Concussion, also known as mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is not simply a bump on the head. It’s a disruption to multiple brain systems that help us think clearly, stay balanced and regulate mood and sleep. While many people recover from such injuries within seven to 10 days, others experience lingering symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, visual strain, brain fog and fatigue.

One of the most common contributors to prolonged symptoms is vestibular dysfunction. The vestibular system, located partly in the inner ear and partly in the brain, helps us process movement, maintain balance and stabilize our vision when our head moves. When this system is disrupted after concussion, it can affect nearly every aspect of daily life.

Vestibular dysfunction often sits at the center of four common post-concussion symptom categories:

•           Physical: dizziness, imbalance, motion sensitivity, headaches and visual disturbances

•           Cognitive: slowed thinking, difficulty concentrating and “brain fog”

•           Emotional: anxiety or irritability related to persistent instability

•           Sleep: disrupted rest and prolonged recovery due to altered sensory processing

Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) is a personalized, exercise-based treatment designed to help the brain recalibrate and adapt after injury. VRT uses specific, graded movements and balance challenges to promote neuroplasticity or the brain’s ability to reorganize and strengthen connections.

Components of vestibular rehabilitation may include:

•           Cervicovestibular therapy, which combines neck mobility work with vestibular exercises.

•           Visual-vestibular integration exercises to improve how the brain coordinates information from the eyes, inner ear and body.

•           Dual-task training, which challenges patients to balance or move while performing a cognitive task.

•           Balance and gait retraining to restore stability in real-world environments.

•           Oculomotor therapy to address visual motion sensitivity and improve reading and visual focus.

Other steps to foster healing can include a gradual return to activity rather than strict prolonged rest, consistent sleep schedules to support neurological regulation, hydration and balanced nutrition to stabilize energy and brain function and guided aerobic exercise, when appropriate, to promote blood flow and neuroplasticity.

Because concussion affects each person differently, rehabilitation should always be individualized. Identifying vestibular involvement early and targeting it directly can significantly reduce recovery time and improve long-term outcomes.

Lauren Brindisi, DC, DACNB, is a board-certified chiropractic neurologist and the clinical director of Carolina Functional Neurology Center - Charlotte, located at 16905 Northcross Dr., Ste. 150, in Huntersville. CFNC specializes in comprehensive concussion evaluation and individualized vestibular rehabilitation. For more information or to schedule an initial consultation ($50), call 704-661-0085 or visit CarolinaFNC.com.

Carolina Functional Neurology Center - Charlotte - 16905 Northcross Dr Ste 150, Huntersville, NC

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