With the visual snow patients that we have encountered this year and the different treatment outcomes they have individually reported, we have noticed that there may be varying trajectories of why the visual snow occurs.
- Biochemical
- Lifestyle
- Illness
- Physiological
- Injury (i.e. concussion/TBI)
Treatments that have reported the most consistent positive outcomes include combinations of light and sound wave frequencies to increase energy reserves and the energy balance of the autonomic nervous system. Patients that are naturally a calmer demeanor, are not involved in regular exercise, and suffer from a biochemical trajectory seem to take much longer for treatment to have an effect than patients whose visual snow was onset by a concussion. To have more positive outcomes with these patients we discuss:
- Regular exercise that does not worsen the intensity of the visual snow. This may be something they have to trial and error.
- Nutrition. Are they getting the recommended daily amounts of fruits, vegetables, and protein? What kind of inflammatory foods are currently part of their diet and potentially inhibiting recovery?
- Sleep quality and consistency.
- Smoking cessation and avoiding alcohol consumption. This naturally increases the stress and sympathetic response of the autonomic nervous system, causing symptoms to worsen and be stuck.
There is a website that you can ask the patient to use so you can see what they are seeing in their visual snow: https://visionsimulations.com/visual-snow.htm