Brain Bound the Podcast

Concussion can change your brain, your body, even your personality. It can change how you experience the world, and how you interact with it. It can even change who you are. I talk about this with Chaandani Khan, a guest speaker from Canada. As she describes, her "old self" had an active life filled with travel, socialising and activities. She was enjoying her career in the events industries, before her life was completely disrupted by a car accident which left her with a concussion brain injury. We talk about the impact of losing yourself after brain injury and how that can change your life. We touch upon the mental struggles and identity crisis that come with it. -------- Thank you for listening to Brain Bound the Podcast, a show that talks about the at least 30% of all concussions that develop into PCS. In future episodes, I'll be discussing relevant topics that you'll encounter during PCS recovery. I invite someone to share their own PCS story around the topic, and then sit down with an expert in the next episode to help you learn more. Please subscribe for future episodes. Consider leaving a review if you've enjoyed today's show. To connect with other people on their concussion journey, or to learn more about PCS, you can visit my Instagram page @brain.bound. Do you have any questions, tips, comments - or would you like to be featured as a guest speaker on the podcast? Feel free to email me at [email protected]. You can also reach me via Instagram PM. Instagram: @brain.bound Email: [email protected]

As discussed with AJ in the last episode, a concussion can totally change your experience of the world - both internally and externally. The world feels wonky, you get lost in places you've been to so many times before. Your body always feels "off" and floaty. Even your experience of your internal thoughts and feelings are different. What happened? This can't be explained by one thing - there are many mechanisms behind the concussion experience. But one very important aspect is the vestibular/balance system. Starting a tiny organ in your ears that makes a world of difference. I talk about this with Sonia Vovan, a concussion and vestibular therapist from Toronto, Canada. She named her page "all in your head pt". Because yes, it happens in your brain, but these experiences are not "in your head". You're not alone. Sonia takes us along behind the scenes of the vestibular system and how this part of the brain can cause such trouble with PCS. We talk about dizziness, getting lost, becoming clumsy, and even feeling disconnected from your body and your feelings. Sonia also shares with us her virtual and local resources, both for clinicians and patients. Like her virtual discovery calls and coaching for PCS patients, and online concussion courses for clinicians. -------- Thank you for listening to Brain Bound the Podcast, a show that talks about the at least 30% of all concussions that develop into PCS. In future episodes, I'll be discussing relevant topics that you'll encounter during PCS recovery. I invite someone to share their own PCS story around the topic, and then sit down with an expert in the next episode to help you learn more. Please subscribe for future episodes. Consider leaving a review if you've enjoyed today's show. To connect with other people on their concussion journey, or to learn more about PCS, you can visit my Instagram page @brain.bound. Do you have any questions, tips, comments - or would you like to be featured as a guest speaker on the podcast? Feel free to email me at [email protected]. You can also reach me via Instagram PM. Instagram: @brain.bound Email: [email protected]

In this episode, I'll be talking about the theme of "Dealing with a new body" with our second PCS guest speaker AJ, from Scotland. AJ shares how a sleighing accident five years ago would change her life forever. We discuss the various effects PCS can have on the brain and in turn the body. These can range from a "robotic" voice and speech issues, to motor problems and a changes in your sense of taste. AJ also shares her mission to find back her sparkle through her blogs and social media, and spread hope for TBI recovery. How she was able to keep up a light spirit, despite the dark times. -------- Thank you for listening to Brain Bound the Podcast, a show that talks about the at least 30% of all concussions that develop into PCS. In future episodes, I'll be discussing relevant topics that you'll encounter during PCS recovery. I invite someone to share their own PCS story around the topic, and then sit down with an expert in the next episode to help you learn more. Please subscribe for future episodes. Consider leaving a review if you've enjoyed today's show. To connect with other people on their concussion journey, or to learn more about PCS, you can visit my Instagram page @brain.bound. Do you have any questions, tips, comments - or would you like to be featured as a guest speaker on the podcast? Feel free to email me at [email protected]. You can also reach me via Instagram PM. Instagram: @brain.bound Email: [email protected]

This week I invite Natasha Wilch, a physiotherapist from British-Columbia (Canada) with a mission to change the concussion culture globally. We talk about how a concussion client stumped her, despite her experience with strokes and other neurological conditions. We tackle many kinds of misconceptions around concussion, from a "mild" brain injury to "it's just anxiety". Natasha also shares about seven subtypes of concussion, why at least 30% of concussions develop PCS (Post-Concussion Syndrome) and what PCS recovery actually looks like. --------------- TIME STAMPS -------------- (0:38) Introducing Natasha Wilch - her background, mission and initiatives (04:30) Concussion - a "mild" brain injury (06:30) What is a concussion? (08:10) Contributing factors to developing Post-Concussion Syndrome (11:35) When do you have PCS - symptoms (16:55) States of the nervous system (18:05) Autonomic nervous system (ANS) (22:30) ANS & concussion symptoms (24:20) How to retrain the nervous system (29:37) When people regress with PCS (30:50) What PCS recovery looks like (seven subtypes of concussion) --------------- RESOURCES --------------- The Concussion Mini School (Free Monthly Webinar for concussion survivors) - https://www.natashawilch.com/concussion-mini-school Concussion Nerds (A program for concussion clinicians) - https://www.natasha-wilch.com/concussion-nerds Website - https://www.natasha-wilch.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/natasha.wilch/ --------------- IMPORTANT TERMS -------------- Functional brain injury: a brain injury that interrupts the pathways of the brain Autonomic nervous system: the part of the nervous system that organizes everything that happens automatically, like heart-rate or balance Parasympathetic nervous system: the state of the nervous system when you're relaxed - "rest & digest" Sympathetic nervous system: the state of nervous system you're in when you're stressed - "flight-or-fight" Seven subtypes of concussion: Ocular-motor (eyes), vestibular (balance), cervical (neck/whiplash), autonomic (nervous system), cognitive (completing tasks), affective (depressive, emotional), headache. (Some people also include sleep). ---------------------- Thank you for listening to Brain Bound the Podcast, a show that talks about the at least 30% of all concussions that develop into PCS. In future episodes, I'll be discussing relevant topics that you'll encounter during PCS recovery. I invite someone to share their own PCS story around the topic, and then sit down with an expert in the next episode to help you learn more. Please subscribe for future episodes. Consider leaving a review if you've enjoyed today's show. To connect with other people on their concussion journey, or to learn more about PCS, you can visit my Instagram page @brain.bound. Do you have any questions, tips, comments - or would you like to be featured as a guest speaker on the podcast? Feel free to email me at [email protected]. You can also reach me via Instagram PM. Instagram: @brain.bound Email: [email protected]

In this episode, I'm talking with Frida about the process of going from "it's just a concussion" to realizing how much more it can be. Frida, a teacher from Germany, has a lot of experience with concussions - having sustained 7(!) in six years. After the third, her symptoms suddenly don't go away. Neurologists tell her she should have been better by now and that "this is it". The only neurologist that's helpful isn't insured but does leave her with a new term - Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS). Follow our conversation through the journey of Frida discovering what PCS is. How she spends the next few years navigating the many therapies, keeping up the hope for future recovery, and coping with the debilitating impact of PCS in the present. Note: When Frida mentioned Cognitive Behavioral therapy, she actually meant occupational therapy. -------- Thank you for listening to Brain Bound the Podcast, a show that talks about the at least 30% of all concussions that develop into PCS. In future episodes, I'll be discussing relevant topics that you'll encounter during PCS recovery. I invite someone to share their own PCS story around the topic, and then sit down with an expert in the next episode to help you learn more. Please subscribe for future episodes. Consider leaving a review if you've enjoyed today's show. To connect with other people on their concussion journey, or to learn more about PCS, you can visit my Instagram page @brain.bound. Do you have any questions, tips, comments - or would you like to be featured as a guest speaker on the podcast? Feel free to email me at [email protected]. You can also reach me via Instagram PM. Instagram: @brain.bound Email: [email protected]

In this episode, I'll be introducing you to the premise of Brain Bound the Podcast. I'll also be telling you more about my own story and how I came to the idea of starting the podcast. Follow me as I share about how a karate training led to a 1.5 year long recovery journey from a concussion that totally changed my life. How several providers had no idea what was wrong with me and eventually told me "it was all in my head.". How "just a concussion" developed into a brain injury that forced me to have relearn how to even read my email or go to the grocery store. And how it took me months to get the correct diagnosis; Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS). Thank you for listening to Brain Bound the Podcast, a show that talks about the at least 30% of all concussions that develop into PCS. In future episodes, I'll be discussing relevant topics that you'll encounter during PCS recovery. I invite someone to share their own PCS story around the topic, and then sit down with an expert in the next episode to help you learn more. Please subscribe for future episodes. Consider leaving a review if you've enjoyed today's show. To connect with other people on their concussion journey, or to learn more about PCS, you can visit my Instagram page @brain.bound. Do you have any questions, tips, comments - or would you like to be featured as a guest speaker on the podcast? Feel free to email me at [email protected]. You can also reach me via Instagram PM. Instagram: @brain.bound Email: [email protected]