Find Healthcare Providers

a female physician holding a chart talks with an elderly female patient

Welcome to our resource to help concussion patients find accredited healthcare providers; we list healthcare providers by specialty and link to search tools provided by the accrediting organizations for each profession. We cover a wide range of medical and rehabilitative providers, complementary and alternative healthcare providers, and information on choosing a good concussion or outpatient rehabilitation clinic.

We include a description of how to use the search tools specific to each specialty and a link to our resource about the treatment or therapy.

We also have lists of providers for some states (US) and provinces (Canada), and a few additional countries. See District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Utah, Virginia, Washington State; Ontario and Nova Scotia; Mexico; and Sweden.

We also have profiles about different kinds of providers who treat concussion patients.

Note: we don’t advocate for any particular practitioner or treatment. We suggest reading our Guidelines for Recovery resource, which discusses which treatments are recommended by the 6th consensus statement on concussion in sport and PedsConcussion.

Concussion clinics

To learn more about how to choose a concussion or outpatient rehabilitation clinic, read this page.

To find a concussion clinic near you, click here. The link will send you to the Concussion Legacy Foundation’s locator tool. It will prompt you to enter your zip code and provide you with the closest clinics to your home.

Brainline has a locator tool by state. After clicking the link, find your state on the map and click on it; there will be a list of options for you. This list is ordered alphabetically, and not best to worst. Look for your state’s non-profit organization for concussions or brain injury.

Your state-based organization may have Brain Injury Alliance or Brain Injury Association in the title. Not every state has an alliance/association but will have another non-profit organization for concussion or brain injury. There are a few states, such as Texas, that don't have any nonprofit for concussions or brain injury. Once you find your state’s non-profit, call the organization to ask for the best clinics in your area. Look for a phone number connected with a help line or resources.

Note: Concussion Alliance is not affiliated with CLF, Brainline, or any other organization or clinics listed on their websites.

Physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R) brain injury specialist

A Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician, also called a PM&R physician or a physiatrist, is well-suited to treat patients with a concussion, particularly with persistent post-concussion symptoms. These physicians are often affiliated with an outpatient clinic of rehab specialists which they refer to, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, neuropsychologists, etc.

Use the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation search tool to find a specialist.

Instructions for using the dropdown menus in the search tool:

Areas of Practice: choose “Brain Injury”
Subspecialty certification:
- choose “Brain Injury Medicine” or
- “Pediatric Rehabilitative Medicine” if the patient is a youth. Once the search tool gives you a provider’s name, look at the provider’s “Area of Practice” to see if “Brain Injury” is part of their practice.

Physicians who have a brain injury medicine subspecialty certification

Three fields, physiatry, psychiatry, and neurology, provide the option to get a subspecialty certification in Brain Injury Medicine.

Note: concussion is quite different from moderate and severe traumatic brain injury, so not every provider with a Brain Injury Medicine subspecialty is experienced with concussion. Often providers with the Brain Injury Medicine subspecialty practice in a hospital setting with moderate and severe brain injuries. The clinical training, experience, and focus are relevant in choosing a provider, so interview a potential provider to determine their experience and knowledge of concussion.

To search for a psychiatrist or a neurologist for a subspeciality certification in Brain Injury Medicine, use this search tool.

To search for a physiatrist with a subspecialty certification in Brain Injury Medicine, use this search tool.

Neuropsychologists

Neuropsychologists can be found at concussion clinics and outpatient rehabilitation centers. You might start by looking for a local concussion clinic or outpatient rehabilitation clinic to find a neuropsychologist that has experience in concussions. You can also consult your primary care physician or another medical provider and ask for a referral.

There are two search tool options, one is a general tool and one is specific to sports neuropsychologists. These search tools do not give any information about the providers’ experience with concussions but do give names and email addresses. Patients might want to do an internet search for concussion+neuropsychologist+city and then use the search tools we’ve provided to check that the provider is board-certified.

Neuropsychologists who are board-certified by the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN)

Neuropsychologist Search

You can search based on U.S. state or Canadian province, language, city, and if they have a pediatric subspecialty. Hint: either use the dropdown to select your state or province or fill in the dialogue box for your city. Don’t do both, or the search tool will produce zero results.

Neuropsychologists who are members of the Sports Neuropsychology Society (United States and Canada)

Sports neuropsychologist search

Vision Therapy

See our Vision Therapy page for information about this treatment.

Ask your doctor for a referral to a specialist, or you can self-refer to a specialist or vision therapy center. For optometrists specializing in diagnosing oculomotor problems common to concussions, we suggest using all the search tools below, as they have different databases.

Vision Development OPTOMETRIST SEARCH

Use the search tool above to find a practitioner with a Fellowship certified by the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD). Ask if they have experience with concussions or brain injury - many do, but some specialize in other areas, such as children's vision issues or autism.

Neuro-Optometrist Search

Use the search tool above to find a practitioner certified by the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA). All NORA optometrists deal with concussions and acquired brain injury.

VisionHelp Optometrist Search

The practitioner search tool above was created by a group of optometrists throughout the United States who are certified Fellows of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development.

Physical therapy and vestibular therapy

See our pages Physical Therapy and Vestibular Therapy for information about these treatments. Also read our interview with Sarah Gallagher, PT, DPT, about why she believes a vestibular therapist is the best choice for a concussion patient.

Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy search tool. This tool helps locate active members of the vestibular special interest group, managed by the Academy of Neurology of the American Physical Therapy Association. A vestibular therapist is your closest match to a concussion specialist, because concussion symptoms tend to come in clusters, and vestibular therapists address sensory integration, according to Sarah Gallagher, PT, DPT, NCS.

Many of the providers listed in this search tool are not only vestibular specialists but also are board-certified in other types of specialties such as neurologic (NCS), which is also a specialty well-suited for concussion symptoms, see below.

Search tool for members of the APTA. This search tool allows you to search by physical therapy specialty; look for “Find By Specialist.” This database includes members of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), but individual members have to opt into being listed in the database, so the database is not all-inclusive. This search tool is provided by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists.

Physical therapy specialties to search for in the “Find By Specialist” dropdown menu in the APTA search tool

Which specialists should a concussion patient look for? Two types are “neurologic” and “orthopedic.” Despite this search tool enabling you to search by specialist, specialist certifications are not mandatory to be a licensed physical therapist. Some physical therapists decide not to pursue board certification, yet have many years of experience in their specialty.

Physical therapists who are neurologic specialists can help with concussion symptoms such as dizziness and balance problems, and symptoms stemming from autonomic nervous system dysfunction and dysregulation. A board-certified neurologic specialist has an NCS credential (neurologic clinical specialist) after their name.

Physical therapists who are orthopedic specialists can help with orthopedic or musculoskeletal pain, such as concussion-related neck and jaw pain, for example. A board-certified orthopedic specialist has an OCS credential (orthopedic clinical specialist) after their name.

Both neurologic or orthopedic physical therapists can address exercise intolerance and fatigue.

Find A Vestibular Specialist

The vestibular Specialist search tool is courtesy of the Vestibular Disorders Association (VeDA). This search tool only lists providers who are members of VeDA, so it is somewhat limited in scope.

Cognitive behavioral therapy

We have detailed information about methods of accessing CBT, including in-person therapy or online therapy with a licensed provider, and free apps. See our How to Find a Therapist section of our Cognitive Behavioral Therapy page.

Craniosacral therapy

See our page Craniosacral Therapy for more information about this treatment.

Craniosacral Therapy provided by specially trained licensed massage therapists

Craniosacral Therapist Search Tool, International Association Of Healthcare Practitioners

When using the search tool, select for a craniosacral therapist. Search tool provided by the International Association of Healthcare Practitioners.

Craniosacral Therapist Search Tool, Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy Association

Scroll down the page for the listings tool. Search tool provided by the Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy Association of North America.

Craniosacral Therapist Search Tool, International Affiliation Of Biodynamic Trainings

Search tool provided by International Affiliation of Biodynamic Trainings.

Sacral-Occiptal Technique (SOT) provided by specialized chiropractors

SOTO|USA doctor search tool

The search tool above is for chiropractic doctors who have advanced training and expertise in Sacral-Occipital Technique (SOT) and other Cranial techniques.

Massage

See our page, Massage Therapy, for more information about this treatment.

Massage therapists with experience with concussions and training in craniosacral therapy

One way to find a massage therapist who has experience with concussions is to look for a practitioner with some training in craniosacral therapy, which focuses specifically on the head, brain, and spinal cord. Even though you may want the practitioner to focus on symptoms in your neck or shoulders, it’s a good idea that the massage therapist has experience with concussions. We suggest you use all three of the search tools below because they have different databases.

Practitioner Search Tool, International Association Of Health Care Practitioners

Practitioner Search Tool, Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy Association Of North America

Practitioner Search Tool, International Association Of Biodynamic Trainings

Acupuncture

Please read our page about acupuncture.

Bastyr University practitioner search tool

The search tool above is for practitioners trained at Bastyr University. Select “acupuncture” in the drop-down menu.

Learn about providers: Specialist profiles

Neuropsychologists are specialized psychologists that focus on the interaction between the brain and behavior; they also administer cognitive and neuropsychological testing. LEARN MORE

Neuropsychologist