Skip to Content
800-533-8762
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Health Care Professionals
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
UPMC
  • Find a Doctor
  • Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
      Allergy & Immunology Behavioral & Mental Health Cancer Ear, Nose & Throat Endocrinology Gastroenterology Heart & Vascular Imaging Neurosciences Orthopaedics
      Physical Rehabilitation Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Primary Care Senior Services Sports Medicine Telemedicine Transplant Surgery Walk-In Care Weight Management Women’s Health
      See all Services
    • Services by Region
    • Find a UPMC health care facility close to you quickly by browsing by region.
      UPMC in Western Pa. Western Pa. and New York
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Services
  • Locations
    • Locations by Type
    • Locations by Type
      UPMC hospitals
      Hospitals
      Physical Therapy
      Physical Therapy
      Urgent care
      Walk-In Care
      UPMC Outpatient Centers
      Outpatient Centers
      UPMC Imaging Services
      Imaging
      Community Health Centers
      Community Health Centers
      See All Locations
    • Locations by Region
    • Locations by Region
      UPMC in Southwest Pa. Southwest Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Northwest Pa and Ny. Northwest Pa. & Western N.Y.
      UPMC in West Central Pa. West Central Pa.
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Locations
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
      Patients and Visitors Resources Pay a Bill Classes & Events Medical Records Health Library Patient Information
      Patient Portals Privacy Information Shared Decision Making Traveling Patients Visitor Information
      Man uses mobile phone
      Pay a Bill
      Nurse reviews medical chart
      Request Medical Records
  • Patient Portals
  • Find Covid-19 updates
  • Schedule an appointment
  • Request medical records
  • Pay a bill
  • Learn about financial assistance
  • Find classes & events
  • Send a patient an eCard
  • Make a donation
  • Volunteer
  • Read HealthBeat blog
  • Explore UPMC Careers
Skip to Content
UPMC
  • Patient Portals
  • For Patients & Visitors
    • Find a Doctor
    • Locations
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Services
    • More
      • Medical Records
      • Financial Assistance
      • Classes & Events
      • HealthBeat Blog
      • Health Library
  • About UPMC
    • Why UPMC
    • Facts & Stats
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Community Commitment
    • More
      • Financials
      • Support UPMC
      • UPMC Apps
      • UPMC Enterprises
      • UPMC International
  • For Health Care Professionals
    • Physician Information
    • Resources
    • Education & Training
    • Departments
    • Credentialing
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Newsroom
  • UPMC >
  • Our Services >
  • Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine >
  • ... >
  • About Us >
  • Patient Stories >
  • Sports Medicine >
  • Concussion >
  • Everyday Active People >
  • John Concussion
Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine
About Us
Patient Stories
General Orthopaedics
Joint Replacement
Sports Medicine
ACL Program
Athletic Training
Concussion
Professional Athletes
Collegiate Athletes
Young Athletes
Everyday Active People
Performance Services
Physician Services
Sports Nutrition
Orthopaedic Surgery
Your Care Team
Conditions We Treat
Our Services
For Patients
For Professionals & Students
Our Locations
Contact Us
Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine
About Us
Patient Stories
General Orthopaedics
Joint Replacement
Sports Medicine
ACL Program
Athletic Training
Concussion
Professional Athletes
Collegiate Athletes
Young Athletes
Everyday Active People
Performance Services
Physician Services
Sports Nutrition
Orthopaedic Surgery
Your Care Team
Conditions We Treat
Our Services
For Patients
For Professionals & Students
Our Locations
Contact Us

Chat Keywords List

  • cancel or exit: Stops your conversation
  • start over: Restarts your current scenario
  • help: Shows what this bot can do
  • terms: Shows terms of use and privacy statement
  • feedback: Give us feedback
Continue
Chat with UPMC
RESTART
MENU
CLOSE

John: Concussion

The Challenge: A Fall From His Horse

John was enjoying a horseback ride on a ranch just north of Dallas, Texas, in November 2020 when, suddenly, his horse caught its hoof on something and took a tumble.

“I was wearing a helmet, but when I fell, I hit my chin really hard, which was unprotected,” says John. “I never lost consciousness, but I knew I had gotten a concussion right away.”

John is no stranger to concussions, previously having sustained three others, all from sports – high school football, college lacrosse, and a recreational game of squash.

This time around, his symptoms included:

  • Vision impairment
  • Fatigue

John’s Path to UPMC for Concussion Treatment

Upon sustaining his concussion, a friend of John’s mentioned she had heard good things about a doctor in Pittsburgh named Micky Collins. Already having made appointments with doctors in Dallas, however, John wanted to see those through and stay with his family in Dallas during his recovery.

After a month of consultations with doctors who advised him to sit, wait, and avoid stimuli like bright light and loud noise in order to heal, John still wasn’t getting better.

Unhappy with this advice, John took it upon himself to research and learn about his concussion. Eventually, he reached out to one of his family members who is an orthopaedic surgeon to see if they had any recommendations of a concussion doctor that could help him recover.

“I told him that I was willing to go anywhere in the country to see someone that he recommended, and the doctor he suggested was Dr. Collins,” says John. “Upon hearing this, I knew it couldn’t be a coincidence – out of the all the possible options, the same doctor was recommended to me twice.”


"Dr. Collins did his best to listen, understand my particular circumstances and personality type, and prescribe what would be best for me and my recovery. For that, I am deeply grateful." — John


The Solution: Telemedicine and Remote Treatment

Given the distance between Texas and Pennsylvania in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, John set up a telemedicine appointment with Michael “Micky” Collins, PhD, at the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program. After just one meeting, John felt that he understood his concussion better than ever before.

He learned that he had sustained a vestibular concussion, a diagnosis he had not received from his prior consultations and visits with other doctors. A vestibular concussion impairs the balance center of the brain, causing trouble with balance, motion, and vision.

“Dr. Collins was so knowledgeable and really explained my concussion diagnosis to me,” says John. “Before meeting with him, I had no idea that there were six different types of concussions, let alone which type I had sustained.”

Unlike John’s previous doctors, Dr. Collins told him that rest and reduced stimuli was the exact opposite of what he needed. While a short rest period is sometimes helpful, research and patient outcomes show it takes more than that. An active treatment approach — one that forces the brain to readapt to stimuli — is key to making a full recovery.

“He informed me that anxiety and depression can often be associated with vestibular concussions and sitting in a dark room doing nothing can just exacerbate those side effects and create more problems,” says John. “Instead, he wanted me to get out of the house, throw myself back into work and exercise, and not really think about my concussion. He wanted me to go out and get back to life.”

The Results: Resuming His Active Lifestyle

After only two telemedicine appointments with Dr. Collins, John was back to his routine and feeling like himself again, without ever having to travel to Pittsburgh. While each patient’s experience is individualized and tailored to their specific goals, John was fortunate in that the guidance provided in only two check-ins helped him recover. Some concussion treatments may take longer or require partial in-person care.

“My experience with Dr. Collins was great, even though I have never met him in person,” says John. “Telemedicine allowed me to see a top-notch doctor like him from the comfort of my home, and I was able to avoid having to pay for travel, lodging, and other expenses. Plus, my prescribed treatment didn’t even feel like a treatment regimen – Dr. Collins encouraged me to get back to living my life.”

John is appreciative of the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program and Dr. Collins’ expertise, which helped him get back on track.

“I only saw Dr. Collins twice, and at the first visit I felt that the level of care that I got was above what I was receiving from other providers in person,” says John. “Dr. Collins did his best to listen, understand my particular circumstances and personality type, and prescribe what would be best for me and my recovery. For that, I am deeply grateful.”

UPMC
200 Lothrop Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-647-8762 800-533-8762

Patients And Visitors
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Pay a Bill
  • Patient & Visitor Resources
  • Disabilities Resource Center
  • Services
  • Medical Records
  • No Surprises Act
  • Price Transparency
  • Financial Assistance
  • Classes & Events
  • Health Library
Health Care Professionals
  • Physician Information
  • Resources
  • Education & Training
  • Departments
  • Credentialing
Newsroom
  • Newsroom Home
  • Inside Life Changing Medicine Blog
  • News Releases
About
  • Why UPMC
  • Facts & Stats
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Commitment
  • Financials
  • Supporting UPMC
  • HealthBeat Blog
  • UPMC Apps
  • UPMC Enterprises
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • UPMC International
  • Nondiscrimination Policy
Life changing is...
Follow UPMC
  • Contact Us
  • Website/Email Terms of Use
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Privacy Information
  • Active Privacy Alerts
  • Sitemap
© 2025 UPMC I Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit healthwise.org
Find Care
Providers
Video Visit
Portal Login