Head and Concussion Injuries: Screened Here, Referred Within 1 Visit

The brain sits in fluid inside the skull. When the head stops suddenly, the brain keeps moving and strikes the inside of the skull, then rebounds and strikes the other side. That is a concussion, and it does not require the head to hit anything. When the head does strike the side window, the steering wheel, the airbag, or the headrest, the force is higher and so is the risk.

Side impacts at the intersections along Atlantic Boulevard and Sample Road are a common source of window strikes. High-speed rear-end hits on I-95 and the Turnpike produce concussions with no head contact at all. Older adults and anyone on blood thinners are at higher risk of bleeding inside the skull from what looks like a minor blow.

Dr. Carol McNamara-Krauss is a Florida-licensed chiropractic physician (DC), license CH5281. Concussion is screened here, not treated here. At the first visit she asks the specific questions: any loss of consciousness, any memory gap, vomiting, worsening headache, confusion, and current symptoms. She performs a neurological screen including cranial nerves, balance, and eye tracking. All findings are recorded the same day.

Any positive concussion screen is referred to a physician or neurologist through our imaging and specialist referral process, with the findings sent along. A loss of consciousness, vomiting, a headache that is getting worse, or confusion means the emergency room first, not a referral: Broward Health North in Deerfield Beach or Broward Health Imperial Point in Fort Lauderdale. The cervical spine is examined at the same visit with orthopedic testing and range-of-motion measurement.

A concussion almost never travels alone. The force that moved the brain also whipped the neck, and the resulting whiplash or cervical injury is a musculoskeletal problem we treat. Once the physician or neurologist has cleared the head injury, treatment of the neck begins. Some headache after a crash comes from the upper neck joints rather than the brain, and that part improves as the neck does.

The neck plan uses Class IV laser therapy on the LightForce system for inflammation, electrical stimulation for spasm, and, once cleared, gentle chiropractic adjustments to restore motion. Massage therapy with Dawn Marie Teufel, LMT, addresses the suboccipital muscles that drive neck-related headache. Care is coordinated with the treating physician.

Most concussions resolve over weeks under a physician's care. Post-concussion symptoms that persist are managed by the neurologist, not by us. The neck component follows the usual course for whiplash and is re-measured at set intervals. We stay in contact with the referring physician about your progress on both.

For the claim, the record shows the concussion screening findings and the date of referral, the physician or neurologist referred to, the cervical spine exam with range-of-motion numbers, and the neck treatment applied on each visit, in a proprietary case documentation system built in consultation with personal injury attorneys. Narrative reports are prepared on request and the file goes out as one PDF. See medical documentation for attorneys.