August 16, 2021 – Whether caused by sports or a fall, how well you
recover from a concussion determines your quality of life at home, work,
school and sports – presently and in the future. Your symptoms may
be minor or serious, but one thing is certain: you need a doctor who specializes
in concussion treatment and understands how to help you heal. Until now,
that level of specialized care was only available in Savannah or Jacksonville.
Lindsey Sweat, M.D., a board-certified family and sports medicine physician, now offers concussion
management on Tuesday mornings at
Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery in St. Marys.
Sweat also practices at
Southeast Georgia Physician Associates-Primary Care in St. Marys. Prior to joining the
Southeast Georgia Health System medical staff, Sweat completed a Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship.
As a fellow, she worked with athletes from multiple universities, including
Clemson University’s football team during their 2017 National Championship
season. As one of the primary team physicians, she provided sideline coverage
for football games and took care of athletes in the training room.
Additionally, Sweat is a certified ImPACT® consultant, which allows
her to provide innovative concussion assessments. “ImPACT provides
a quantitative tool to establish baselines for brain functions, such as
reaction time, memory processing and other abilities,” Sweat explains.
“Historically, concussion management was very subjective, based
on a patient’s symptoms. The benefit of ImPACT is that it gives
us actual numbers to compare brain function before and after a head injury.”
Who is a Candidate for Concussion Management?
Sweat most commonly sees local athletes and car accident victims, but
she treats anyone diagnosed with a concussion. Patients with TRICARE PRIME
insurance and some Medicaid plans may need a referral from their primary
care provider. During their first appointment, patients will receive general
education about concussions as well as an individualized treatment plan
for their condition.
“Imagine you have a million plug-ins in your brain. A concussion
grabs a handful and unplugs them. Every patient plugs them back in on
their own pace. While one person may take two days to recover, another
person may take two weeks to recover. And that’s okay,” says
Sweat. “Everyone’s different. The point is, we tailor the
treatment plan to each individual person. In that way, we’re maximizing
each person’s ability to return to their pre-concussion state.”
Sweat also discusses other risk factors. “People with depression,
ADHD or other pre-existing neurological conditions may already experience
problems with concentration, memory and irritability, so their concussion
symptoms may be more severe. We take all of that into account during treatment.”
As a former athlete and current sports enthusiast, deciding to offer concussion
management to the community was a natural fit. “I’m highly
involved with the local schools and their trainers and coaches. We work
as a team, and they regularly update me on the athletes and their health.
I’m only a phone call or text away.”
Whether she’s treating sports stars or the next door neighbor, Sweat
brings compassion and expertise to Camden County. “I hope my clinic
makes concussion care easier and more accessible for patients and families.”
To schedule an appointment with Sweat, call 912-576-6355.