Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho
You "bumps" could very well be concussions. The more concussions you have the easier it is to get another one. What symptoms do you have after these bumps?
Do you ever get a metallic taste in your mouth? That is a concussion. The dizziness or disorientation is also signs of a concussion.
When you bump your head, it is always a new event, even if it just appears to be a relapse of symptoms of a previous concussion.
If the previous symptoms come on without a head bump, that is called decompensation (relapse into old symptoms). If there is a new impact, then it is a new concussion.
I have had thirteen concussion over a 45 year span. I was unconscious only once. Now, I can get a concussion shaking my head NO. I get the metallic taste, disoriented, and foggy brain.
Some people get other sensations, strange smells, lack of sense of smell, sensitivity to common smells, ( coffee is a common smell that bothers some with PCS), ringing in the ears ( mine ring in the pitch of C6 sharp) , food tastes different or bland, visual abnormalities, and other sensations that are not like you have experienced in the past.
So, yes, you are having additional concussions. Stop doing that. Eventually, your brain will not have the ability to recover. The reserve capacity gets used up. Especially as you get older. Forty is the start of the down hill part of brain function. Recent studies say it starts at 27 years old, but after 40, it is very noticeable that you do not recover well.
I have found that Physiatrists and Rehabilitation Specialists are better at understanding concussions that the vast majority of neurologists.
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I just want to comment this. I have experienced the same thing with getting a slight knock and even just by gently whiplashing my neck at one time. The sympthoms came back stronger, with for me headache beeing the major thing. So I know that this talk of re-injury is correct and that it most definelty has to do with you beeing concussed before and still suffer from PCS.
I brought this issue up with my Senior Staff Neurologist that I see, and her opinion was that this small of a hit or bump could NOT cause the damage done normally from a concussion. She couldnt say why I had intensified sympthoms. It is easy to just blame it on increased anxiety and necktention from knowing that youve been hit/bumped etc.
Her professional opinion was that I did not do any in-reparable damage. But she couldnt say what mechanism cause the increase of symptoms.
Im almost a year into the PCS and still feel very little if any improvment. What HAS improved is that I thanks to the anti-depressants, think in different paths and am no longer depressed. I start to accept my life as it is. Im far from really accepting it, but I can enjoy myself WITH the limitations applied from the PCS.
I have people I know who had the same thing as me for 1.5 year and are now fully recovered. One even got himself a new concussion that lasted for two weeks and then went totally away. He was afraid that it would be cumulative and start the cycle from the start. BUT IT DIDNT!
My thoughts (based on my experience on this exact subject) on the cumulative part of concussions is that while your brain is in "recoverymode" its is cumulative in a more serious way than if you are as healed you will get, before getting a new concussion..
Can anyone give me their insights on the topics I have gone through!?
This is to me one of the most important subjects, because it right now keeps me from doing a lot of the stuff I love so much. Im giving it at least 1.5 year before a start doing anything that can hurt me.
Emil from Sweden