In this powerful episode of Mind Matters: Navigating Head Injuries and Concussions, Kiley Como, Legal Nurse Consultant at Shane Smith Law, sits down with Dr. Devon Gaston, a board-certified functional neurologist and founder of Passport 2 Health, to explore the overlooked complexities of traumatic brain injuries (TBI), misdiagnosed strokes, hormone disruption, and the gut-brain connection.
Dr. Gaston’s journey into integrative neurology began not in a lab or clinic—but on the floor of her own bathroom. After suffering two strokes—one while still in chiropractic school and another years later—she discovered firsthand how the medical system often fails to recognize head injuries that don’t show up on traditional scans.
Her experience? Life-changing. It transformed her sports medicine practice into a multi-modal, neurorehabilitation-centered clinic, helping countless others navigate the same confusing and frustrating path she once walked alone.
When an MRI Doesn’t Tell the Full Story
As Dr. Gaston points out, relying solely on structural imaging like MRIs to rule out brain injuries is dangerously outdated. Many mild TBIs involve connectivity issues—disruptions in how different parts of the brain communicate—not physical damage you can see on a scan.
Tools like QEEG (quantitative EEG), vestibular ocular motor screenings (VOMS), and pupillary assessments are becoming critical in detecting subtle deficits caused by trauma. In fact, new biomarkers like the Alpha Omega Score are now being used to assess post-TBI pupil fatigue—something a simple penlight test can’t pick up.
“Most ERs aren’t equipped to perform the type of deep neurological evaluations required to uncover these hidden injuries,” Kiley explains. Dr. Gaston agrees: “You need a specialist. A real neuro exam. This isn’t just something you do through telehealth.”
Brain Injuries & Hormonal Havoc
One surprising side effect of even a mild concussion? Hormonal chaos.
Dr. Gaston reveals how the HPA axis—the brain’s hormonal control center—can be disrupted after head trauma, often leading to low testosterone, poor progesterone levels, thyroid dysfunction, and even circadian rhythm dysregulation. Many patients suffer through fatigue, anxiety, poor sleep, and cognitive fog without ever realizing the root cause is neurological.
Her recommendation? If you’ve had a TBI or even whiplash, get your hormones checked within six months. A simple blood panel can uncover issues that are completely treatable—but often missed.
Rest ≠ Recovery
One of the most important takeaways? The old advice to “just rest” after a concussion isn’t enough anymore.
“You need rest in the first 10 days, yes,” Dr. Gaston says. “But after that, it’s go time. You need to start stimulating the brain in the right way or you risk prolonged symptoms.” That stimulation could include walking, gentle vestibular rehab, cognitive exercises, and importantly—observing how your body responds to stimuli.
Kiley agrees: “Recovery from TBI is a team effort. Track your symptoms. Track your triggers. Share them with your provider. That’s how you get a tailored, effective treatment plan.”
The Gut-Brain Axis: The Hidden Highway of Inflammation
Perhaps the most unexpected turn in this episode came when Dr. Gaston explained the gut–brain connection—how leaky gut and leaky brain often go hand-in-hand after head trauma.
“When you’re stuck in fight-or-flight mode, blood flow gets diverted away from digestion,” she says. “The gut lining gets damaged, allowing toxins and pathogens to leak into the bloodstream, sparking autoimmune issues, food sensitivities, and neuroinflammation.”
Her solution? A whole-body approach: support the gut with proper nutrition, vagal nerve stimulation, and in some cases, photobiomodulation therapy (low-level laser therapy). Her bottom line? “The brain controls everything. So when it’s injured, everything suffers—including your digestion.”
Final Thoughts
This episode wasn’t just informative—it was a call to action.
Kiley Como and Dr. Gaston shine a light on how brain injuries extend far beyond what a CT or MRI can show. From hormone panels to gut health, and QEEG scans to brain-based rehab, it’s clear that recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all.
It takes functional neurology, specialized testing, and a personalized approach to help TBI patients truly heal.
💡 If you or someone you love is dealing with symptoms after a head injury—don’t stop at the ER. Seek out specialists like Dr. Gaston who dig deeper.
🧠 Mind Matters: Navigating Head Injuries and Concussions is brought to you by Shane Smith Law. In pain? Call Shane! 980-999-9999
📍 Learn more about Dr. Devon Gaston and her practice at passport2health.co
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