If you are struggling with lingering concussion symptoms, you might feel stuck in a frustrating cycle of rest, medication, and waiting for a recovery that never quite arrives. You aren’t alone. For many patients, the brain has healed, but the symptoms persist. Why? Because the root cause isn’t just in the head—it’s often in the neck.
Research suggests that up to 80 percent of persistent concussion symptoms are actually driven by neuromuscular dysfunction in the neck and surrounding tissues. When the head takes an impact, the neck absorbs much of that force. Yet, standard treatments often overlook this critical connection, leaving patients with unresolved pain, dizziness, and brain fog.
This article explores the often-missed link between cervical dysfunction and post-concussion syndrome, explaining why treating the neck is frequently the missing piece of the puzzle for long-term recovery.
The Hidden Connection: Concussion and the Neck
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury caused by a blow to the head or a jolt to the body that causes the head to move rapidly back and forth. This movement stretches and damages brain cells, creating chemical changes in the brain. However, the force required to cause a concussion is significant—usually around 70 to 120 Gs of force.
The neck, in comparison, is much more vulnerable. It only takes about 4.5 Gs of force to injure the cervical spine (the neck). Therefore, it is biomechanically impossible to sustain a concussion without also injuring the neck.
Despite this, traditional medical evaluations often focus exclusively on the brain. MRIs and CT scans are used to rule out bleeding or fractures, but these scans rarely detect the subtle soft tissue damage in the neck muscles and ligaments that leads to chronic issues.
Why Symptoms Overlap
One of the reasons the neck is frequently overlooked is that the symptoms of a neck injury mimic those of a concussion almost perfectly. This is often referred to as “referral pain” or symptoms radiating from the cervical spine.
Common symptoms shared by both conditions include:
- Headaches: Tension in the suboccipital muscles (at the base of the skull) can radiate pain into the forehead and behind the eyes.
- Dizziness and Balance Issues: The neck is packed with proprioceptors—sensors that tell your brain where your head is in space. When neck muscles are injured, they send confusing signals to the brain, resulting in dizziness or vertigo.
- Visual Disturbances: Neck tension can affect the nerves connected to the eyes, leading to difficulty focusing or light sensitivity.
- Brain Fog and Fatigue: When the brain is constantly trying to correct conflicting signals from a damaged neck, it uses up a tremendous amount of energy, leading to mental exhaustion.
If you are months past your initial injury and still feeling these effects, it is highly likely you are dealing with cervical dysfunction concussion symptoms rather than ongoing brain injury.
The Role of Neuromuscular Dysfunction
To understand why the neck causes such widespread problems, we have to look at the neuromuscular system. This system involves the communication between your nerves and your muscles.
Following a trauma, the body goes into a protective mode. Muscles in the neck and shoulders tighten to splint the area and prevent further injury. While helpful in the acute phase (the first few days), this protective tension can become chronic. The muscles shorten, blood flow is restricted, and the nerves become hypersensitive.
At Moore MyoWorx, we see this pattern repeatedly. The brain may have recovered from the initial metabolic crisis of the concussion, but the “hardware” (the neck) is still malfunctioning. This neuromuscular dysfunction keeps the nervous system in a state of “fight or flight,” preventing the body from settling down and healing.
Why “Rest and Wait” Isn’t Enough
For years, the standard advice for concussion recovery was strict rest: no screens, no reading, and lying in a dark room. While rest is crucial in the first 48 hours, prolonged isolation can actually be detrimental. It leads to physical deconditioning and increased anxiety, which can worsen symptoms.
More importantly, rest does not fix a mechanical problem in the neck. You cannot “rest away” a muscle spasm or a joint fixation. If the underlying post-concussion syndrome neck issues are not addressed through active treatment, the symptoms will likely persist regardless of how much you sleep.
Active rehabilitation is necessary to retrain the neuromuscular system. This means moving away from passive treatments and towards therapies that restore proper function to the cervical spine.
The Moore MyoWorx Approach: Empowering Recovery
Effective treatment requires a shift in perspective. Instead of treating the symptoms, we must treat the source. The Moore MyoWorx approach focuses on neuromuscular treatment designed to reset the connection between the nerves and muscles.
This approach is distinct because it moves beyond temporary relief. While massage or adjustments might feel good in the moment, they don’t always correct the underlying firing patterns of the muscles. Neuromuscular treatment aims to permanently restore normal function.
A Two-Step Process for Healing
- Clinical Treatment: The first step involves specialized therapies to release the chronic tension in the neck and shoulder girdle. By addressing specific trigger points and nerve entrapments, we can improve blood flow to the brain and reduce the barrage of pain signals overwhelming the nervous system.
- Patient Empowerment: Perhaps the most critical aspect of the Moore MyoWorx philosophy is providing tools to the patient. We believe that recovery shouldn’t make you dependent on a clinician. Patients are taught specific exercises and techniques to continue their recovery on their own.
This self-management component is vital. It puts the control back in your hands, reducing the fear and anxiety that often accompanies long-term injury. When you know how to manage a flare-up or release tension before it becomes a headache, you are no longer a victim of your symptoms.
When to Seek Help from a Concussion Clinic
If your symptoms have persisted for more than two weeks, it is time to look beyond the “wait and see” approach. Finding the right concussion clinic is essential. You need a provider who understands the intricate relationship between the cervical spine, the vestibular system (balance), and the visual system.
Look for a clinic that:
- Performs a comprehensive evaluation of the neck, not just the brain.
- Tests for exercise tolerance and autonomic nervous system function.
- Offers active rehabilitation rather than just passive modalities.
- Educates you on how to maintain your own health.
Taking the Next Step
Living with persistent concussion symptoms can feel isolating, but understanding the neck’s role offers a new path forward. It means that your symptoms aren’t “all in your head”—they have a physical, treatable cause.
By addressing the concussion neck pain treatment specifically, you can alleviate the burden on your nervous system and finally allow your brain to process information correctly again. Recovery is not just about healing the injury; it’s about reclaiming your life.
If you are ready to address the root cause of your symptoms, consider evaluating your neck health. It might just be the breakthrough you have been waiting for.
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