Combination of Medical and Physical Therapy in Management of Posttraumatic Headaches and Sleep Disturbances in Patients with Post-Concussion Syndrome

Abstract

Some of the main symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury in the long term are headaches and sleep disturbances. The purpose of our study was to investigate the influence of the combination medical and physical treatment using darsonvalization and magnetic therapy on headaches and sleep disturbances in patients with postconcussion syndrome. Methods: We observed 67 patients with the consequences of mild traumatic brain injury. Patients were divided into two groups: the first group consisted of patients who received medical therapy. The second group included patients who received a similar medical therapy, adding physical therapy using the methods of magnetic therapy and darsonvalization. The treatment was controlled by Doppler ultrasound of the carotid arteries as well as by testing the patients according to MOS SF-36 quality of life questionnaire, which were carried out before and after the treatment. Results: The analysis of the data obtained from the first group showed the increase of blood flow velocity by 5.2%. The data obtained from the second group showed the significant increase of blood flow velocity by 14.7%, as well as reducing the indices of vascular resistance (PI and RI) by 39.3%. In second group we saw the positive effect of physical therapy using darsonvalization and magnetic therapy. We observed a significant decrease in autonomic manifestations of the disease, which results in a reduction of headaches (75%), palpitations (57.2%), distal hyperhidrosis (64.7%), normal sleep (72.4%), improved emotional background mood (86.5%). Conclusions: We suppose, that headache in patients with TBI can provoke increased sleep disturbances in turn this sleep disturbances later may lead to increased headache.Combination treatment with physical and medical therapy leads to subjective and objective improvement of the patients’ health. Combination physical and medical therapy is recommended for more effective treatment of the consequences of traumatic brain injury.