Primal Practice: Helping Missoula, MT Patients with Post-Concussion Syndrome

Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS) can be a challenging and persistent condition, with symptoms like headaches, brain fog, dizziness, and fatigue lingering long after the initial injury. Finding a path to recovery requires an approach that addresses the root cause: a disruption in the nervous system. At Primal Practice in Missoula, MT, the focus is on gentle, precise, and holistic care designed to help the nervous system regulate and allow the body to heal. By combining nervous system-based chiropractic adjustments with whole-body support, the team helps patients navigate their recovery from prolonged concussion symptoms.

TL;DR

• Primal Practice has experience helping patients with post-concussion syndrome symptoms that have lasted for extended periods, such as two years.
• Verified patient outcomes show that individuals receiving care reported improvement in their concussion symptoms.
• The clinic's approach focuses on nervous system regulation, a component that patients have found to be instrumental in their recovery process.
• Care involves gentle, precise techniques, including nervous system-focused adjustments and Cranial Sacral Therapy, to support the body's innate ability to heal.

What the outcomes show

At Primal Practice, the focus is on tangible results. For patients dealing with Post-Concussion Syndrome, the clinic has tracked outcomes for 2 verified cases.

While specific metrics like average pain reduction or mobility gain are not tracked for this condition, the patient-reported stories highlight significant progress. In the documented cases, individuals had been experiencing persistent post-concussion symptoms for approximately two years before finding relief at the clinic. These patients reported a notable improvement in their concussion symptoms and emphasized the importance of nervous system regulation as a key part of their recovery journey. The data shows that even with long-term symptoms, progress is possible with a targeted, nervous system-based approach.

How Primal Practice approaches Post-Concussion Syndrome

A concussion is more than just a bump on the head; it's a mild traumatic brain injury that shakes the brain and disrupts its normal function. When symptoms persist for weeks, months, or even years, it's known as Post-Concussion Syndrome. This condition is fundamentally a state of nervous system dysregulation. The trauma can lock the nervous system into a state of chronic stress, or "fight-or-flight," making it difficult for the brain and body to rest, repair, and function correctly.

The approach at Primal Practice is built on the philosophy of addressing the root cause. Rather than just managing symptoms like headaches or dizziness, the goal is to calm the overstimulated nervous system and restore proper communication between the brain and body. This creates the optimal environment for healing to occur.

Care for PCS is tailored to each individual and may involve several of the clinic's specialized techniques:

• Nervous System Scans: The process begins with a comprehensive, non-invasive assessment. These scans provide a window into your nervous system, measuring how it's functioning and identifying the specific patterns of stress and dysregulation caused by the concussion. This objective data allows Dr. Liz Walker and Dr. Eleni LaRue to create a precise care plan and track your progress over time.
• Nervous System Regulation Care: This is the cornerstone of the clinic’s approach. Using gentle and specific chiropractic adjustments, the providers work to calm the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) nervous system and activate the parasympathetic (rest, digest, and heal) nervous system. For someone with PCS, this shift is crucial. It helps reduce the constant state of high alert that contributes to symptoms like anxiety, sleep disturbances, and heightened sensitivity.
• Dynamic Body Balancing (Cranial Sacral + Myofascial): This gentle, hands-on technique is particularly beneficial for PCS. Dr. Eleni LaRue specializes in Cranial Sacral Therapy, which involves applying light touch to the skull, spine, and pelvis. The goal is to release tension in the dura mater—the protective membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord. A concussion can create restrictions in these tissues, impeding the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and contributing to pressure, headaches, and brain fog. By gently releasing these restrictions, this therapy helps the craniosacral system find a more balanced rhythm, supporting the brain's ability to heal. Myofascial work addresses related tension in the neck, shoulders, and upper back that often accompanies a head injury.
• Gentle, Precise Adjustments: The adjustments at Primal Practice are calm and precise, designed to restore proper motion and alignment in the upper cervical spine (the top of the neck). This area is critical for brain-body communication. Misalignments here, often resulting from the force of a concussion, can interfere with nerve signals, blood flow, and fluid dynamics between the head and neck. Correcting these issues gently can have a profound impact on reducing headaches, dizziness, and other neurological symptoms.

Dr. Liz Walker brings her expertise in nervous system regulation and women's health to create a supportive healing environment, while Dr. Eleni LaRue’s focus on perinatal and pediatric care includes advanced training in gentle methods like the Webster Technique and Cranial Sacral Therapy, which are perfectly suited for the sensitivity required in PCS care.

Patient cases (verified outcomes)

The following summaries are based on verified patient outcomes from individuals who sought care for Post-Concussion Syndrome at Primal Practice.

Improvement in Prolonged Post-Concussion Symptoms A patient sought care after experiencing prolonged post-concussion symptoms for approximately two years. Following a course of care at Primal Practice, they reported a noticeable improvement in their concussion-related symptoms. The patient also highlighted experiencing better nervous system regulation.

Instrumental Nervous System Regulation for Extended PCS After struggling with extended post-concussion syndrome for nearly two years, a patient made the decision to switch their care to Dr. Liz Walker at Primal Practice. The patient reported experiencing an improvement in their symptoms and found the focus on nervous system regulation to be an "instrumental" part of their progress.

What to expect at your first visit

Your first visit to Primal Practice is a comprehensive and calming experience designed to get to the root of your health concerns. You will be warmly welcomed by Tricia, the clinic's "Front Desk Ninja," who ensures your visit starts smoothly.

The initial appointment is centered around a detailed conversation with either Dr. Liz or Dr. Eleni. They will take the time to listen and learn about your health history, the circumstances of your concussion, the full scope of your symptoms, and your personal health goals. This conversation is foundational to understanding your unique situation.

Next, you will undergo a series of non-invasive Nervous System Scans. These scans are gentle and do not involve any radiation or discomfort. They provide objective measurements of how your nervous system is functioning, revealing patterns of stress and tension held in your body.

This first visit is all about discovery. The combination of your health history and the data from your scans gives the doctors the information they need to determine if and how they can help. They will then develop a personalized care plan that outlines the recommended frequency of visits and the specific techniques that will best support your recovery from Post-Concussion Syndrome.

FAQ

1. Is chiropractic care safe for Post-Concussion Syndrome? Yes, when the approach is appropriate for the condition. The care at Primal Practice is not about forceful manipulation. It is gentle, specific, and focused on the nervous system. Techniques like upper cervical adjustments and Cranial Sacral Therapy are low-force and designed to work with the body, making them a safe approach for a sensitive, healing brain.

2. How does this approach help with symptoms like headaches, brain fog, and dizziness? These symptoms are often tied to underlying issues like nervous system dysregulation, inflammation, reduced blood flow, or restricted cerebrospinal fluid flow. Gentle adjustments to the upper neck can improve the communication between the brain and body and restore proper biomechanics. Cranial Sacral Therapy directly addresses tension in the membranes surrounding the brain, which can alleviate pressure-related headaches and improve the brain's internal environment, helping to clear brain fog.

3. My concussion was months or even years ago. Can you still help? Yes. The verified patient cases at Primal Practice involve individuals who had been experiencing symptoms for two years. The body has an innate capacity to heal, but sometimes it needs help to get out of a stuck pattern of dysfunction. The focus of care is to calm the nervous system and restore proper function, which can be effective regardless of how long ago the initial injury occurred.

4. What are Nervous System Scans and why are they used for PCS? Nervous System Scans are a set of non-invasive technologies that measure the function of your autonomic nervous system—the system that controls your stress response, healing, and organ function. For PCS, they help objectively identify how the concussion has impacted your body's ability to regulate itself. This provides a clear baseline, allows for the creation of a highly specific care plan, and gives you a way to see your progress beyond just symptom improvement.

5. How is the approach at Primal Practice different from other concussion therapies? While other therapies like physical or occupational therapy are essential for rehabilitating specific functions, the approach at Primal Practice is foundational. It focuses on the master control system of the body—the nervous system. By ensuring the brain-body communication pathways are clear and by shifting the body from a state of chronic stress to a state of healing, this care helps create the physiological environment that can make other therapies more effective. It is a holistic, root-cause approach that complements your entire recovery team.

Ready to see if we can help?

Navigating the path to recovery after a concussion can feel isolating, but you do not have to do it alone. The team at Primal Practice is dedicated to understanding your unique story and providing gentle, holistic care to support your body’s healing process. If you are in the Missoula, MT area and struggling with persistent concussion symptoms, we invite you to learn more.

To explore the clinic’s approach and see if it is the right fit for you, please view the Primal Practice profile or contact the office to schedule a consultation.