An interesting patient shared one of their most helpful tools. Graded Exposure.
They have experienced multiple concussions with widespread neurological and cardiovascular symptoms including fainting, fatigue, low blood pressure, dizziness. Specialists did tests and they were all negative.
They had autonomic nervous system dysregulation which happens in the Limbic System and the Autonomic Nervous Systems. It is a survival response kicking in and resulting in dysregulated functioning.
Their specialist suggested when the symptoms were significant, consider the brain reading the body in a “fresh” concussion situation. This is typical with trauma where past experiences are read as happening in the ‘right now’ and this can be in the form of flashbacks for PTSD or in this case, the body (somatic reaction) responds as if recently injury. Physiological response is as if the injury is happening right now.
They started with very low intensity exposure exercises – like stationary bicycle for 5 minutes and then slowly increasing as the body recognized it was no longer in danger. With the danger passed, and messages of safety, the limbic system can stand down.
This can be interpreted as well almost like central sensitization where the body and brain have a lower threshold for activation – means more sensitive to alarm. Super sensitized. Super survival mechanism.
With gradually training the body to feel safety, symptoms can improve. The trigger – we call it a trigger node – like a sensitive wound – is still present until the trauma is processed through various techniques, depending on the situation. This could be EMDR therapy or very disciplined 2 – Step Program.
These sites can be activated easily when retraumatized if the wound is not healed through brain and body processing.
Desensitizing through graded exercise programs takes a long time. I know it took me 4 years before I noticed significant improvement and I’m still working on it!
Thank you dear patient
Judy
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