Life After Impact: The Concussion Recovery Podcast
Life After Impact: The Concussion Recovery Podcast. This podcast is the go-to podcast for actionable information to help people recover from concussions, brain injuries, and post-concussion syndrome. Dr. Ayla Wolf does a deep dive in discussing symptoms, testing methods, treatment options, and resources to help people troubleshoot where they feel stuck in their recovery. The podcast brings you interviews with top experts in the field of concussions and brain injuries, and introduces a functional neurological mindset to approaching complex cases. For those feeling lost, hopeless, or abandoned let this podcast be your guide to living your best life after impact. Subscribe now and start your journey to recovery!
Episodes
The nervous system after concussion often remains stuck in fight-or-flight, making traditional rehabilitation challenging at best. Melissa Biscardi, an osteopathic therapist, registered nurse, and PhD candidate, reveals why gentle manual therapy creates a critical foundation for healing visual dysfunction after brain injury.
Drawing from over a decade of clinical experience, Biscardi explains how cranial work...
What happens when a decorated Navy commander and world-record holder for living underwater becomes a traumatic brain injury patient himself? Dr. Joe Dituri's extraordinary journey from elite military diver to pioneering hyperbaric medicine researcher offers groundbreaking insights into brain injury recovery that challenge everything we thought we knew.
Having spent 100 days living at pressure beneath the...
Contact Dr. Antonucci:
Dr. Antonucci's Neurobytes Blog - (totally worth reading in IMO)
Eliminate your hiccoughs in seconds! Blog post as promised :)
Show Description:
Ever wonder why your concussion symptoms persist despite seeing multiple specialists and undergoing countless tests? In this illuminating conversation, Dr. Matthew Antonucci reveals the systematic approach that's tran...
Dr. Glen Zielinski from Northwest Functional Neurology explores commonly missed vestibular lesions that can develop after head impacts, focusing on Superior Canal Dehiscence (SCD) as a frequently overlooked cause of debilitating hyperacusis and other post-concussion symptoms. He shares diagnostic insights including a simple tuning fork test that can identify potential SCD cases.
• SCD creates a resonant cavit...
Dr. Glen Zielinski from Northwest Functional Neurology in Lake Oswego, OR, joins us to talk about how he’s using cutting-edge, image-guided transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) technology to treat more than just depression. With neuro-navigated TMS, he's able to target specific brain regions with millimeter precision—and he's not stopping there.
Dr. Zielinski walks us through how he customizes every treatm...
Navigating the complex world of inner ear disorders, Dr. Ayla Wolf and Sophia Bouwens discuss the mechanics and causes of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) and what contributes to re-occurring BPPV.
• Difference between true vertigo and general dizziness
• How the semicircular canals and otolithic organs in our inner ear detect all head movements
• Infrared goggles essential for accurate BP...
Dr. Brody Miller, PhD, is a 2x best selling, author, researcher, speaker, and pioneer in brain health recovery. Having recovered from severe brain trauma, drug and epileptic seizures, he created a unique, and holistic approach, called the REBOUND method (TM) with his Mind Gym Starter Course. He focuses on helping high-level, heart led, athletes and leaders from all around the world overcome brain injuries so that they...
Dr. Ayla Wolf interviews Dr. Ala Lysyk about Cereset technology, an innovative approach using acoustic feedback to help the brain reset itself after concussion or trauma. They discuss how this engineering-based technology creates a real-time acoustic mirror therapy that allows the brain to recognize and correct harmful patterns causing persistent fatigue and other symptoms.
• Dr. Ala's journey from chiro...
Dr. Ayla Wolf and Sophia Bouwens dive deep into the complexities of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), explaining how this autonomic dysfunction manifests and why proper diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment. Dr. Wolf breaks down the different subtypes, testing methods, and treatment approaches while emphasizing the importance of looking beyond symptoms to find root causes.
• Different subtyp...
Chaandani Khan's story begins with a life derailed. Six years ago, a car accident left this high-achieving event planner with a concussion that transformed her world overnight. The woman who once thrived on 70-hour work weeks, constant travel, and a packed social calendar suddenly couldn't make a sandwich or find matching shoes. The cognitive fog was so thick that even basic tasks became mountains to climb.<...
Dr. Mike Nelson explains how ketones and lactate can serve as alternative fuel sources for the brain after concussion when glucose metabolism becomes impaired. This metabolic insight opens new possibilities for recovery support and symptom management.
• Concussions disrupt glucose metabolism in the brain but don't affect ketone and lactate pathways
• Parasympathetic nervous system activation techniqu...
Dr. Mike Nelson shares his expertise on exercise intolerance after concussion, explaining that neurological limitations, not metabolic fatigue, are the primary barrier to resuming physical activity. The key difference is that your nervous system acts as a brake on performance, preventing your body from accessing its existing physical capabilities.
• Exercise testing should be individualized, focusing on sympt...
Dr. Brewer brings his expertise as a neuro-optometrist to explain how visual processing problems are often overlooked in concussion recovery despite causing significant symptoms. He shares insights on integrating visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems to create lasting improvements for patients with post-concussion syndrome.
• 20/20 vision only measures clarity, not eye tracking or binocular function<...
Dr. Michelle Morrissey of the Morrissey Institute explains how she has adapted EMDR therapy to safely and effectively treat patients with concussions and brain injuries. She details the eight phases of EMDR treatment and shares her approach of clearing small traumas first to create capacity for healing bigger ones.
• Dr. Morrissey has 20+ years of experience as a trauma-informed mental health professional spe...
Dr. Ayla Wolf and Dr. Tatiana Habanova discuss the neuroendocrine changes post-concussion, particularly the impact on thyroid and adrenal function. Dr. Habanova explains that hypothyroidism often results from pituitary dysfunction rather than direct thyroid issues. She emphasizes the importance of assessing hormone levels immediately post-concussion or after a few weeks. They highlight the need for regular re-evaluati...
The hormonal ripple effects of concussions are often overlooked in recovery, creating frustrating plateaus for patients despite their best rehabilitation efforts. These hidden disruptions in the endocrine system can dramatically impact recovery and require a nuanced approach to care.
• Dr. Tatiana Habanova brings together functional neurology and functional medicine to address post-concussion hormone disrupti...
When Shane Swenson's car was struck by a drunk driver traveling 90mph in a 30mph zone one February morning in 2019, life as he knew it changed forever. His 12-year-old son Brady suffered a traumatic brain injury that would launch the family on an unexpected journey through emergency surgeries, months of rehabilitation, and a complete reimagining of their future.
Shane vividly recalls the moment of impact...
Natasha Wilch, physical therapist and concussion specialist, breaks down why traditional balance therapy often fails concussion patients and explains her approach to addressing persistent vestibular issues through a functional neurology lens. She shares insights from her five-day intensive treatment program and reveals the missing links that often prevent full recovery.
• Dizziness after concussion isn't...
Dr. Ayla Wolf, DAOM, unpacks the complex nature of dysautonomia beyond the common POTS diagnosis, explaining how this autonomic nervous system dysfunction affects multiple body systems and presents differently in each individual.
• The autonomic nervous system makes automatic adjustments for body functions like heart rate, breathing, and digestion
• Dysautonomia refers to dysfunction of these automatic pr...
Dr. Wilkerson walks us through the science of photobiomodulation. PBM can decrease inflammation, increase blood flow to treated areas, and improves cellular function by promoting energy production.
• Photobiomodulation is the umbrella term for using light to change cellular function
• Lasers work faster for pain relief, while LEDs are safer for home use
• Red light therapy has been used in veterin...
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