We’re way too casual about concussions. In fact, when I suffered a concussion in a car accident a few years back, the doctor didn’t tell me. And when I asked, she told me it wasn’t important.

And she was wrong. Concussions are huge.

You see, most concussions damage the pituitary gland, sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently. If you don’t take care of business in treating your concussion, you move toward permanent. If you get repeated concussions, you almost surely end up with permanent pituitary damage.

And the pituitary is the top dog in controlling your metabolism, your energy levels, your immune system, and on and on. You do not want to mess with the pituitary.

I can say this with authority because a drunk driver damaged my pituitary before my first birthday, and I’ve been dealing with the consequences ever since.

How to tell if you have a concussion

• Your head feels too heavy and hard to hold up
• You have a headache and feel spacey, not quite there
• You’re more tired than you thought possible
• If you were knocked unconscious, you have a concussion

What to do for a concussion

The most important thing you can do for a concussion is get in bed and stay there. Don’t try to tough it out. Don’t try to keep on going. Certainly don’t exercise. Your brain is injured; don’t make demands on it.

Don’t eat junk. Certainly nothing with soy, monosodium glutamate or aspartame in it; they inflame the brain.

Hopefully, you have a solid platform of vitamins and minerals to support your health because your body desperately needs nutrition when you’re hurt or sick. Including the anti-inflammatories a good supplement program provides.

Get plenty of liquids, but not fluoridated water. Fluoride puts a burden on the endocrine system, and a concussion means your endo system already faces a world of hurt.

How to tell if you have pituitary damage

For one thing, pituitary damage causes minor clumsiness, actually the lack–or loss–of athletic skills.

My mother took me from doctor to doctor trying to get help because she noticed I lacked any of the athletic skills of my siblings. Doctors insisted I was fine, but my mother was right. Right from the start I provided clues to my pituitary damage, but nobody caught them.

When you hear of a football player who can’t seem to come back from a concussion, it’s because pituitary damage has taken the edge off their athleticism. Chances are they tried to tough it out instead of heading for bed. Toughing it out is what they’re taught to do, and accolades flow in. Nobody warns them of the price they’ll pay. Thankfully, the word’s getting out, and it’s getting better. Slowly.

If the concussion's extreme fatigue goes on and on, think pituitary.

If your brain becomes unreliable, with lost thoughts and difficulty concentrating, think pituitary.

If your ability to handle stress goes downhill, think pituitary.

What to do for pituitary damage

I was never treated for my pituitary problem. I had to find a shovel that would let me dig my way out. I found my answers in vitamins, minerals and other supplements. The research took a long time, but I made it.

I’m glad it worked out that way because I’m doing really well, while doctors tell me I should be dead by now. They don’t want to be confused by the facts through testing or hearing my medical history; if I’m right, then they’re wrong, and that can’t be. And if I mention nutritional supplements, their heads explode.

I owe a lot to vitamins and minerals. The pituitary–and the rest of the endocrine system–slurps them up like nobody’s business.

To sum up: If you suffer a concussion, take it seriously. Life as you know it could be at stake.

Printer-friendly version