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 >
  • Karen 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

Karen: Concussion

Image of Karen.

The Challenge: Years of Illness and Seclusion

Karen was on her way to church in March 2012 when she fell down the steps of her Norfolk home. She landed headfirst into a wall.

Other than a sore neck, she felt okay. Two days later, Karen says she got “the worst headache of [her] life."

It was the start of a seven-year odyssey of illness, disability, and seclusion she thought would never end.

Karen, then 59, went to see her PCP.

Along with a severe headache, she was:

  • Feeling nauseous and throwing up.
  • Experiencing vertigo.
  • Having vision problems.

“I also felt dazed and extremely drowsy," she adds.

Her PCP sent her for an MRI and, later, a CT scan. Although the tests came back negative, he suspected she had a concussion.

By the time Karen saw her PCP again a few weeks later, her drowsiness had resolved.

But now she had insomnia, combined with:

  • Persistent migraines
  • Nausea
  • Vertigo
  • Nighttime hallucinations
  • Exercise intolerance
  • Increased sensitivity to light, sound, and movement
  • Mood swings, including bouts of uncontrollable crying

It was scary," says Karen.

Alarmed by her symptoms, Karen's PCP referred her to a neurologist who diagnosed her with post-concussion syndrome. He focused mainly on prescribing medicine for the migraines, telling her, “There's no magical treatment to speed the concussion recovery process."


"It was wonderful to regain my independence. What I value most is being able to play again with my grandchildren instead of laying in bed." — Karen


Though Karen kept having bouts of severe vertigo and nausea, it was another two years before her neurologist found something. He detected nystagmus — uncontrolled, repetitive eye movements — and referred her to a vestibular therapist.

Karen's Path to UPMC: A Second Concussion and Worsening Symptoms

Months of balance therapy addressed Karen's vertigo, trouble focusing, and keeping her balance. It helped ease her symptoms, but she still had sporadic vertigo and frequent migraines.

“I was better, but I knew deep down I wasn't totally healed," she says.

Then, in April 2017 — five years after her first concussion — Karen bumped heads with her young granddaughter.

She thought nothing of it until a few days later when she woke up feeling awful. She had a severe migraine, nausea, and vertigo that left her unable to stand.

Her relentless symptoms forced her to stop driving and retire from her job as a nursing teacher.

Karen ended up seeing two more neurologists.

A local doctor diagnosed her with chronic atypical vestibular migraines, ordered more balance therapy, and increased her medications.

Still not better, Karen sought another opinion from a highly regarded New York concussion expert. He said she had sustained a second concussion and told her to rest, meditate, and do yoga.

“Concussed brains require a lot of rest," he said.

“Out of desperation to reclaim my life, I followed his advice. But, over time, I felt worse and worse," says Karen. “My world became very small. I wondered if I would ever be well enough to work, travel, or, most importantly, enjoy my grandkids."

Karen started to spend more and more time at home.

“I couldn't stand, walk, or be in large crowds for more than 10 minutes before feeling nauseous and weak. I felt like I was going to pass out," she says.

The first sign of hope came during an internet search when she stumbled upon a blog written by a grateful Houston man. He had successful treatment at the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program.

“That was the luckiest day of my life," says Karen. “I turned to my husband and announced, 'We're going to Pittsburgh!'"

The Solution: A Visit with Dr. Micky Collins at the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program

A few weeks later, Karen was in Pittsburgh for a day of tests and assessments with Michael “Micky" Collins, PhD, program director.

During her first visit with Dr. Collins, he said that rest — as previously prescribed — was the exact opposite of what she needed.

“From day one, Dr. Collins assured me that concussions are treatable," says Karen. “His confidence inspired me. He and his team gave me hope — something I had been without for a very long time."

Under Dr. Collins' care, Karen began exertion, vestibular, and physical therapies tailored precisely to treat her concussion symptoms.

“It was life changing! UPMC's team of experts knew what I was experiencing, both physically and mentally. They fully 'got it,' unlike so many others," she adds.

Karen's daily “homework" included challenging exercises and conscious, repeated exposure to symptom-causing triggers such as:

  • Ceiling fans
  • Bright lights
  • Loud restaurants
  • Movie theaters
  • Shopping

“Exposure to things I had avoided for so long was brutal, at first. It would take an hour to recover from my intense symptoms. Then I would “expose and recover" again — over and over," says Karen. “It was grueling, but my desire to more actively enjoy my three grandchildren motivated me to do exactly what the team prescribed."

The Results: Playing With Her Grandkids Again

Slowly, Karen began to see improvement.

Six weeks later, she came back to Pittsburgh for a follow-up appointment. The team prescribed even more exercises while sharing their confidence in a future full recovery.

Over the next year, Karen's world grew bigger as her symptoms improved and she ventured out more.

She was able to socialize, shop, and go out to dinner. By April 2019, she started driving again. She also resumed teaching and finished a 5K walk.

“It was wonderful to regain my independence," says Karen. “But, by far, what I value most is being able to play again with my grandchildren. I can take them to the park or a museum, instead of lying in bed."

“Thanks to Dr. Collins and his all-star team, my life is so much better now. It's scary to think where I'd be today if I hadn't found the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program."

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