My moderately-severe concussion was the result of tripping over my feet. My body tensed up and I fell flat on my face. I finally went to the ER and they ordered a CAT scan. Thankfully no broken bones. I was concerned about any breaks in my cervical bones. What they did find was a meningioma of no consequence. Following their advice, I saw a neurologist. She sent me for physical therapy. WOW! The PT group I saw specialize in concussions. The exercises basically involved reconnecting the eyes, brain and muscle control. Primarily eyes to brain. They did some rebuilding of the core muscles through light cardiovascular (riding the bike) exercises. Talking with the neurologist, we also found that the anti-depressant I was on (for nearly 25 years) had significantly suppressed some of the processing of external visual signals which were involved in my balance. I contacted my GP and made some adjustments in my medication, which has helped tremendously with my overall health. Medicare paid for all of my therapy sessions which was a tremendous relief. One additional observation was that after one session I realized that this therapy would have been SUPER advantageous to have done after my cataract surgery. The eyes and brain connection is vitally linked and is important to maintain.
Depression is a major side effect of a concussion. From what I have learned, it is part of the brain’s healing process. I strongly suggest finding someone who will refer you to a physical/occupational therapy group. They are not just about rehabilitating broken bones and recovering from surgery. They are more about reconnecting the overall body operation.
I sincerely hope that your situation improves. There are so many phases to a concussion mentally and physically. It takes time, care, and patience. Best regards.
P.S. All of this “physical therapy” has brought me to the point of totally going off using antidepressants. I feel reconnected to life for the first time in 35 years.