Acupuncture is an effective treatment for a wide variety of symptoms related to concussion recovery. Acupuncture is able to treat brain injuries by regulating brain function, reducing neural inflammation, and stabilizing mood swings. Acupuncture is used to reduce both healing time and decrease the symptoms of concussions. Acupuncture can help in both acute and chronic stages of recovery by:
Alleviating pain from severe headaches, neck pain, muscle spasms and tension
Alleviating nausea for various stages of concussion
Alleviating dizziness and vertigo
Regulating blood flow through several arteries supplying the brain
Reducing swelling around the brain
Reducing TNFα and the inflammatory response around the brain
Promoting nerve regeneration and slows degradation of brain cells
Alleviating anxiety, irritability, mood swings, insomnia
Improving sensory mapping by activating the parietal cortex
Increasing the amount of proprioceptive information traveling up the spinal cord to the brain
References:
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Lim, H. D., Kim, M. H., Lee, C. Y., & Namgung, U. (2016). Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Acupuncture Stimulation via the Vagus Nerve. PloS one, 11(3), e0151882.
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