Tag Archives: traumatic brain injury

Brain Trauma… It’s not JUST Sports

Happy Monday Everyone! Can you believe it’s March already?!  With a new month comes new topics!

I had the privilege this weekend of attending a GALA for a non profit about concussion and head trauma called the Mary Seau Foundation.  Hearing testimony after testimony of head trauma cases being left to basically just deteriorate, it was hard to listen to as a provider, knowing the care I possess,  could have changed the outcome.

But, it is truly organizations like this and education that can change the paradigm in many health conditions. 

Being the brain advocate that I am, and being the awesome people you are for reading this, please share these facts and the word, especially for our youth.

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With brain/injury and trauma, there is a big misconception, that you have to be playing football, or in a major sport or even just hit your head to have a concussion or brain injury.  Many individuals I ask in my practice, usually shrug off an old concussion, hitting their head or previous car accident, as “not a major head trauma”.  Even further, birth in itself is a brain injury… think about it!  So, many symptoms we chase as adults arise from this time.

In reality, any blow to the head, whether it be a straight blow, a jolting of head movement, or just hitting your head on a bar at the playground is all form of trauma to the brain.  You see, the brain needs a veryyyyy balanced environment to be able to follow through with all the daily functions it has to do.  If that environment is not perfect, then symptoms and non optimal function precludes.

This is not just me speaking either…. Many research exists that what is called “mild traumatic brain injury”, occurs in everyday life, not just NFL. 

But first, let’s define a mild traumatic brain injury…..

The name is deceiving, because although labeled “mild” because the actual head is not cracked open, it in no way produces “mild symptoms”.  In fact, it can be debilitating for many individuals just having a mild whiplash injury from a car accident.

But, if we just look at sports, there are 1.6-3.8 million sports related concussions, 50% of those being unreported, with the incident rate increasing and 20% who lost consciousness did not see a physician or anyone for care. 

Who is the most prone?!

YOUTH.  

Ages 14-18 account for 50% of sports related concussions.  
-football
-wrestling
-girls soccer
-boys soccer
-girls basketball
-cheer (the most traumatic head injuries)

Girls are more susceptible than boys because of weaker neck musculature.

And what’s the WORST?  That youth is 3.5X more likely to get another if they have a history of one.  

A study was done with pop warner football, and found that for a team of 22 players that played for 6 games, and five practices, there were 480 head impacts, players had an average of 3.7 head impacts per game and 1.5 impacts per practice.  While 11 known concussions happened.  Study here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24529219

Scary right?  Many neurologists say that youth sports like this is literally child abuse, because their brains are still forming and the trauma can be irreversible.
We know that sports are great for team support, building character, ect.  But we ask you take a second look at what it is actually doing to children’s brains with this kind of impact.  

But again..

It’s not just sports.

A car accident for instance, where you might just have your head go back and forth a bit… You might get a little sore, but not big deal?
Well the brain is like a jello like substances, and a wave of energy goes through that is rocking back and forth.  It’s a spongy material that changes with energy passing through it.

So, even though the brain moves, the nerve cells will break when the brain hits the wall of the bones of the head.  The skull normally protects the brain, but when you get a coil and recoil, the skull now becomes a problem, and the brain hits it. 

This causes breaking to happen within the neurons of the brain.  It’s actual damage to those electrical pathways.
What happens when theirs damage?

Well, it depends on the extent, but for visual purposes I will use an anecdote that I heard this past weekend.  When you are using your cell phone and you go to an area with bad reception, it’s hard to really understand that person, they may cut in and out, ect.

The same can happen with the brain, when all the connections are not working great, that brain signal is not going to work effectively.  Which then LONG TERM, causes areas of the brain to really not function well at all.



….

The point here is to say, that no matter how MILD an impact may be to your head, it can have HUGE effects, especially in those of a growing brain. 

Symptoms associated with this disruption include:

– headache
-dizziness
-nausea
-balances problems
-fatigue
-loss of consciousness
-post traumatic amnesia
-difficulty concentrating
-memory problems
-irritability
-emotional lability
-depression
-difficulty sleeping
-sleeping more or less than usual
-drowsiness

Any of all of these can be active.  Mood is a huge one that can change through head injuries. (More on this topic next week as we compare PTSD and brain injuries)

So, I encourage you.  Ask yourself this:

Have you ever hit your head, maybe remember when you were little and did?  Had a traumatic birth as a child with head compression? Do you even know anything about your birth?  ASK!

Bumped your head on something?
Rattled your head back and forth a bit too quickly?

Do you clench your teeth?  (a sign of head trauma)?

If you answered yes, or if your child has then they have a form of brain injury!  Some are mild and can resolve, but to what extent we don’t know.  The research is just not there.

So I would say, don’t take any blow or non blow to the head LIGHTLY!  If you feel even a little off, come get craniopathy care!  This is why I’m a HUGE advocate for treating babies and children.  The sooner we can take that pressure off the brain the better.  Changing future outcomes, changing future lives…

 

 

 

The oil of the week this week is Frankincense.

Frankincense has been shown in research to help heal and negate the effects from brain injury.   This is because it is such a POWERFUL anti-inflammatory.  Take a drop on your tongue every 20 minutes after a head injury to help decrease the effects.

It is also great for any inflammatory condition, autoimmune and pain syndrome.

 

What Signifies a Traumatic Brain Injury? What are the ramifications?

I recently attended a heavy metals summit, where I learned quite a bit, but one talk in the mix was about brain health and the ability to detox.
What’s important to mention first is a little anatomy about the lymphatic system.


The lymphatic system in our body has many networks and vessels similar to our blood vessels.  However, our lymphatic system doesn’t have a “pump” like a heart to push the lymphatic fluid around. A lot of it is pumped though muscle movement, so this is why we are meant to move! The lymphatic system is extremely important in our body. The lymphatic system is a network of tissues and organs that help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials. The primary function of the lymphatic system is to transport lymph, a fluid containing infection-fighting white blood cells, throughout the body. 

What many don’t know is we also have a lymphatic network within our brain.  It’s called the glymphatic system. This system clears waste and toxins from the brain, but is really only active in our sleep.  It’s is pretty inactive during the day.  So, as we know and have mentioned many times, sleep is oh so important and DEEP sleep.
This network travels down into the freely moving lymphatic system. It travels down the tonsils (which if you have tonsil scars this can impede the movement), and into the veins of the neck for flow, and also depends on the vagus nerve.

We know that we live in a toxic soup.  There are toxins and heavy metals all around, it is safe to say we all have some sort of heavy metal toxicity.  From food, to injections, to fillings, to carried through the placenta, to our rainfall, ect.  We need our lymphatic and glymphatic system working and working well for us to be able to detox efficiently.  And for most we need some guidance on getting these toxic things out safely.
* NOTE here.. if you still have amalgam fillings you ABSOLUTELY need them out.  It’s mercury slowly leaking into your blood and brain everyday, and many symptoms will alleviate from their PROPER removal with a biological dentist.

Why have I talked about the glymphatic and lymphatic systems?  Well, in traumatic brain injuries…. Wait, what qualifies a traumatic brain injury?

A traumatic brain injury doesn’t really have to by definition be that traumatic.  Our brain is really delicate, and these systems in the brain like the glymphatic system are very delicate.  So just jolting your head back and forth say in a mild whip lash incident, or if you are a heavy clencher every night, had a lot of pressure on your head from birth, or maybe you had a concussion, or whacked your head on something as a child.  You don’t really need to have a full on head blow, but a lot of individuals shrug off mild car accidents for example.  When in reality, it could really be effecting how your brain is functioning.  

The ramifications of these injuries:
1. The Glymphatic is not working optimally.  This means toxins aren’t being eliminated from our brains, our brains aren’t healing, which can lead to:

A buildup of beta amyloid– which is one of the causes of alzheimers.

3. Decrease in neuroplasticity of the brain  – umbrella term referring to the ability of your brain to reorganize itself, both physically and functionally, throughout your life due to your environment, behavior, thinking, and emotions.

4.  Decrease in blood flow

5. Decrease in cranial nerve, and vagal nerve function.

So, how do we promote the health of this system, and therefore decrease our chances for these side effects?

1. Craniopathy and SOT chiropractic care is the GO TO.  This directly decreases the brain inflammation and increases the brain circulation.  This also decreases the pressure on the important vagus nerve which controls rest and digestion, and can help you get that deep sleep and relaxation to get the glymphatic system moving again.  There is no other way or ability to take pressure off the brain from brain injuries naturally and effectively.

2. Far infrared sauna– decreases the toxic load, increases circulation.
3. Hyperbaric oxygen– Oxygen directly to the brain improves circulation.
4. Lymphatic massage– gets the lymph moving

5. Ionic footbath – decreases the toxic load
6. Exercise.
7. Coffee Enemas – decreases the toxic load internally.
8.  Supplementation and essential oils–  Some supplements like Ginko and others can increase circulation to the brain and increase memory and support healing.

Again, the world is toxic, that is why so many people are sick and getting sicker. Infections LOVE metals.  It creates environments they thrive in, so usually chronic infections and conditions are being caused by heavy metal toxicity.  Our ability to detox is inhibited because there is just so much around us all the time.  It’s really amazing we are all doing as well as we are with what we are exposed to.  Maintain that brain health!

That is all for now.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy week.

Dr. Hamel

OIL OF THE WEEK

On the spotlight this week is DoTerra’s DDR Prime. This is my go to for brain inflammation, because it repairs DNA.

Cells are the foundation of all living things. Their growth, replication, and death provide the information for the function of all our body’s systems. As we age, cellular function progressively degrades and this process can be expedited by poor nutrition, lack of exercise, stress, exposure to toxins, and other lifestyle habits. When cellular function is compromised, the normal process of growth and regeneration is altered, negatively impacting all normal and healthy processes.

DDR Prime Cellular Complex is a proprietary blend of CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® essential oils combined to support cell health, function, and renewal.* The combination of FrankincenseWild OrangeLemongrassThyme, Summer Savory, Niaouli, and Clove provides powerful antioxidant support for cellular health and vitality.*

A few drops daily, taken in a drink, capsule, or softgel, provide powerful protection against oxidative stress to support normal cellular function.*

What Makes DDR Prime Unique?
DDR Prime is a proprietary blend of CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils of FrankincenseWild OrangeLemongrassThyme, Summer Savory, Clove, and Niaouli. DDR Prime combines essential oils shown to have powerful antioxidant properties so that your body can properly address oxidative stress for long-term well-being.*

Each essential oil contained in DDR Prime has a variety of benefits. Frankincense and Wild Orange have both been shown to promote a healthy response to free radicals.* Clove oil provides powerful antioxidant properties.* Niaouli and Thyme essential oils support cellular immunity and overall cellular health.* Summer Savory has been shown to support the body’s natural mechanisms to deal with oxidative stress.* Lastly, Lemongrass oil can protect against environmental threats.*

DDR Prime Uses and Benefits

  1. As mentioned, DDR Prime is designed to support healthy cellular integrity.* Cellular health is the foundation of health; when the normal process of cellular growth, replication, and regeneration is altered, all body systems and functions are affected. A daily serving of DDR Prime provides the antioxidant support we need for lifelong cellular health.*
  2. You can enjoy the benefits of DDR Prime by adding one to two drops to citrus drinks, tea, or water and consume daily to protect the body and cells from oxidative stress.* If you are concerned about receiving proper cellular support, it is as easy as adding a few drops of DDR Prime to a drink in the morning, or a capsule as needed.
  3. DDR Prime can also be used topically. For a soothing topical massage, dilute DDR Prime with doTERRA Fractionated Coconut Oil and gently massage into the skin.

How to Take DDR Prime
Add one to two drops of DDR Prime to citrus drinks, teas, or water, and consume daily to protect the body and cells from oxidative stress. This product is safe to consume daily.

Cautions
Possible skin sensitivity. Keep out of reach of children. If pregnant or under a doctor’s care, consult your physician. Avoid contact with eyes, inner ears, and sensitive areas.