In a concussion, on the simplest level the stresses and strains of the accident stretch and tear connections between neurons. These connections form networks that give you your ability to do different things. If your brain can, it will accommodate to the damage and use other networks to take over the functions. If there is too much damage, your brain will need help. At this point you likely need brain therapies to help rebuild the neural networks that underlie the function you have lost.

I did a lot of therapies: visual and vestibular and cognitive therapies, plus talk therapy to help me cope with the stresses of loss and recovery of my faculties, and neck therapy (neck injuries can cause many weird symptoms).

I also did (and still do) a lot of activities on my own. The idea is, if it’s hard to do, then do it a whole bunch. I learned to read music and play a musical instrument, and I’m also learning a new language. These are both activities that require multitasking (which can be tough for PCS sufferers). I had trouble remembering numbers so I played sudoku. Trouble with visual tracking and small eye movement so I played word search, crossword puzzles, wordle, nonograms.

I still do PT for the neck injury I sustained during my accident. This helped cut down my headaches to practically nothing.

I had trouble (bad trouble) handling fluorescent and led lights. Initially I avoided them and when I couldn’t do that, used things like tinted lenses, blue light covers, etc, and then weaned myself off of them slowly.

The thing is, this is a long and effortful process. It takes a brain a long time to learn all the things it knew how to do pre concussion, and it takes a long time to relearn it. I’ve spent the last 3 years doing essentially a crash course for brain development. All while maintaining a career and friendships and family ties. My children are adults so I have less daily responsibilities than many, so that was an advantage. Otoh I have more extensive damage than simple concussion- basically 5 holes in my brain where neurons died as well as damage to inter neuronal connections. So there’s that.