CALGARY, Alberta, Nov. 3, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dr. John Battershill of the Revelation Health Centre in Calgary urges people who may have suffered a concussion at some time to come in for an evaluation. The Calgary chiropractor, who suffered six sports injury concussions himself during his time as a football player, says that every concussion, whether it leads to unconsciousness or not, requires evaluation and concussion therapy. He says these traumatic brain injuries can evolve into problems from headaches and loss of cognitive function to poor coordination and further injury without comprehensive treatment. Dr. Battershill's center uses specific Functional Neurology assessment, the Huber Motion Lab and Interactive Metronome to treat concussions.
The Calgary chiropractor knows firsthand how damaging concussions are. "I suffered my first concussion at age 12 playing football. I had 5 more after that while playing football in college and for the Calgary Stampeders—4 of which left me unconscious for a time. It's a very, very common sports injury for kids and adults alike. I was never really treated for these concussions and later started having a chain reaction of painful health problems that were directly related to these repeated traumatic brain injuries. While becoming a chiropractor, it was my goal to be able to provide concussion therapy to patients so they could recover faster and avoid the same suffering I experienced."
Dr. Battershill says the first step in traumatic brain injury therapy is treating any spinal misalignments that may have developed as a result of the injury. He explains that sports injuries often damage alignment in the spine, which causes pinched nerves. Pinched nerves, he adds, cannot communicate properly between the brain and other parts of the body, which often leads to dysfunction. Restoring balance, posture and retraining muscles for healthy movement is very important, according to Dr. Battershill.
Dr. Battershill has also recently added two new pieces of equipment for his concussion treatment program. The first is the Interactive Metronome. He uses this to help patients recover the timing and rhythm between brain and body communication that is often damaged in a traumatic brain injury. He says that this system improves balance and equilibrium and helps to improve cognitive function, specifically motor planning and sequencing. He also uses the Huber Motion Lab for concussion treatments. He says this machine helps reawaken body-to-nervous-system connections that were damaged during an injury to get them functioning normally again.
The most important message Dr. Battershill wants concussion patients to get is one of hope. "I know what it's like to suffer the results of multiple concussions, so I personally know how hard and painful it is. There is hope and treatment so that you can really feel better and function without pain again. Don't give up."
Dr. Battershill provides chiropractic care in Calgary, including therapy for sports injuries, chronic conditions and weight loss. For more information, visit the website at http://www.revhc.ca.