Post-Concussion Syndrome due to Three Gymnastic Concussions

In 2015, KT, a fifteen year-old female gymnast had three major traumas each resulting in a concussion. The parents exhausted all traditional diagnostic testing and therapies with no lasting results. In 2017, KT was referred to my practice for examination and treatment for her two year duration post-concussion symptoms. KT’s symptoms included, poor cognitive function, emotional upset, cervical pain, sleep disorder, disequilibrium and headaches.

There are two extreme components to the concussion spectrum. At one end of the trauma spectrum was Dr. Bennet Omalu’s discovery of CTE, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (must see the movie “Concussion”). At the other end of the spectrum is a milder form of trauma induced concussion. Any loss of brain function induced by trauma is a concussion. In between these two extremes is a region encompassing gradations of damage and associated symptoms. Separate from the actual physical trauma and potential brain damage and associated tau protein, brain sludge, which causes the deterioration of brain function is a functional component of concussion which has not been recognized. This functional component has to do with the primary respiratory motion of the brain. This motion has nothing to do with breathing. Even if you hold your breath, there exists a pumping motion, like an umbrella opening and closing, which assists the flow of cerebrospinal fluid around and through the brain tissue.

In 1983, I studied with a SOT (Sacro Occipital Technique) chiropractor by the name of Cleo A. Bludworth. Doctor Bludworth taught me an incredible piece of information. Doctor Bludworth’s ingenious finding was that there was a basic motion to the base of the human skull in which the base, SBS (Sphenobasilar Symphysis) would move into flexion with inhalation and then go into extension with exhalation. He taught me that trauma in any form would reverse this motion causing brain dysfunction and other neurologically associated symptoms. He was absolutely correct. Through my 48 plus years of clinical practice I have witnessed many instant recoveries from post-concussion traumas. It wasn’t until I watched the movie Concussion that the light bulb went on and I connected the dots. The underlying common denominator in all the concussion cases I examined was the reversed motion of the SBS. When I corrected this motion distortion, patients responded immediately and many of their post-concussion symptoms disappeared.

Nikola Tesla once said, “If you introduce one revolutionary concept, society will name boulevards and buildings after you, but if you introduce two revolutionary concepts society will politely ask you to retire.” Unfortunately Dr. Omalu’s plight with mainstream medicine, the NFL and other sports organization represents the knee jerk response to innovative science that attempts to change the system.

KT was evaluated and treated for her concussion induced SBS reversed motion problem. Her two-year chronic post-concussion symptoms totally disappeared immediately following my adjustment. One week later KT was totally symptom free and has remained free of her chronic issues.

Dr. Gerald Smith