What is a Concussion?

What is a Concussion?

The most commonly reported symptoms are occipital headache, blurry vision, nausea, dizziness, balance problems, a “foggy feeling,” difficulty with concentration, difficulty with memory, fatigue, confusion, drowsiness, and irritability. 

Image Credit: Andreas Vesalius' Fabrica, published in 1543, showing the base of the human brain, including optic chiasma, cerebellum, olfactory bulbs, etc.

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Massage Therapy and Concussions

Massage Therapy and Concussions

This year has been my third year attending the annual See The Line Concussion Research Symposium. Every year there is something new that I learn and someone brings up old information that I have forgotten, so here I put together some of my notes so massage therapists can have a reference page if they are looking to get into working with a patient population who have suffered a concussion or is suffering from post-concussion syndrome.

Image Credit: Andreas Vesalius' Fabrica, published in 1543, showing the base of the human brain, including optic chiasma, cerebellum, olfactory bulbs, etc.

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Acupuncture for neck pain

Acupuncture for neck pain

Last week I provided some studies that look at the effect of acupuncture on patients with knee osteoarthritis.  It is clear that the placebo response is a big part of why patients feel better, but it is also a within the realm of reasons that patients have a complex biopsychosocial response to acupuncture that INCLUDES but is not LIMITED to placebo. 

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The Importance of Contextual Effects in Massage

The Importance of Contextual Effects in Massage

Unless you have been living under a rock, you have probably heard of the biopsychosocial model as a new paradigm for understanding disease, pathology and rehabilitation. George Engel coined this term in 1977, but it has gained more traction in recent decades. Like most new concepts, it blends old ideas with new information and rebrands it under new name. As you can see by the name, there are three aspects to this assessment/treatment model- the biological, the psychological, and the social aspect. 

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