Brain damage due to sparring?
 

Hi people,
recently I took part in a couple of sparring boxing sessions and got hit there multiple times like 60 very light hits and 5-6 moderate hits. 1 or two moderate to hard ones. I never lost consciousness but got dizzy for a very brief period of time after one hit (3 sec.). A couple of days ago I took part in an IQ test which provided a result lower than expected. Furthermore I use to play game which is similar to chess and I noticed that I play worse than before. I know it was a stupid idea to take part in this sport altogether and thus stopped training altogether 2 weeks ago. However I wonder wether I took any permanent damage or wether the effects will be temporary and my original ability will recover. Whats your opinion? What can I do to optimize recovery?
Thanks in advance.

Most likely, your symptoms are temporary. Nobody can say how long they will last. 85% recover in the first 6 weeks. Read the sticky at the top about Vitamins. It will give your brain the extra nutrition it needs to heal fastest. No alcohol, minimal or no caffeine, no msg or artificial sweeteners and you will give your brain the best chance at healing.

Try to take your days a bit slower. Lowering your stress and activity levels is good.

And, no more beating your brain up. You only have one and they do not heal completely. The next time will be worse.

My best to you.

Thx man =)
 

Thx for your reply. It relieves me a lot to hear this. I already bought vitamins, fish oil and ordered this curcumin stuff. Take your days slower? Right now I play a lot of chess and do neurocognitive training. Should I stop doing that?
And should I do jogging?

I took part in this sport because I didnt know about the consequences. People tend to trivialize them and a lot of the guys at the gym were actually academics. The whole idea of that sport is to hurt the most valuable part of your body. How can anybody take part in that?

Just curious. What kind of neurocognitive training and for what purpose ?

My one friend took up boxing this past semester. In one match I watched of his between him and a friend, he took about five good head punches in a row and had to stop the match. The point is, he knew when it was time to quit, because he said after the fifth punch his head didn't feel right. I don't know if you experienced a similar sensation at all. My friend had a headache for the rest of the day, but then he was fine the day after. So, while everyone is different, at least from that experience I've seen that those are only temporary sorts of things.

I'm sure you realize this now, but continually doing that will obviously make you not so lucky. This is why we see athletes like football players and boxers sustain life-long problems from brain injuries, because the more times you damage your brain, the more it accumulates, and eventually you stop getting so lucky with healing.

As for what to be doing while recovering, I remember my family doctor basically just told me only use your brain as much as you need to. So things like chess might require some intense cognitive processes with its strategizing, and so maybe you should limit that for right now. Light cardio is fine, just don't overdo it. Some fast walking/slow jogging can be very beneficial for the brain, but if you push too much it won't be. Just feel your symptoms out...try jogging and if it makes things worse, stop. Simple as that.

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There is this programme called brain twister. Its the same programme Jaeggi et al did a study on a couple of years ago. While it received a lot of praise back then for its ability to enhance working memory and thus fluid intelligence the study was critizised for being flawed later.

LTagard,

The study was either flawed or just slanted. The brain training industry has been pulling out all the stop to sell their programs. The recent research shows that each exercise causes an increase in ability to do that exercise. The cross-over value is limited. The key value is at developing underdeveloped skills. Developing observational skills. Developing focus skills.

If you really wanted to maximize your brain, you should have been learning to play the piano and violin from a young age while the brain was more formative.

Deuce,

You are mistaken if you think a quick recovery means there was no damage. Your boxer friend exhibited signs of a concussion. There are plenty of athletes who never suffered a single concussion but developed severe Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, as early as their 20's, from hits with much less force than the average boxers punch.

Heading a soccer ball, especially during heading drills, is known to cause cumulative damage. No head aches or other symptoms but damage happens.

So, tell your friends to be careful. The brain is for thinking, not hitting.

The goal of boxing is to cause brain damage. Otherwise, head hits would be outlawed and body blows would be the rule.

I wasn't trying to imply that there was no damage, sorry if it sounded like that. That's why I further went on to explain how continuous blows will accumulate further damage to the brain. My friend hasn't boxed since then. I think it's like LTagard said, people tend to trivialize the damage that boxing can do to the brain. Everyone needs to be careful with those kinds of sports.

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Is it possible to increase blood flow to the brain by any means?

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There is this cerebrolysin drug? what do you think of it? are there any other drugs you would recommend?

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I really dont want to sound whiny but its very important to me since I work in a very challenging academic field.

Cerebrolysin has been shown to be helpful with some neurological conditions but has varied results. It is not available in the US. It is taken by intravenous injection although some have applied it nasally.

The best way to have good blood flow to the brain is by simple activity. Physical and cognitive activity will cause blood to flow.

What are you trying to achieve ?

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Full recovery. Its scaring me that I dont perform as good as I was 3 months ago.
I dont want the damge to be permanent.
They said this cerebrolysin drug enhances glucose uptake into the nerve cell.
I live in Germany and have access to all medication on the market.

The damage is already there if your did damage your brain. Neuroregeneration is a very slow and haphazard process.

The brain is not like an injured muscle or bone. It does not grow replacement cells. Stem cells have been looked at to enhance neuroregeneration but the results have been poor.

Cerebrolysin appears to just be a treatment, not a cure. The benefits require continuous use.

If you want to maximize your future, get on a brain healthy diet and supplementation regimen. Then, avoid any head trauma risks.

This looks to be a promising concept. http://www.kurzweilai.net/light-ther...brain-injuries

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I know its already there. I just thought about minimizing the damage by applying a neuroprotective drug. Like rescuing those axons and cells who would otherwise commit apoptosis.

The studies I have read seem to find a 24 hour window for use of neuroprotective substances. One substance has great value in the first 24 hours but no value during the second 24 hours. It was discussed in this forum last week or so. My brain does not have enough memory function to remember what it was.

Mark, regarding the light therapy link you referenced above, do you know if this kind of therapy is currently offered to anyone for mTBI by any kind of practitioner? Or is it still in the very early stages? From the cursory look I took it seems like it's mostly currently used for muscles/skeletal issues.

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Im going to ask a specialist on his opinion.

Jon,

If you read the article, they state that they use LED system like used for muscle and joint issues. These systems obtain a FDA exemption or type of grandfathering that allows them to be used in ways that would otherwise require very expensive clinical study.

The wave length of the light appears to be the important part. But, they only penetrate 1 cm into the brain. Finding a way to increase penetration will be helpful.

The point of my posting the link was to show that healing is complex such as helping the mitochondria function better.

@Mark
Ive been playing a lot of this game which is similar to chess the last days. I lose a lot against the guys who I used to defeat easily 3 months ago (before I started sparring).
Do you think that this cognitive setback is temporary or will I regain my original ability?

I had many times when I lost multi-step processing abilities and after some time, was able to rebuild it. Continuing to push yourself cognitively may prevent you from healing so you can retrain your cognitive abilities. Bones and muscle continue to heal under stress. The brain does not.

Nobody can say what your future holds. Every injury is different. All you can do is give your brain the rest it needs and go forward. If you have to cognitively strain to play these guys, you are pushing too hard.

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Would it be counterproductive for the healing process to consume benzodiazepines like lorazepame right now? Because Ive been really nervous the last couple of weeks and they help me a lot.

So, have you already been taking benzos ? Why are you nervous ?

Benzos are not great but short term low dose use is not going to set you back much, if at all.

Have you tried anything else to relax ?

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There are multiple reasons. One is that this isnt the first time I experience a damage. Almost 12 years ago I had an accident which left me unconscious for a brief period of time. Some people stomping my head while I was unconscious on the floor. I was at school back then and remember that my performance at school dropped subsequently. Now I feel the same happening again to a much lesser degree but still. I have an academic job and thanks to those guys from school I barely manage to fulfill its expectations. Im at the verge of being unable to perform my job. And that makes me very nervous. Im really considering to take that cerebrolysin bdnf right now. Dont want to lose any nerve cells anymore. Why cant the brain be like the ****ing liver and just regenerate everytime you lose something?

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I know it sounds strange but Im really afraid right now.

It's totally normal to be afraid. Take the lorazepam if you can't calm down on your own. I have been taking 1mg twice a day and have seen recovery since my last head injury. It's important to get rid of the fear and anxiety if you ever want to heal. I wish that I didn't need the Benzos right now but I have kept the dose steady and it doesn't seem to be hurting me too much at the moment.

Rather than be afraid of everything, choose a plan of action so those risks are reduced. If you job is a struggle, learn ways to work-around your limitations.

It can be done. You can curse the darkness or you can light a candle.

Too many want to curse the darkness and be afraid of it.

I've said this many times before. I have dealt with these issues for 50 years. I did not understand much about how to find work-arounds and other accommodations until 15 years ago.

You guys have a wealth of help here to learn how to minimize the impact your PCS has on your daily lives. Use it, apply it and get on with your lives.

Nobody is going to fix anything for you. You have to make choices. For some, those choices may be difficult.

Obviously dealing with PCS is terrible for everyone, but I think it's especially hard on academic types who derive much of their self worth from their ability to function as a highly intelligent human being who enjoys being mentally challenged. While I agree that fear isn't really the most helpful way to meet the challenges associated with PCS, I think it's a perfectly understandable response.

It's hard, for me at least, to accept my current dysfunctions and try to move on as this new person as I don't like this new person, I don't feel like myself anymore, and the part of me that does feel like myself only does so because it can point to my current state and say "That's not me". And so, the fear of this going on indefinitely remains, as I just haven't been able to even understand what it would mean to accept this me as the new me. I just can't wrap my head around accepting this new identity that I don't like as much as the old one!

Not to hijack the thread, but you're not alone in being afraid here, even while knowing being afraid isn't really helpful.

Agree win you Laupaula
 

I completely agree. fear is crippling. I ask myself everyday if I can accept the new me and a lot of weird thought s come to mind. I am not me, this PCS is not me. It has taken my core personality away from me and if I am not me then who am I and do I really care for this person that I have become. I have no passions, no job, no hope for a future, I am disabled and my doctors and society al large doesn't see or believe n my lack of ability. I am giving myself 5 years to a full recovery and if that does not happen my mind come sup with weird scenarios. I hope I can be strong enough to keep on keeping on. Life has become recovery instead of life. Laupaula I am with you as my accident happened in a very stupid manner and now it has stolen everything in my life that was once so good.

A rehabilitation specialist who addressed my brain injury support group stressed the need to accept our current condition and the person we have become. Then, we use that as our starting point. Then, we will be able to categorize little improvements as gains. Instead, many consider them as inadequate. "Oh, I did not accomplish what I used to be able to accomplish." is wrong thinking. It stimulates bad brain chemistry. When we claim any little improvement as a gain, we stimulate good brain chemistry.

We may need to reinvent ourselves into something we would never have recognized before.

Check out Drew Lynch. He is a young man who suffered a concussion that left him with a profound stutter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5nMb4_ghvg

http://drewlynch.com/

Or, check out http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/about-nick/bio/

He may not have a concussion issues but his life is full of challenges.

Is it tough ? H.... Yes it is. Can we do it ? Yes, we can.
Do we have times when we want to quit. Sure do.
Do we have times where, with the proper perspective we delight ourselves with a success? Yes we do.

Yes, brain struggles may be one of the worst disabilities, especially for intelligent minds. In fact, researchers show that the intelligent tend to suffer the worst. But, the intelligent also tend to accomplish more with less by finding ways around our dysfunctions.

I have pi... off doctors and other professionals with my ability to demonstrate a high intelligence (top 2 to 10% of the US population) while having horrible memory functions (bottom 5 to 12% of the US population). My processing speed is in the bottom 10% of the population. Many refuse to accept the memory dysfunctions as real. Yet, three different NeuroPsychs have tested me and found the same results.

My biggest gripe is quite simple. I DO NOT DRIVE. I can do anything else I want to do if I just have time to do it at my speed.

Very few of you have driving limitations. Be grateful.

Take inventory of what you can do. Take inventory of the environments where you can do it. Take inventory of the people in your life who still care. (Yes, I know some don't.)

Then, use that inventory to invent a new you that can move forward. Maybe there will be day where you get back to where you were before your injury. But, don't worry about that. You have no control over that issue.

Learn to pick your battles.

If anybody wants to go tit for tat and compare struggles because you think you have more than you can handle and than others have, PM me. I'll tell you if I have that struggle. When it became a problem in the past 50 years. And, what I have done about it.

I am nothing like I expected to be. But, I am 60 years old. Raised three successful kids as the sole income for my family in an expensive area (Silicon Valley, CA.).

I had planned on a career as a dentist since 8th grade. I wanted to specialize in orthodontics. But that changed my first year of college.

So, take inventory and reinvent yourself and move on.

We are here to help.