Why you've tried everything and still don't feel right
The seven-minute visit, and the one question the system was never built to ask.
upper cervical care · ann arbor, michigan
Post-concussion symptoms that haven't cleared
The concussion was months or years ago. The scans were clear, and the headaches, the fog and the sensitivity to light are still here.
in their words
What people say about post-concussion symptoms
"post concussion syndrome years later"
"All of my tests always came back perfectly clear, 'no issues,' but there were still issues."
"My body is clearly screaming at me something is up but I don't know what."
Why it is often missed. Most tests look for disease or damage. When they find none, the answer is "normal," and how your nervous system is regulating your body is never asked about.
Why the upper neck may be involved. A blow hard enough to injure the brain also whips the head on the top of the neck. Researchers have noticed that lasting post-concussion symptoms and neck injury often overlap, and the symptoms can look alike: headaches, dizziness and trouble concentrating. That is why we measure the upper neck as well as the nervous system.
what the research looked at
Four published studies on post-concussion symptoms
Published 2004 to 2019. The strongest design among them: case series. Each one is summarized in plain words in our research library: who was studied, what was measured, what was found, and where it falls short.
- Two women with lingering symptoms after a head injury
- A 23-year-old woman with positional vertigo and headaches after a fall
- A 76-year-old woman with ten years of seizures after a concussion
- A 23-year-old man after a head-first fall: seizures, sleep, mood and migraine
Five people across four reports, with no comparison group, and much of what was measured is what the patients reported. Post-concussion symptoms often ease with time, which reports like these can't separate from care. After any head injury, new or worsening symptoms (confusion, repeated vomiting, weakness, a severe or worsening headache) need emergency care first.
Read the post-concussion symptoms research, with every source →
The post-concussion symptoms studies, by design and year
how we measure
The Lazar Method™ measures first
Everyone else told you what might work. We measure before anything is decided. Heart rate variability shows how much reserve your nervous system has and whether it is stuck in fight or flight, and digital X-ray shows the alignment of the upper neck itself.
Before any correction we measure how your nervous system is regulating your body: heart rate variability, thermal and muscle tone scans, PostureIQ™, and digital X-ray of the upper neck. Dr. Jonathan Lazar, D.C., or someone personally trained by him, will go over your scans and images with you. QSM3, the method used at our office, is a progression of NUCCA, and the correction is gentle and specific: no cracking, no twisting.
If we can help, we'll tell you. If we can't, we'll help you find someone who can.
Please note: After any head injury, new or worsening symptoms (confusion, vomiting, weakness, a severe headache) need emergency care first.
This page is educational and is not medical advice. Keep the doctors who know you in the loop.
Your doctor. QSM3 Level M Certified. One of eight doctors in the world. In practice in Ann Arbor, Michigan, since 2008. About Dr. Lazar
the dr. lazar show
Hear how Dr. Lazar thinks before you call
Heard for 17 years on WMUZ 103.5 FM, The Dr. Lazar Show is now on YouTube and as a podcast. There is no episode on post-concussion symptoms on its own yet. These two are where most people start.
The Lazar Method™: how we actually reset the system
The five steps on air for the first time: measure, identify, clarify, correct, restore, and what gets measured before anything else.
traveling for care
Coming from another state, or hours away?
People drive from across Michigan because nothing closer worked. If you live hours away, or in another state, working out the days, the hotel and the records shouldn't be yours to carry alone. Our office is at 203 S. Zeeb Rd, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Traveling with a child? Families welcome.
- IntensiveIntensive programs
Your assessment, your Report of Findings and a concentrated block of corrections in one stay in Ann Arbor, usually one to two weeks, set at your Report of Findings. We read your records before you travel, so you only make the trip if it makes sense. The prices are itemized on the page.
- StayStaying in Ann Arbor
A negotiated medical rate for patients and their families at the Holiday Inn & Suites Ann Arbor, with breakfast, Wi-Fi and parking included.
- RemoteRemote care
Can't travel to Ann Arbor at all? Dr. Lazar works with a small number of remote patients. The correction itself is hands-on, so when your case needs it, we'll tell you, and help you find a qualified upper cervical provider near you.
questions
Questions people ask about post-concussion symptoms
Still have a question? Call 734.274.5107, or book a 15-minute Clarity Call, a phone call with our team and no commitment. Cost and insurance are answered plainly on the FAQ page.
Keep reading
Why do I still have symptoms years after a concussion?
Most people recover from a concussion within weeks, but some don't, and their scans are often clear. One part of the picture that is often missed is the neck, which takes the same force as the head. Lasting headaches, dizziness and fog can come from either, so it is worth measuring both.
Can a neck injury cause post-concussion symptoms?
It can play a part. The neck takes the same jolt as the head, and neck problems can cause headaches, dizziness and trouble concentrating, the same symptoms people describe after a concussion. Researchers have noticed the two often overlap. Measuring the upper neck helps sort out whether it is part of your picture.
What does research say about upper cervical care after concussion?
Four reports so far, describing five people: a two-person case series and three case reports, with no comparison group. Much of what was measured is what the patients reported, and post-concussion symptoms often ease with time, which reports like these can't separate from care. They are a reason to look closer, not a promise.
Is the correction safe after a head injury?
We start only after a medical doctor has ruled out a fracture or anything urgent. The correction itself is gentle and specific: no cracking, no twisting, nothing forceful, with you lying on your side in a neutral position. It is planned from your own imaging, so nothing is guessed. If we can't help, we'll tell you.
tried everything
When nothing else has worked, start with clarity.
In about 4 minutes, you'll see whether your symptoms point to nervous system dysfunction, and exactly what to do next. Free. Your answers stay private. No spam, ever.
Prefer to talk first?
or call 734.274.5107 · ready to come in? Book your complimentary consultation
Screening adapted from the autonomic dysfunction screening developed by Bruce Bell, MD.
A member of our team will reach out within one business day.