Go home. Rest. Avoid screens. Come back in a few weeks if you are not better. This is the advice the vast majority of people receive after a concussion. It is not wrong, exactly. But it is profoundly incomplete, and in some ways, the incompleteness is the problem.

This article outlines the herbal compounds with the strongest current evidence base for these mechanisms, what the research shows, and how they fit within a naturopathic concussion treatment approach. Herbal medicine in concussion care is personalised precision medicine.

This article answers the question directly and in detail. What naturopathic concussion care assesses. What it treats. What the evidence basis for those treatments is. And what you can reasonably expect from it.

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is one of the body’s primary regulatory systems, coordinating the stress response, metabolism, immune function, and the hormonal signals that govern almost every aspect of physiological function. Concussion can disrupt this axis - both directly and indirectly.

Adding a gut microbiome baseline to pre-season concussion screening protocols would give something genuinely new: the capacity to identify and address the physiological factors that determine how severe a concussion becomes and how long it persists - before the season that makes those factors clinically consequential.

Concussion is often treated as a brain injury alone, but head trauma affects the entire body. From neuroinflammation and immune activation to gut–brain axis disruption and metabolic changes, recovery involves multiple physiological systems. Understanding who treats what in concussion care reveals where systemic support can make a critical difference.

Inflammation is good… until its bad! Standard concussion protocols often focus on managing immediate symptoms—prescribing pain relievers for headaches or recommending rest. While these approaches are important, they may not address the underlying, ongoing inflammatory processes that can lead to persistent symptoms.

Understanding the mechanisms behind the gut and microbiome involvement in concussion injuries - whilst its an extensive and highly nuanced process, this article gives you the run down, highlighting just how important it is to prioritise whole body health in concussion management for better outcomes. From inflammatory factors to microbial disturbance.

Welcome to a new paradigm in Concussion Care.

Naturopathic care offers a whole-body, person-centred approach to concussion care, no matter when your concussion occured.