Strenuous physical activity leads to concentration issues, headaches?
 

Hi everyone. This is my first post. Brief background: 33 year old guy, maybe 10 moderate concussions (never a loss of consciousness) suffered within the last 5 years from ice hockey. The last one was about 6 months ago. Since then, very minor impacts to my head (a coworker throwing a couch pillow at it) or quick movement of my head (trying to tear off a piece of been jerky with my teeth, and having the piece snap off quickly) often result in difficulty concentrating immediately afterward and lasting a day or two, and mild headaches starting the day after and lasting between one and two days. I've averaged about one of these aggravating incidents every week for the past 6 months, despite trying to be pretty careful.

My question: I keep trying to test my limits by doing some (about 5) pushups or pullups after about a week or two of not having symptoms. This tends to bring about the same sort of immediate concentration difficulty and delayed mild headache that I described above, plus being able to feel my pulse in my head immediately afterward. Is this common? Should I be more careful to try to never do anything that causes these symptoms?

Anyone have any idea what exactly is happening inside my head during these seemingly minor impacts and head movements? The headaches feel like I imagine it might feel for some blood vessels near my brain to start bleeding -- some slight non-localized increase in pressure. Any chance it could be a minor chronic subdural hematoma, and these incidents keep causing a small amount of bleeding that stops on its own?

If its PCS and you get headaches or pressure then stop doing such exercise, just go walking or swimming until all symptoms have gone.

I suggest you get a home blood pressure kit so you can check and see if these symptoms are related to a sudden rise in blood pressure. They also may be related to a neck position that you only do when doing these exercises.

Focal head aches can be vascular spasms. They can be almost thunderclap in presentation. The blood vessel spasms tightly causing a focal and intense pain. They are most common in the temple area.

Push ups and pull ups are not a way to gradually build up your tolerance for exercise. A brisk walk but with a careful focus on a soft foot plant may be better. Or a stationary bike. You do not want to raise you pulse by more than 25% or so of normal.

I would not worry about a bleed. The pain would be intense and not go away. You would likely have other serious symptoms, too.

btw, 10 moderate concussions does not include a lifetime of hockey sub-concussive impacts. They can combine with the concussions to leave your brain very sensitive to movement.

At your age, your brain is starting a period of lower tolerance to all kinds of stressors. You would do well to take a broad approach to reducing risk to your brain.

My best to you.