The Concussion-Parkinson’s Connection: What You Should Know

Titus Chiu, MS, DC, DACNB

Thanks so much, Sandra. It’s a pleasure.

Sandra Scheinbaum, PhD

Well, you have an amazing background and experience, and you call yourself a functional neurologist. Can you explain what that is and how you came to be a functional neurologist?

Titus Chiu, MS, DC, DACNB

Yes. Functional neurology is kind of distinguished from more conventional neurology. We use a very similar thought process at the end of the day. All neurologists are trying to help our patients. If they have some type of neurological disorder, that’s impacting their lives. At the end of the day, that’s what we’re trying to do. There are some parallels between functional neurology and conventional neurology. One of the similarities is that one of my major goals as a functional neurologist is to identify what part of the nervous system is the root cause of a person’s symptoms. That’s the very common approach that all neurologists take, whether it’s functional or conventional. In the case of Parkinson’s, there is a lot of research that shows that there are very specific regions of the nervous system that are indeed impacted. that there is actual cell damage and sometimes death, depending on how long it’s been going on. My brain turned a little blurry when I said that. It’s just playing along with the presentation here. But yes, there are specific regions of the nervous system that we know from the research that get impacted by Parkinson’s. But in addition to that, what I found over the years is that there could be other kinds of side effects in other areas of the nervous system that are impacted, too. If you can support that, it helps a person get better at it, cope better with it, or improve their brain function overall. Yes, that’s one of the major commonalities we have: figuring out where in their nervous system the root cause of the symptoms is. One of the major differences is that there are many, many convention neurologists, but unfortunately, the only tools that they have at their disposal are medications or surgery. Medications, especially when we talk about Parkinson’s, are sometimes necessary to help a person function. There is a lot of research looking at more cutting-edge types of surgical procedures that can also be helpful, like deep brain stimulation. But where there is a bigger divergence between conventional and functional, as trained as we like to look at the bigger picture, there is this area of the nervous system that’s being injured, that’s causing symptoms, and then we can create a diagnosis of Parkinson’s. That’s usually where conventional medicine stops. You have this diagnosis; here’s a medication; hope for the best. Maybe there are more experimental surgery and some research around that. But that’s the major tool of conventional neurologists, whereas functional neurologists are a bit different in their training. But if we look at the bigger picture, we know that there are certain areas of the nervous system—what we call the brain stem in particular—and more specifically, the substantia nigra pars compactor—that’s impacted by Parkinson’s, a very specific group of brain cells. But in addition to that, we want to ask the question: why? Functional neurologists like to answer that question: Why is this happening with this person? Was their exposure to toxins? Was there stress? Was there inflammation? As we talked about Sandy, was there some type of emotional psychosocial component to all this? Because, believe it or not, it’s all connected to all of those things. then some can completely set the stage for someone to either be at risk for Parkinson’s or to develop it based on their genetic predisposition. 

That’s the best way to classify it as functional neurology. Neurologists have more tools to use, like nutrition. We like to make lifestyle changes. In my practice, I use advanced technologies. I even have simple exercises that I give my patients and clients that can help strengthen those weaker parts of their brains so that they can function better in life. That’s the major distinction. Answer your question about why I got into it. Your second question is because, over 21 years ago, I was in a terrible car accident that nearly took my life. I was on my way home from work. One day I was on a scooter, and I got hit by a car. I flew off that scooter, and I ended up with broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder. Even though I didn’t know it at the time, I suffered a concussion. I tried everything I could within conventional medicine that I knew was available, and nothing worked. I decided to go outside the box, and I went back to school. 

I got a post-doc in clinical neurology; I got his master’s in nutrition. I studied functional medicine; I studied chiropractic, acupuncture, and even energy medicine—anything I could get my hands on to find answers to my health problems. I am so grateful that I did and so glad that I did, Sandy, because along the way, using everything I learned in school, poring through scientific journals, and watching videos, I applied and experimented with my brain and began to tinker with my brain. After many years of trial and error, I was fully able to recover from my concussion as well as that chronic pain. That’s why I do what I do. I realized this was a very eye-opening moment for me—that the things that I wanted to reach for in terms of health care just didn’t cut it. I’m so grateful for There are the time and place for everything. I’m so grateful for the ambulance drivers, the emergency medical team, the nurses, and the doctors at the hospital. They took me to the hospital by way of an ambulance. I’m so grateful that they made sure I wasn’t going to die. that I was medically stable. That’s where I see a lot of conventional medicine shine. I was then left at the curb to fend for myself, and for many years after that car accident, I suffered from symptoms of concussion. That’s why I went outside the box to finance this. I’m so glad that I did because then, from there, I was able to take the things that I learned and the discoveries I’ve made and share them with the thousands of patients, clients, and students that I’ve worked with over the years as part of my programs to help them reclaim their health, heal their brains, and reclaim their lives as well.

Sandra Scheinbaum, PhD

What an inspiring story and what you have shown by your courage and perseverance in expressing gratitude for those who issue life-saving measures. We’re there for you. But you’ve gone on from that trauma to make this your life’s work and inspire so many others. And so the connection, concussions, and power concerns. First of all, what exactly is a concussion if somebody is not familiar with what some of the symptoms are? How do you cope if you’ve suffered a concussion? Then what’s this connection? Is there a connection with Parkinson’s?

Titus Chiu, MS, DC, DACNB

Yes, great questions. Concussions are tricky because most people think that to have a concussion, you have to see stars or even get knocked out or blacked out. But that’s not true. When I was in that bad car accident, when I hit the ground, I didn’t see stars. I think I was wearing a helmet. That saved my life. But I didn’t see stars. I didn’t lose consciousness. All. You don’t even need to hit your head to sustain a concussion. I’ve had patients where they’re on a roller coaster that kind of throws their body around. They didn’t hit their heads, but because our brains are in this little fishbowl we call our skull and they’re floating in this fluid we call a cerebral spinal fluid, any force, even to the body or jostling to the head, can shake the brain up and cause a concussion. I’ve had patients even riding a bicycle fall off the bicycle, lose their balance, and then end up landing on their wrist or maybe hitting their wrist or hitting their shoulder, not even hitting their head. then, sure enough, they develop concussion symptoms. 

That’s why I think concussions are a silent epidemic. I think there are a lot of people with mystery brain symptoms, even Parkinson’s, as a consequence of these untreated concussions. some clues, though, that you might have a concussion, and I’m guessing it’s a tricky thing because it depends on what part of your nervous system has been injured. Some common symptoms I see, especially in an acute phase of concussion, are that people might feel a bit dizzy or lightheaded. They might feel tired or foggy. Those are typically more common in an acute phase, like within a few days to a week, but then the symptoms of concussions can develop sometimes weeks or months later. That was the case for me when I hit the ground again. the most pressing things on my mind were these broken bones and this dislocated shoulder. I was in a lot of pain. It was like my focus was fixing the chronic pain, which I was able to do with the help of my brother, who’s a chiropractor. But then I had all these brain symptoms; they didn’t develop until a few months later, and it wasn’t like, boom, immediately they kind of crept up. I found that, for the kind of more chronic symptoms of concussion, symptoms depend on what part of the brain they are in. But I find that people have brain fog. They might have brain fatigue, like if they think a lot, they start to get tired; maybe they’re reading or something and they feel sensitive to a screen; or maybe they have headaches. There are physical symptoms of that. But then there are also mental and emotional symptoms. I’ve had patients who maybe had anxiety in the past, but it was manageable. After a concussion boom, their anxiety just completely took over their lives. I’ve also had patients who developed depression after a concussion because the inflammation in their nervous system can trigger what we call sickness behavior syndrome, which looks a lot like depression. But it’s not a psychological issue. It’s rooted in biology. But honestly, Sandy, therein lies the hope, because for all these symptoms, be they physical, chemical, mental, or emotional, once you understand if it’s caused by the concussion, there are specific things you can do about it to heal the brain physically. Those are some of the common clues that there might be a concussion. some of those symptoms. But I encourage anyone to watch this if they’re struggling with mystery brain symptoms or even things like Parkinson’s. We know the research shows that a single concussion can increase a person’s risk for Parkinson’s by 57%, or over 50%. Anyone watching this who might suffer from any of those symptoms, or Parkinson’s symptoms, should look back on their life history. Was there a time when you were in a car accident and suffered whiplash? Or maybe you did have an obvious hit to your head and you blacked out. But from there, it’s like, That’s what I do for my patients. I explore the history. then, sure enough, they’re like, they’re filling out the forms. I have a form with a question on it. Or have you had a history of concussions? Sometimes, if a patient’s coming to me specifically for help with a concussion, they’re like, “Yes, I’ve had many.” But many times I have. I work with patients who just have these chronic mystery brain symptoms, and they say, “No, I haven’t had a concussion.” Then I explore them. “Are you sure?” “Oh, yes,” they’re like, “Oh, I was in this car accident when that was around the time that I started to have symptoms. from there.” So a big part of it, as the whole function medicine coaching approach and function medicine in general is exploring that history. I encourage people to look back. If there are any clues for that, then part of your health challenges could be triggered by an untreated concussion.

Sandra Scheinbaum, PhD

For health coaches who may be listening, these are questions to ask when you are working with somebody or working with their family members. What about concussions? It might not be just a fall or something that would be obvious, but perhaps too many rollercoaster rides. I was just at a carnival. It can’t be good. They were going upside down and twirling their heads.

Titus Chiu, MS, DC, DACNB

I know. Back in the day, I used to love roller coasters, and after my concussion, this was one of the clues that something was different because it wasn’t, like I said, obvious that I had a concussion after that. When I looked back, it was like when I wrote a roller coaster; I felt terrible. But yes, I just remember the roller coasters when I was younger, and now they’re even crazier. Those are things to watch out for.

Sandra Scheinbaum, PhD

What about treating a concussion? Is it treatable? If so, what are some of the ways that it can be treated?

Titus Chiu, MS, DC, DACNB

Absolutely. Great question.  The answer to that is yes. Concussions are treatable. I was proof of that. All the patients, clients, and members of my community are proof that healing is possible. Because we know a lot about what happens to the brain after a concussion, a lot of people think that when I tell them I’m a brain expert and I specialize in the brain and concussions, they’re like, “Whoa.” Even doctors think that the nervous system and the brain are like this mysterious black box that we don’t know anything about. But the opposite is true. There is so much we know about concussions. There is so much we know these days about Parkinson’s as well. The great news is that there is a lot that can be done. and I have a three-step process that I walk people through to help them heal from their concussion. Step one is where we prime the nervous system to help create the best possible environment for healing. so the just before. It makes a bit more sense. After a concussion. If you have either a physical head injury, like when you hit your head, or even if you’re in a whiplash that’s strong enough or even on a roller coaster like we were saying, if there is physical trauma to the brain, that’s the first thing that happens. 

But then the second thing that happens is that it launches a chemical response, meaning that after the physical trauma, what ends up happening? The nervous system launches an inflammatory response. It creates massive inflammation in the brain and nervous system. Depending on how strong the concussion was and/or the state of health of the person at the time, that inflammation can not only become stronger. The thing is, as Sandy said, inflammation is a natural and necessary part of healing. But if it’s so strong, number one and/or other things are going on at the time of the injury, like many times I have asked patients and one of the questions asked my patients was, “What was going on at the time of your health challenge? Was there stress? Were you living in a moldy environment? Did you have other health challenges?” The point is that if there are a lot of other things happening and the injury is strong, that inflammatory response could get stuck in the arm position. rather than supporting the healing process, can lead to further damage and destruction, again leading to what we call post-concussion syndrome. 

That’s what I had. There are symptoms either months or even years after the original head injury that could persist. But that being said, that’s what happens in a concussion. The good news is that 85% of people who have a concussion recover within a few weeks. They don’t have symptoms. They recover. 15% don’t, though. The question is, why is this unlucky 15% like I was one of them? Because of that inflammatory response, I got stuck. One of the things I discovered is what’s known as a leaky brain, where a protective part of the nervous system gets damaged and ends up leading to this vicious cycle of inflammation and then further damage. Just to kind of paint the set, the stage—that’s what happens with the concussion. Most people who recover don’t end up with lasting symptoms. But the good news is that even with those 15% like myself, healing is possible. But that’s one of the reasons why I think, even with a single concussion, a person’s risk for Parkinson’s could increase by 57%: because that inflammation just hasn’t been put out, that fire in the nervous system that hasn’t been put out. But like I said, the good news is that you can identify that there are things we can do about it. that goes back to that three-step process of sharing. Step number one is priming the nervous system, meaning putting out any inflammation in the nervous system that could be causing damage to the brain. There are specific things you can do for that in terms of diet, supplements, and lifestyle. That’s step number one, priming. The second step, I find that’s just as important and I find one of the biggest missing pieces in healing from a concussion, not only concussion but also in terms of things like Parkinson’s, is activation. What is meant by activating is not only that you have to prime the nervous system for healing by putting out the fire of inflammation and getting rid of stressors and triggers, but the brain is unique. Not only does it require nutrients, but things like healthy fats, healthy proteins, vitamins, and minerals, and the brain also requires activation because our brain is there and there are all these communication pathways happening now. Like our ability, the people watching now understand what I’m saying and follow along because there is all this communication happening within their nervous system. But what I find is that in concussions as well as in Parkinson’s, those communication pathways become injured, and there is a communication breakdown. 

That signal gets muffled. Then you start to have symptoms. In the case of Parkinson’s, the most common symptoms are motor symptoms, where you have a slowing of movement or a tremor. Many times, I find that shoulder pain is very common because the core muscles have gotten weak. But in addition to that, you can also have a slowing of the thinking processes, depending on which areas are inflamed. My point is that the brain only requires the removal of inflammation, stress, and triggers. But there are things we can do to strengthen those connections that might have been weakened through the concussion or, in the case of Parkinson’s, maybe through stress or exposure to toxins, and so on. I find that one of the biggest missing pieces is training the brain physically. There are simple exercises that you can do. I found that the comfort of your own home can strengthen weak parts of your nervous system. For example, a very common thing I find for patients with Parkinson’s and a lot of patients with concussions is that they have problems with balance. Their balance isn’t very good. I find that’s because this area of their nervous system that sits at the base of their brain, we call the cerebellum, has some issues there. 

The cerebellum is important in terms of coordinating movements. The smoothness of a person’s movement is determined by, in part, their cerebellum. But the cerebellum is also important, not only for coordinating movements but also for balance and having good core stability. People who have a weak cerebellum typically, I find, have balance issues. They have issues with coordination, and they have issues with the smoothness of their movements. For example, there are simple exercises you can do to strengthen your cerebellum. You can activate the brain cells in your cerebellum by doing something as simple as core strengthening exercises. Just the other day, I had a patient come to the office, and we tested her balance, sure enough, she had a history of concussions and other symptoms related to movement, such as slowing of movement. Sure enough, we found that her balance was off. I did a bunch of different tests, or something as simple as that. Most people can do this in the comfort of their own homes by just standing up and putting their feet together. Sometimes even that can cause a bit of a challenge for some people. But for most people, it’s okay. But then, when the challenges are more challenging, by closing your eyes, you’re going to find a lot of people are just at some level or another. That’s a clue because, for us to have balance, we use our brains to use cues from our eyes. vision, it also uses cues from our inner ear, what we call our vestibular system, and it also uses cues from our muscles that end up in our cerebellum. The point is, that when you close your eyes, it’s the cerebellum and the other parts of your brain that have to be working well. We did these tests. She came into the office, and we did these simple tests that many people can do at home. She put her feet together. She was pretty balanced. But then, when she closed her eyes, that’s when she started swaying. Then I knew that we could do that. Like number one, we identified one of the root causes of her balance issues, which is this area we call the cerebellum. But then, for her, we gave her some simple exercises where I took a foam pad. I’m like, okay, here’s a foam pad stand on this foam pad. Standing out on unsteady surfaces is a great way of strengthening your core muscles, as well as not just your muscles but, more importantly, your cerebellum. 

There are a lot of different ways of activating the nervous system. A lot of people watching this might think, “Wow, just doing balance exercises. I thought that was for your core muscles, and this shakes your muscles.” But yes, in addition to that, the quote-unquote, the actual real benefit for the nervous system is that it’s activating brain cells within your cerebellum. Yes, so that’s step number two like we’re talking about. Just to kind of recap the different things people can do to recover from a concussion, number one is deep priming their brain to decrease the inflammation and also giving the brain the nutrients it needs for healing. things like omega-3 fatty acids, EPA, DHEA, and things like that. Number two, activating and just doing sometimes very simple exercises—physical exercises, believe it or not—triggers what we call neuroplasticity within the brain. it’s cool. I explain it to my patients as personal training for your brain. We can identify which areas are weak. then once we identify that using simple at-home exercises like special types of eye movements or special movements of the body or reaction time types of exercises, all physical exercises, even using, believe it or not, essential oils, can activate the brain using listening to music, which I’m sure a lot of people have seen. 

Dancing could be helpful for Parkinson’s, but dancing overall is one of the best exercises globally to activate the brain and nervous system and trigger neuroplasticity and healing. Yes, that’s step two activating. I gave you some examples of that. Then, step number three, what I found is that once we have the brain primed and we start to clear out the inflammation, and then step two, once we start to train and rewire the brain, then step three, just as important, is renewal. That’s all about having downtime. That’s about allowing ourselves space for all the things that we’re up to in life. especially if you’re doing treatments to integrate. That’s one of the biggest mistakes. I see a lot of patients make that mistake in their healing journey. I was so dedicated and obsessed with getting better and healing my brain that I put so much energy and effort into learning new things and applying things that it was kind of like I was tilling the soil and I didn’t give it a chance to grow. That’s one mistake I made, and I see that quite often. Step three: renewal is so important, and that looks like taking breaks in our busy lives, making sure we step away from the things that we’re doing and just allowing our brains to have that space. It could also be something as simple as for those of you to do yoga. Why longer in corpse pose? Just like one of the things I love doing after I travel and I’m just so busy, I find a nice patch of grass and I just do a corpse pose on the patch of grass. Okay, that’s just an example of renewal, where I allow my brain to kind of integrate all the things that I’ve been up to. But not only does it apply to living a busy life, but it also applies to the healing process. If you’re doing a lot of things—you’re taking supplements, you’re taking your medications, you’re changing your diet, and you’re doing treatments—it’s just as important to have that downtime. 

It could be something as simple as going on a leisurely hike in the park where you have no goals and you’re just wandering. That’s such a great way to allow your brain to integrate.There you have it. Answer your question. Yes, healing is possible. There are things you can do. What I have discovered about this three-step process is that those are the things that I did that set me up for success and have helped many of my patients and clients over the years. Step one is to prime, step two is to activate, and finally, step three is to renew.

Sandra Scheinbaum, PhD

This is so powerful, and there are so many good suggestions that you threw in. I just want to circle back to something we’ve talked about, the second one with balance and dance. I take ballet three times a week, and there is an exercise we do where you put one foot in front of the other like you’re walking on a tightrope. You put your arms out in front, and then he makes us close our eyes and hold it. At first, I could not do it at all. I just had to open my eyes after, like, two. I was wobbling all over the place. But after practice, over and over again, I got better, and it was so exciting. When I’m doing it, I’m not falling over. Often, there is a fear response, or someone used to see the world that way with their eyes closed. But that is a great suggestion. I love your three-part model and the overarching message of hope. It’s so important that those who are listening to that lose hope and know that there are solutions. That’s why this summit is called the Parkinson’s Solutions Summit.

Titus Chiu, MS, DC, DACNB

I’m glad you shared that. That’s the thing that I teach my students, my patients, and my clients when those things get better. For example, that exercise you’re talking about—that’s a neurological test, by the way—that I check on my patients—but when those things get better, it doesn’t just mean your coordination and muscle strength are improving. It means you’re triggering neuroplasticity. Healing. In your case, it’s not healing; you are strengthening those parts of your brain, but the same principle applies to people struggling with concussions or Parkinson’s. When those things improve, it means the nervous system is healing and getting stronger. I love that you shared that.

Sandra Scheinbaum, PhD

Well, this has been a wonderful conversation. Titus, where can people find you?

Titus Chiu, MS, DC, DACNB

I have written a new book called Leaky Brain, and I go deep into the connection between concussion and inflammation, as well as all these. Serious neurodegenerative disorders. And more importantly, what you can do about it, so they can go to leakybrainfixed.com and find out more about my book as well as my work.

Sandra Scheinbaum, PhD

Thank you so much. I’m going to make sure that I get a copy of your book. I want to read it and continue this conversation with you. You are so inspiring. Thank you for being part of our summit.

Titus Chiu, MS, DC, DACNB

Awesome. Thanks so much, Sandra. It’s always a pleasure.

Sandra Scheinbaum, PhD

Thank you. Bye now.