CBT may help prevent persistence of iatrogenic symptoms – those that occur because health care providers create the expectation that they will. A risk exists that the power of suggestion may worsen symptoms and cause long-term disabilities; therefore, when counseling is indicated, the therapist must take a psychological origin of symptoms into account and not assume that all symptoms are a direct result of neurological damage from the injury.In situations such as motor vehicle accidents or following a violent attack, the post-concussion syndrome may be accompanied by posttraumatic stress disorder, which is important to recognize and treat in its own right. People with PTSD, depression, and anxiety can be treated with medication and psychotherapy. Upper cervical care
Post-concussion syndrome can sometimes be the result of a misalignment in the upper cervical spine (neck) specifically the C1 (Atlas) or C2 (Axis) which surround the brain stem. Some individuals have found relief through upper cervical care. An upper cervical chiropractor is a specialist who uses x-rays to identify misalignments in the upper cervical spine then gently repositions the top two bones of the neck. There are currently approximately seven different chiropractic methods of repositioning the C1 bone, however the three most popular techniques are NUCCA (adjustment done by hand), Blair Technique (adjustment done by hand), and Atlas Orthogonal (adjustment done by a machine). Education
Education about symptoms and their usual time course is a part of psychological therapy, and is most effective when provided soon after the injury.
Couch, Lipton, Stewart and Scher (2007) argue that headaches, one of the hallmarks of PCS, occur in a variety of injuries to the head and neck. Further, Lew et al. (2006) reviewed ample studies comparing headaches to post-traumatic headaches and found that there is wide heterogeneity in the source and causes of headaches. They point out that the International Headache Society lists 14 known causes of headaches, as well. Furthermore, the headaches may be better accounted for by mechanical causes, such as whiplash, which is often mistaken for PCS. An additional possibility is that posttraumatic stress disorder can account for some cases diagnosed as PCS, but for emotional regulation as well.Depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and chronic pain share symptoms resembling those of PCS. One study found that while people with chronic pain without TBI do report many symptoms similar to those of post-concussion syndrome, they report fewer symptoms related to memory, slowed thinking, and sensitivity to noise and light than people with mTBI do. Additionally, it has been found that neuroendocrinology may account for depressive symptoms and stress management due to irregularities in cortisol regulation, and thyroid hormone regulation. Lastly, there is evidence that major depression following TBI is quite common, but may be better accounted for with a diagnosis of dysexecutive syndrome.In a syndrome, a set of symptoms is consistently present, and symptoms are linked such that the presence of one symptom suggests that of others.