Headaches, dizziness or fog that hang on after a head injury mean some systems have not caught up. We test each one, then train it, alongside your physician.
Overview
You took a hit or a fall, and it was called a concussion. Weeks later, screens still bring on headaches and quick turns throw off your balance.
A concussion can affect balance, vision, sleep, mood and focus at once, and those systems recover at different speeds. Concussion rehab finds the ones still struggling and trains them directly.
It is the core program of our neurological rehabilitation team in Rancho Santa Fe, built on a full exam.
What it is
Concussion rehab is a structured program for the balance, vision, thinking and energy problems that can follow a head injury. It starts with a detailed nervous system exam, then uses targeted exercises and training tools, adjusted session by session, on the functions the exam shows are still off.
Your exam measures balance, eye movement, reflexes and thinking speed.
Your plan targets the functions that tested below normal.
Each session is adjusted to how you responded to the last one.
The re-check
We re-test as you go, moving from calming symptoms toward the demands of work, school or sport. If a system stalls, we change the plan or refer you back to your physician.
Your exam decides the mix. Plans often combine balance and eye-movement exercises with GyroStim rotation training, neurofeedback set up from a qEEG brain map, and DynaVision reaction work. Some add TransLingual NeuroStimulation (TLNS), or chiropractic adjustments when the neck is involved.
Conditions
These are the problems we see most often in the program.
Headaches, dizziness, light sensitivity and fog can last for weeks, especially once school, work or training starts again. The program works first on the systems your exam shows are behind. Read more about lingering post-concussion symptoms.
Screens, busy rooms and mental tasks can feel draining after a concussion, and poor sleep adds to it. Pacing is part of the plan. Learn about fatigue that follows a head injury.
Irritability, anxiety or low mood can follow a concussion. Neurofeedback may complement care from a mental health professional. See support for anxiety and emotional health.
Why here
Balance, vision, reflexes, thinking speed and brain activity are measured first, so your plan targets what is actually off.
Sessions start at or below your current limit, and we watch how you respond to avoid long flare-ups.
We work alongside your physician, school or team, and we send you back to them when something needs medical attention.
Other options
| Option | What it involves | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Rest, then gradual activity | Brief rest, then light activity such as walking | The first days after a concussion |
| Vestibular physical therapy | Exercises for dizziness, balance and gaze stability | When dizziness or balance is the main problem |
| Physician follow-up and medication | Your doctor confirms the injury and manages pain, sleep or mood | When symptoms need medical care; we do not prescribe |
| True Performance concussion rehab | A full exam, then balance, visual, cognitive and brain training | Symptoms that linger, or athletes working back to sport |
These often work together: your physician confirms the injury and handles medication, and we handle rehabilitation.
Is it for you
If anything on the second list applies, we check with your physician before starting.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics clinical report on sport-related concussion.
Source: California Education Code section 49475.
Take every head injury seriously, and never send an athlete back into the same game. Headache, dizziness, confusion or an athlete saying they just do not feel right are reasons to stop. Dr. Jeff McWhorter, D.C., gives parents and coaches seven steps.
A second impact before the brain recovers is his biggest worry. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that athletes who keep playing after a concussion tend to recover more slowly.
"No game is important enough to gamble with a teenager's brain," Dr. McWhorter says.
California law (Education Code 49475) requires school athletes with a concussion to get written clearance from a licensed health care provider and complete a graduated return-to-play protocol of at least 7 days under supervision. We do not give that clearance.
Dr. McWhorter is part of the return-to-play team. He partners with families, coaches, and athletic trainers on structured, step-by-step return-to-play programs, so young athletes get back to their sport safely and with confidence.
Before the season, ask about pre-season baseline testing at our rehabilitation center.
Your visits
A complimentary call about the injury, your symptoms and your goals. For minors, a parent gives written consent and takes part in the full evaluation.
About 90 minutes, plus data and history gathering. We test balance, eye movement, reflexes, visual-motor skills and thinking speed, and review your records.
Scalp sensors record brainwave activity, adding data that helps set up neurofeedback.
We explain what the exam found. Sessions start at or below your current tolerance.
We repeat the key measures as you go, then move forward, hold, or change the plan.
Cost
Cost depends on your exam and how many sessions your plan needs. We explain it before you commit.
What your cost depends on
Booking policies
The clinic
Dr. Jeff McWhorter, D.C., is a chiropractor whose practice focuses on functional neurology, concussion rehabilitation, and performance. Having experienced six severe head traumas himself, he built this program on one idea: test first, then train exactly what the test shows.
Concussion rehab sits at the center of the chiropractic-based neurological rehabilitation we offer. Book an exam to find out which systems are still holding you back.
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Visit
Concussion rehab takes place at our Rancho Santa Fe office: 18029 Calle Ambiente, Suite 507, in Cielo Village. We are about two miles from Lake Hodges, and many patients drive in from across San Diego County. Coming from farther away, or flying in for care? We offer help for patients who travel in.
The first step
They can be when symptoms have not settled on their own. We measure which systems are still off and train them directly.
Usually not. A physician's evaluation helps, and some personal-injury or co-managed cases need extra paperwork.
Lasting flare-ups are not typical, because activities start at a level you tolerate, and we scale back when needed.
No. Clearance is a written decision by a licensed health care provider, often the team physician. We are part of the return-to-play team, and we coordinate with that provider and with the school or team.
Ask us on your complimentary intro call; we walk through cost and payment options before you book. Your total depends on the exam and the length of your plan.
Journal
Start with a complimentary 15-minute call with our team.
