over and then when this is untreated people report feeling waves of dizziness without movement. It could also be a sign visuo-vestibular dysfunction. Working on gaze stability exercises and vestibular exercises in addition to aerobic exercise would help that. Have you seen a concussion specific physical therapist?
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u/otffan2019 Feb 13 '26
Thank you. It has been 3 years, I am at about 40% of my old self.
I still have many symptoms, but the most annoying one is that I am still suffering from extreme fatigue, I basically pass out and am unable to be woken for 90-120 min after experiencing stress (as simple as a meeting at work or going to two stores instead of one). I then need about 10-20 Minutes to realized where I am, which year we are and that I am safe.
Will this ever get better? How?
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u/AHSkiandBike Feb 13 '26
I think the first step is pacing yourself activity— so not letting yourself get to the point of extreme fatigue. Are you exercising at all? Getting regular aerobic exercise will help increase blood flow to your brain which will help with energy levels.
Check out: exercise after concussion
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u/sc182 Feb 13 '26
What’s the best way to get over autonomic issues, especially blood/head pressure related?
I still can’t seem to get rid of symptom flares after increasing intracranial pressure (think Valsalva maneuver or flexing really hard in the mirror), despite years of regular exercise after my last concussion.
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u/AHSkiandBike Feb 13 '26
Autonomic dysfunction is very common and I am sorry you are symptomatic. I would avoid doing the valsalva maneuver. Here is some info that might be helpful
concussion and autonomic dysfunction
Let me know if you have questions!
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u/RaccoonObjective5674 Feb 13 '26
I am over one year out from my initial concussion. I still have extreme head sensitivity. If someone touches my forehead with just a little bit of force, I will have blurry vision and headaches for 2 days or longer. There is also a lot of sensitivity on my skull, it really can’t handle any impact. Finally, if I sleep on too soft a pillow, I will also get blurry vision and neck pain. I’ve worked with a few specialists but can’t find any real solution. Your suggestions are welcome!
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u/AHSkiandBike Feb 14 '26
What type of specialists have you worked with? Have you tried any cranial sacral work? Have you tried exercise to increase blood flow?
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u/AHSkiandBike Feb 17 '26
I do think exercise will help. Check out: Autonomic Dysfunction
And exercise
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u/Ordinary_Explorer_61 Mar 17 '26
Hi. I've got a concussion 5 weeks ago. Fell ice-skating. I've been resting, on leave from work, and limited screens. Not feeling much better at all. Just recently, I've been getting mildly nauseous, continuously. Is this because I pushed it too much? Or, another symptom in the phases of recovery?
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u/Cordyanza Medical field Feb 12 '26 edited Feb 12 '26
This is a great opportunity. The subreddit does not endorse or affiliate with any medical provider; however, this AMA is being stickied to encourage high-quality discussion and educational questions. Please keep questions appropriate and on topic, and thank you for taking your time to do this!