A concussion is a mild brain injury caused by a blow to the head, face or body. Concussions may cause loss of consciousness, but not all do. Patients may have a variety of symptoms that require specialized care from experienced and qualified providers. Nebraska Medicine’s Concussion Management Clinic brings together a team of experts to assess, identify and address the individual nature of the injury and creates a care plan tailored to the needs of each patient.
Team of Expertise
The goal of the Concussion Management Clinic is to ensure that each patient has access to a multidisciplinary team of health care providers experienced in treating and managing concussions.
Because each concussion and each patient are different, it is vital to ensure that every care plan is tailored to treat the specific injury(s) diagnosed. Every patient is evaluated by a team member from the following areas during the initial concussion management clinic appointment:
Physical Therapy
Physical therapists focus on balance/stability training. Physical therapists treat dizziness, headaches and neck pain, as well as help determine when the patient is ready to return to physical activity. Sessions may include computerized stability evaluation testing, soft tissue and joint assessment of the neck and temporomandibular joint, pain management techniques and postural assessments. Patients receive personalized home exercise programs for continued therapy.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapists evaluate how the injury is affecting the patient’s ability to perform daily activities. This may include basic tasks such as getting dressed, or more difficult activities like driving or going to school. During the occupational therapy evaluation, the therapist reviews a variety of systems including visual perception, coordination and sensory integration. Treatments are typically scheduled two to three times per week, for one hour as tolerated. Patients also receive home exercise instructions, which will speed recovery, control symptoms and improve the quality of life.
Speech and Language Pathology Therapy
Speech and language pathology therapists evaluate patients for cognitive-communication issues. Some of these areas may include:
- Attention
- Problem solving
- Memory
- Organization
- Word retrieval
- Numerical reasoning
- Processing for listening and reading
Academic Liaison
Academic liaisons ensure that school personnel are aware of the injury and the treatment plan, and takes an active role in assisting the student and school with reintegration into academics and school. The academic liaison contacts the school following the first appointment and maintains contact with the patient and school throughout their recovery.
Additional Treatments
Our physicians or team members may recommend referral to other health care providers if treatment outside the concussion management clinic is needed. This may include, but not be limited to referrals to: neurologists, psychologists, neuropsychologists, neuro-optometrists and neuro-ophthalmologists.