My return to BJJ - Potential Concussion - Really need some things answered
 

Hey everyone
I'd first like to thank those who have been very helpful on this forum. There is some fantastic information here and friendly people!

Anyway, if you haven't read my original post that explains where I am at so please read that first if you have not :)

Anyway, I've been back about 5 weeks now and originally I was excited because it was helping. Small knocks/bumps were not worrying me and I was getting on with it so BJJ was helping me overcome anxiety.
HOWEVER, tonight I had a bit of a larger knock to the back of the head.
It wasn't that bad, however when I left the gym tonight I was a little wobbly walking out. This was a little concerning for me and I was starting to worry it was a sign of another concussion.

I was however a little dehydrated, hadn't eaten much before training and also nearly went unconscious from a choke as well as having quite a bit of adrenaline from sparing so that may have contributed.
Anyway, because I was walking a bit funny I popped into the doctors which I've done a few times over the past year when I have suspected a head injury. None of them ever have been tho.

However, tonight I got "diagnosed" with a "mild concussion."
I was told all the nuero tests were fine but that because I was walking funny and "that caused me to come in to see a doctor," they said it was a mild concussion.

But I was told that it was so minor and nothing like my previous concussions and that it is too early to tell if it is an issue and that if I feel fine tomorrow not to worry but if I don't get better come back.
Anyway, that has stressed me out hearing the words "diagnosed Mild concussion," as I now feel like I've received another concussion.
But after I got home, had a shower, drank some water, took some pain relief and anti nausea and ate dinner, I feel pretty much fine.
I'm now super stressed and ******. I'm now wondering if BJJ is worth it. I was so happy to return, and it was helping initially but now I'm thinking if it is even worth it.

Also, in regards to this "concussion diagnosis," I'm a bit concerned and questioning it. Usually when I get seen they can usually tell me, "yep you have one or "nope" you don't. I know that concussions cannot be diagnosed as 100% but all the times they have checked me in the last year (maybe 7 or 8 times), they have said no concussion, neck problems, you're fine. And then a day or 2 later I am sweet.

In this case I don't like how she has said "minor concussion," as to me, a concussion is bad regardless and if I have sustained a 3rd or potentially 4th one (depending on my motorcycle one), then that feels like quite a few to have had in the last 25 months.
I've honestly been pretty much fine tonight. Been 6 hours since and I've been watching TV, on my PC doing all my normal stuff etc and having pretty much no issues.

I guess my question is:
1. if I feel pretty much completely fine tomorrow (with only mild symptoms like I experience sometimes because of my neck etc), then can I rule this out as a concussion?
2. I'm tempted to go and see my actual GP and get a second opinion. Is that worth it ?
3. Should I consider maybe leaving BJJ? I feel like this is always going to be a constant worry. I'm just scared that this head stuff is going to control my life. Like, I'm scared to go snowboarding (used to go a few times a year) but haven't been since my concussion. I'm scared to ride roller coasters. I'm scared to do go karting etc. I feel like this is controlling my life and returning to bjj was meant to be my confidence booster and way to work through my anxiety.
4. Can someone elaborate on if a "mild concussion," is still as bad as a concussion.
5. Do I potentially sustain a sub concussive hit and not actually a concussion?

What is BJJ? Is that a fighting reference?

If you are engaged in fighting sparring, I am sorry but I will not respond to questions. That is foolish. A choke? Really? Do you know what a choke does? It screws up your neck.

You took antinausea meds?

Sorry. You know what is causing your problems.

Asking about continuing in a fighting activity is like asking if you can have sex until you are a little bit pregnant.

An injured brain is an injured brain.

Are you taking any medications, pain remedies, or supplements?

Hi Mark

Sorry I'll try and clear a few things up because I feel like some of your comments might be mislead from my information.

I am engaged in fighting/sparring but not boxing etc. I am involved in BJJ which is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. We grapple and there are no strikes. 90% of our fighting is done on the ground as well. So imagine wrestling but probably safer than wrestling. We control our opponents and submit them via chokes, joint locks and compression locks.

Yes I do know what a choke does. Well actually, if we are being technical we apply both choke types - One being "strangulation" to cut off the carotid artery which is the primary attack we use and then a "choke" which attacks the windpipe which isn't used as much.

But yes, I understand it can be hard on the neck but it has actually helped by strengthening my neck as well.

Yeah I did take anti nausea meds. Is this a bad thing? If it is please advise as if I shouldn't be taking them I'd like to know. I was prescribed them.

I understand you saying continuing fighting seems stupid but, it has been an entire 14 months since my last concussion (2nd one), so I have taken the time to heal and not rushed back into it.

Just anti nausea every now and then and paracetamol.

If you take anti-nausea meds to hide your concussion symptom of nausea, you have no way to tell if your brain is recovering. The same goes for pain meds.

You should not be on the mat/training floor if you have any symptoms.

If you are totally symptom free without meds for a month, activities might be considered. This is known as Return to Play. This has been well researched with goals of athletes returning to the sport at the earliest time. It only reduces risks of Second Impact Syndrome and injuries due to coordination/balance deficiencies. It does not mean your brain has recovered.

btw. Doctors prescribe meds to treat your symptoms/complaints, not to help you heal/recover.

Concussions NEVER heal. We can recover from the obvious symptoms but the brain will always have the injury.

Neck holds may cause you to work to strengthen your neck but the area at risk is unstable even with good muscle tone. As you try to resist a choke, you put strain on the cervical joints with your own muscle action. I actually had a doctor who used my own muscle strength to move my cervical vertebra. He held my head steady and had me try to turn my head. He claims it would help. It actually made my condition worse.

The ligaments at C-1 and C-2 are the weakest part.

It's better to take Omega-3 DHA and Curcumin instead of Tylenol, Ibuprofen, or anti-nausea drugs.

I've talked a lot about inflammation so it would seem logical to take anti-inflammatory drugs but unfortunately, they don't work.

Thanks for the response. I'd been approved by a Physio, Doctor and Sports Doctor to return to BJJ. I was told to monitor symptoms closely though. I was going great it was just that one knock that set me off.

Yeah I agree about doctors prescribing for symptoms not to help heal. I don't take any meds before training so I can monitor my symptoms I may take some after.

I'm interested why you say concussions never heal. I understand that the brain takes longer than the "initial 2-3 weeks" where most/all obvious symptoms resolve, but from what I have been told talking to concussion therapists etc they said they do heal, just can take a long time, sometimes a year or longer to FULLY heal.

My physio has been to a lot of seminars and courses related to concussion, some with all the latest research and he said that they still don't officially know if you have one or not as 10 different things mimic concussion, when you are truely healed etc.

SO you might be correct that they never fully heal, but then you might be wrong too. The sad thing is in the medical world they still don't know a lot about concussions, the long term effects, what leads to CTE etc etc.

My physio has had at least 17 concussions and probably more and is in his late 50s and he is doing absolutely fine.

I also know a few people who have had 1 or 2 MAJOR ones and are dealing with issues years later.

It really is **** because I miss not worrying about my head like I do. And for me, it is hard to say exactly how many I have had because 1 or 2 MAY or MAY NOT have been concussions.

My timeline from when this all started looks like this:

April 2020: Fell of Motorcycle and hit my head, broke my collarbone. No concussion doctors said however I did go unconscious but it was not from the impact I was conscious for like 5 minuets until one people tried to sit me up and I blacked out. At the time, never thought I had a concussion, no symptoms etc but looking back, from what you and others have said it may have caused some head trauma.

November 2020: First official concussion: Took a knee to the eye during sparring. Not knocked out, felt off, was off work for 8 days. Couldn't look at screens or do much of anything for about 6 days. Returned to BJJ 3 weeks later and was 100% fine. Again looking back I wish I had taken 2 months off.

March 2021: Second Concussion (Potential): Was lying on my back and my opponent was drilling a grip break for armbar. If you've not seen an armbar position have a look at the "spiderweb position" in BJJ. I was the guy on the bottom and the opponent basically bounces/drives their thigh into your head which cause you to lose your grip. My head basically bounced a few times off the mat (not very high and soft mat), but I knew something was wrong again.

This was a "potential concussion." I didn't feel right but I went to work 2 days later at a new job as well and took on a lot of information and did everything normal. I just didn't exercise and I was dealing with neck tightness/headaches and dizziness if I jerked/bumped my head.

So this could have been a concussion or it could have been whiplash or many other things.

And finally: May 2022: Potential Concussion 4 - I've been off BJJ for a year, doing other sports and while I have been dealing with issues I've been better and better.

This "concussion" happened when my opponent just wrapped his arm around my head to control me and it bumped the back of my head. THis was not that hard and the only "issue" I had with this one was I was wobbly when walking out after training. However, I kept training after this one as I felt fine. The diziness could have been because I hadn't eaten for 6 hours before training, lack of water, adrenaline or whiplash or concussion/

So for this one it is really hard for me to say it was a concussion as I felt 100% fine 2 days later anyway.

My doctor and physio both said I had to treat it was a mild concussion and my doctor is now telling me to quit BJJ.

He told me to quit not because of the concussions but because of my anxiety and the fact I will always worry about bumps to the head during training.

I'm kind of depressed right now and I'm unsure if i have had 1 concussion or 4 concussions in the last 2 years.

Ask yourself, is continuing with BJJ worth the possible risk of a long term issueYou never know which one will be the life changing one forever

Up C Spine
for c1 c2 info.

This thread has not gotten out of my mind in weeks....I guess when your on the side of permanent damage/problems that last a lifetime. We wish we could persuade them to change their ways?

But it seams it wont.....If I had a second chance I would not go to work that ugly day! I cant change the past, but only what I do today effects my future.

I wish the best to the poster. Read a few hundred threads, maybe that could change your mind?

Good luck