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How blue light can heal patients with concussions

On Behalf of | Jan 23, 2020 | Brain Injury |

Researchers at the University of Arizona believe they have found an effective treatment for mild traumatic brain injuries, also known as concussions. West Virginia residents should know that there are few treatments for mTBIs besides medicinal methods. They may be interested to find out what the treatment is.

It is called blue light exposure therapy, whereby a patient is exposed to blue light every morning. This helps re-train the circadian rhythm so that the patient begins to sleep better and more regularly. This is important because half of all mTBI patients experience sleep problems after their injury. The treatment doesn’t simply solve the sleep problems, though. By improving sleep, it gives the brain more time to repair itself during that sleep, thus accelerating healing.

Concussion patients often suffer from headaches and difficulty paying attention to things for weeks or months after an injury. Blue light may, then, help clear up these symptoms. What blue light does is suppress the production of melatonin in the brain, which is meant to prepare the person for sleep. By being exposed to blue light in the morning, the mTBI patient will have the melatonin kick in earlier in the evening, helping the patient fall asleep sooner. Patients who receive treatment report less fatigue during the day and increased brain efficiency.

Concussions can occur in various ways, including car accidents and slips and falls. While some lose consciousness immediately afterwards, others do not. In more serious cases, victims may incur brain damage and even experience a delay in the appearance of symptoms. If the concussion was due to the negligence of another party, an attorney could be of assistance in seeking appropriate compensation for the losses that have been incurred.