Basal Skull Fracture - Post Concussion Syndrome???

Question

I was reading about Post Concussion Syndrome, and it really sounds similar to some things I continue to go through, some 15 years after a basal skull fracture (several concussions through the years too). Is there something more associated with the skull fracture with some of the same symptoms....but maybe a little more severe?

Answer 1

You should ask a neurologist - they're learning more every day. You might be interested in this web site about new treatment. Think it's University of Buffalo, NY.

http://www.buffalo.edu/reporter/vol38/vol38n8/articles/WillerConcussion.html

Willer is lead author on the paper describing the new method, published in the September issue of Current Treatment Options in Neurology.

"Most people with PCS have symptoms of depression," said Willer, "so antidepressant treatment makes sense. However, antidepressants do little more than relieve some of the depression symptoms. We were interested in a treatment that didn't just treat the symptoms, but actually improved the patient's brain function."

The researchers call their new treatment "regulated exercise." The approach consists of determining the ideal exercise program for each athlete based on a number of individual physiological indicators at baseline.

Patients are tested every two to three weeks with specialized equipment at the sports medicine clinic to determine their progress, and a new program is developed based on those results.

Willer and co-author John Leddy, clinical associate professor of orthopaedics and rehabilitation sciences, indicated it is too early to call the treatment a cure, but they are optimistic about the results so far.

The researchers described the treatment method in mid-September at the 2006 Brain Injury Conference of the Americas in Miami, where the response was very favorable, according to Willer.

"Professionals at the meeting were delighted that our approach to treatment of post-concussion syndrome doesn't involve any medications and is very cost-efficient. We were surprised to learn that we are among only a few investigators interested in people with symptoms that won't go away.