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Yesterday, I received a message from someone, and recently, I've been getting a lot of messages from people who hit their head again and are feeling very scared. They’re extremely anxious, fearing they've sustained another concussion.
Believe me, it's completely normal to feel scared. If you, for example, had a concussion a few years ago and went through a lot, then suddenly feel like you’ve sustained another, yes, it would be normal to feel anxious. But most of the time this is "just" a flare up of old concussion symptoms.
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Is It a New Concussion or a Flare-Up of old concussion symptoms?
But what I experience and often hear from others, who sometimes send me a message a week later, is that it’s usually just a flare-up of old symptoms. Most of the time, it’s not a new injury. To understand this better, I want to explain what happens when you hit your head again.
So, if you’re reading this right now, and you’ve just hit your head and feel scared, or if you ever hit your head again in the future, please think of this blog and trust that it’s likely just a flare-up of old symptoms.
Hitting your head can cause your body to release a lot of adrenaline.
This hormone increases stress levels in your body and brain, making your heart race, heightening your alertness, and making you notice every sensation in your body. It can feel intense.
From this reaction, fear and anxiety can arise. You’re already worried about another concussion, and this fear can make your symptoms feel worse. Your brain is really trying to protect you, reacting strongly if you hit your head again, thinking there's danger.
This can really lead to a flare-up of symptoms, like headaches or dizziness. So, if after hitting your head again, you feel a headache, dizziness, or even nausea, this is likely a temporary flare-up.
Just keep in mind that hitting your head can trigger a stress response in your body due to adrenaline release. After a few days to a week, this will lessen, and you’ll feel calmer as your symptoms fade.
Grounding Techniques to Help You Stay Calm
When you slow down, calm down, and focus on grounding techniques—like meditation, resting, or sleeping more—you'll notice improvement.
If you feel anxious, try meditation or breathwork, and remind yourself that what you’re feeling might not mean you have a new concussion. You can always reach out to me if you’re worried.
I also recommend writing down how you feel each day. This can help you notice gradual symptom reduction. For instance, if you feel very nauseous or dizzy on day one, write it down, and continue daily. Often, we get so used to how we feel that we don’t realize symptoms are actually improving.
One thing that helps me when I feel stressed or anxious is taking baths with Epsom salts. This magnesium-rich salt relaxes your body.
You could also try short walks or Yoga Nidra. If you haven’t tried Yoga Nidra, I highly recommend it; there are plenty of videos on YouTube.
How to Tell If It’s Just a Flare-Up
So, remember, it's common for head impacts to cause temporary flare-ups, not necessarily a new concussion. I’m repeating this because it’s something I hear so often, and from my own experience, I know the anxiety.
During my own recovery, I hit my head again, and those extra symptoms only lasted about a week. This was largely because I felt anxious and didn’t want to believe I’d sustained another concussion.
In my experience, most people report back after a week saying they feel much better. So, focus on grounding techniques and trust that it’s likely not a new concussion. I know it can be tough because it’s such a scary feeling.
First rest, then keep moving
We all know it’s important to rest right after hitting your head, especially within the first 48 hours.
After that, I can highly recommend focusing on two research-backed methods (see below) as rest alone is usually not enough for recovery.
The 2 researched methods to recover
I'll tell you exactly what those 2 methods are in my free masterclass: "The 2 proven methods to drastically reduce concussion symptoms by 50% within 3 months."
(Researched by a neuroscientist / apply them from home).
This allowed me to reduce my symptoms by 50% within three months and ultimately even by 90%. This also applies to thousands of concussion survivors who have already applied these 2 methods.
I love hosting this masterclass and engaging with all of you, but it takes a lot of effort to organize. That's why it's only available for a limited time. Make sure to sign up and join before it's too late!
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