Mom2Boys,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. I am glad you found this place. Your son has a concussion, plain and simple. It does not take a doctor's exam to diagnose a concussion. His behavior and head aches are enough.

I know how hard a hit to a wrestling mat can be. It is great at preventing skull fractures but not so good at preventing concussions.

Whether he is seen by the doctor is of little consequence compared to making a decision to keep him off the mat for at least 6 weeks. Sorry, no wrestling tournament on Saturday. He needs to be free of head aches for at least a month before he should have even the slightest risk of another impact.

The risk is simple. When the brain is concussed, it loses the ability to control blood pressure within the skull. A second impact before it has regained this ability to regulate blood pressure can result in a uncontrollable rise in ICP (IntraCranialPressure) that can cause the brain to herniate into the space where the brain stem exits thew skull. This can be a fatal situation.

Read about Snow Boarder Kevin Pearce. He is luck to be alive.

Brain damage due to a concussion has no bearing on the intensity of the impact. It is more related to the duration of the impact. The direction of the impact. The previous impacts and sub-concussive impacts are also a big factor.

As a former wrestler, I know that your son has suffered many sub-concussive impacts. It is the nature of the sport. If he played football or soccer, his previous history of sub-concussive impacts will be even greater. A sub-concussive impact is any impact to the brain that does not cause symptoms within the next day or so nor does it cause any struggle to focus the eyes or think straight.

Neck injuries are very common with concussions. A chiropractor or Physical Therapist may be able to help with his neck. Do not let a chiropractor do a twist and pop adjustment on his neck. There are some much gentler treatments that will have less risk of further injury. The NUCCA.org form of chiropractic is worth checking out. Also, leg check with Activator treatments is very gentle.

It will help if he ices his neck, especially his upper neck from behind one ear to behind the other. He should try to sleep with his head and neck in a straight position. If he is a side sleeper, he needs his pillow set so his head does not drop off.

Don't let his coach or trainer try to clear him to wrestle. Even a neurologist does not have a way to determine if his brain can tolerate another impact.

I hope I have not scared you but instead have given you information to use to protect your son. He only has one brain and they do not grow new brain cells. They only grow new axons (the wires between brain cells) and even they grow slowly.

He has along life ahead and needs to be protective of his brain so he can have a full life.

My best to you.