The Tools You Need to Navigate Past Your Head Injury
This page contains a list of carefully selected tools to help you journey through the maze of post-concussion syndrome (PCS).
I have tested each of the items on this page and have found them very useful.
Many of the tools are crucial to reducing the effects of PCS (or just help make life easier).
“Before digging into the marvelous tools I know and trust, an important disclosure: The following are affiliate links and if you do choose purchase through these links, I will make a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these companies, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.“
Welcome to the latest advancement in neck rehabilitation and concussion prevention. I have started using this new exercise halo in the office have already started getting results with patients. This thing is the real deal and beyond amazing! I wish I had the Iron Neck when I was younger.
In this day and age everything is online and chances are that you have a computer. The light from a Mac or PC can be very irritating and may trigger symptoms. This company Onyx has produced the first device for reading electronic books with the HDMI monitor function. Which means it can be used as a display for desktop PC, laptop, and tablet. WHY? because the Boox Max 2 has E Ink Mobius which may makes reading more comfortable for your eyes, eliminates the blue light exposure, and does not disturb your sleep rhythms.
This amazing E-reader just got even better with the updated Boox Max 3! This device can be used as an alternate display for desktop PC, laptop, and tablet that ultimately takes away the screen time trigger that can set off post-concussion symptoms. Onyx, has fixed the bugs that may have been associated to the last version and set the price quite reasonably. This is a must have for anyone that works on a computer all day and gets eye strain, headaches, head pressure, and brain fog…
No more sitting for hours with your head being sucked into a computer screen. This is such a good small investment to avoid the nastiness of neck pain from repetitive postural strain. We all need one of these if we use a laptop computer.
This is an item that goes with me everywhere. I keep it in my satchel and it acts as my personal-on-demand massage therapist. It is hard enough to get the big muscles and soft enough to not hurt. These massage balls are also required for some of the courses.
I cannot speak highly enough about this product. If you are clenching at night, waking up with tension in the jaw and neck, and suffering from headaches, then is mouth guard is for you! Although it is originally created for snoring, the design really helps to turn off some of the smaller muscles in the jaw while you sleep. This can indirectly reduce some of the interference on the nervous system.
I can’t say enough good things about Kalaya pain cream. I use it on a daily basis in the office and at home. The roll-on applicator makes it easy to avoid getting the cream on your hands and wastes less. I find the sent is a lot more agreeable than other pain relief creams and it works fast but lasts long. This a must have in case of any aches and pains.
One of my favorite tools to use in the office is the hand-held thumper. It may look small but it packs a good punch! This Thumper is great to use on your own and gets the specific muscles that need attention. Muscle tension is often a big factor when dealing with PCS and using this thumper is an effective way to relieve that tension.
Nearly everyone is exposed to a screen on a daily basis. Our smart phones, computer screens, TV’s, and other technical devices give off a certain short wavelength blue light. This blue light can be damaging to our eyes and have a negative effect on our brain. Many people notice that they get headaches, redness, and blurry vision after being exposed to blue light for a long period of time. This can negatively impact your well being and work productivity, especially if you have a job where all of your work involves screen exposure. The blue light glasses work to block the blue rays and increases the contrast with a special filter.
I love these headphones. They tune the world out by filtering all the extra noise. They cover the entire ear and feel incredibly comfortable. You are still able to hear what is going on around you at a controlled level. So if you are someone that is hypersensitive to noise, has trouble focusing, gets headaches or migraines and still wants to be part of the party, these headphones can help. Even if PCS isn’t your thing, there are a number of amazing functions built into the headphones that I’m sure you’ll love.
Same idea as above. However, much less expensive, but not quite as good as the Quitecomfort 35 headphones.
Earplugs have become rather popular in the concussion world over the last few years. People with sound sensitivities or hyperacusis have found a temporary way to regain functionality in public spaces or busy households when using these earplugs. The plugs are great for filtering out the intense sounds that can accompany an environment so that you can continue to participate in life.
This is a safe, portable, electrical stimulation device that’s great for use in the office and at home. It’s easy to use and versatile for several kinds of aches and pains. I use mine at night after intense exercise or after long drives in the car. It really helps take the edge off nerve and muscle irritations.
The real solution to exposure from the damaging rays is to avoid the exposure.
But how can you skip the screen?
Use a projector! The advantages of using a projector are marvelous. The images are bigger, the eye strain is reduced considerably, no harmful rays and the new projectors are the size of a phone for easy transport.
Commonly, sleep is a major disrupting factor that affects a large number of people. There are a number of different factors that can cause sleep disruption. One of which is sleep posture. The position that your spine rests has a big impact on quality of sleep. Sometimes the angle of your back needs to change to take pressure off irritated areas of the back. With a triangle pillow, you can change the angle of the back and alleviate some of the pressure for a better sleep.
I recommend this to everyone who has ever suffered from neck pain. The position we rest our head in while we sleep can contribute to mechanical neck pain. Falling off our pillows and rolling our heads to one side can put a kink in our necks while we sleep. A great way to combat all the tossing and turning at night is to use a U-shaped pillow. It can help keep your head from flopping around while you sleep. So you can avoid the neck pain.
It is heavy but not too heavy, it blocks the light and provides comfort. I found that having two of them allows me to go back and forth between hot and cold for an epic relaxation session.
I love this little gadget! I had dislocated my wrist and elbow and needed to regain wrist stability and coordination. It was with this NSD spinner that I was able to recover quickly. Now I use it in the office for many different upper limb rehab exercises.
Therabands are such an important tool for all levels of rehabilitative exercise. I often see that muscles respond quickly and effectively to resisted muscle loading. Resistance exercise can provide improved strength, range of motion and cooperation of muscle groups. Using these bands is a safe way to reintroduce controlled muscle coordination. Patients love that the bands can go anywhere with them. Getting your exercise done on your break at work or at home is easy to do with Therabands.
WOD Nation resistance bands have so many uses. If you have ever been to our clinic complaining of neck and shoulder pain, chances are that I have made you use these resistance bands to stretch out those irritated muscles. They are perfect for getting that deep stretch when no one is around to help.