Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome For traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post concussion syndrome (PCS).


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Old 10-17-2012, 09:14 PM #1
trouts trouts is offline
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Default Potential long-term effects of multiple concussions

Hi all,
I've been doing a bit of research about the potential long-term effects of multiple concussions and wanted to talk to people who had concussions years ago to see what is actually happening with their brains. Statistics online about incidence of dementia and Alzheimer's aren't helpful, so I hoped someone here could give me some sort of idea of what to be prepared for in the years to come.
I am currently a college freshman competing in D1 field hockey and track. I have had at least five concussions in the last four years. My most recent was from a car accident in June and the most severe occurred about a year ago during a field hockey game where I was knocked unconscious and returned to the game and was hit another two times in the head. My neurologist told me that statistically, I should be dead or severely mentally handicapped; but I am academically back to normal and even graduated as valedictorian. I lost my photographic memory after my second concussion and up until the most recent two, I have been able to recover completely.
That being said, I don't think I ever recovered from my concussion last September. I was kept out of school for three months to avoid taxing my brain. I have suffered from visual problems like blurriness and inability to focus and post-impact nausea lasted for months. I still struggle with sensitivity to light and concentration. My biggest problem is the pervasive headaches. If I do not take Advil in the morning, I usually cannot make it through the day without headaches, and I am unable to practice without more meds. As a college athlete, this concerns me. I do not want to be dependent on pain killers to practice, but at the same time, cannot perform when my head is spinning.
I have already decided that if I suffer another head injury I am done with contact sports, but I am still very concerned about the permanent damage I may have already done. I wonder if these residual symptoms will ever go away, considering they have been here for a year post-injury. Any advice anyone can offer would be much appreciated.
Sally
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Theta Z (10-17-2012)

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Old 10-17-2012, 11:47 PM #2
Mark in Idaho Mark in Idaho is offline
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Sally,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. You have come to a good place to ask the questions you are asking.

The first issue you need to understand is the minimum standards for return to play by those organizations and researchers who understand concussions. No return to play guidelines allow the athlete to return to play in a collision sport if they still have any symptoms whatsoever. Your continuing head aches are a serious reason to stay off the field. You are playing injured.

There is a concept used by many athletic trainers. It is OK to play hurt (in pain) but not OK to play injured. A sore muscle can be painful and NOT be a cause to stay off the field. A injured (pulled or torn) muscle is a reason to stay off the field.

A brain does not have a hurt condition. It only has injured or not injured conditions. If your brain is symptomatic, it is a sign to stay off the field.

If your team uses the ImPACT or other computerized system for baseline and post concussion testing, you need to know those systems do not indicate when it is safe to return to play. They can not indicate when the brain has healed enough to be tolerant of another impact.

As for your academic future. You may have recovered your photographic memory but the fact that you acknowledge that you lost it indicates the intensity of your prior injury. Your next concussion may not only cause you to lose you photographic memory but it may also cause you to lose working memory functions.

There are three kinds of memory, immediate, short term, and long term. Immediate and short term are used for daily functioning. There are visual and auditory versions of all three. You have already experienced a loss of visual memory functions and fortunately regain them. If you put your brain under stress, you will likely see a return of some of your memory struggles.

Another concussion may cause you to lose those visual immediate and short term memory functions with a risk of the loss being prolonged or permanent. Please believe me when I tell you how hard it is to lose immediate and short term memory functions. I have lived this way for 12 years. I can walk into a friend's house for the first time and not be able to remember how to find my way back to the front door.

As a valedictorian, you have an expectation of high achievement. Cognitive and memory dysfunctions make life miserable for high achievers. You know what you used to be able to achieve and the dysfunctions become quite aggravating.

My advice to you is simple. Stop any risk of further damage. You have too much life to look forward to and lots of academic achievement to attain.

I also recommend you start a brain nutrition regimen and make it a lifestyle. Your brain will be much less tolerant of stress. If there is any way to prevent or delay dementia in later life, brain nutrition is the first step. Stay away from alcohol and caffeine except for maybe a single serving per day.

Please feel free to ask more questions. There is lots of good knowledge and support here.

My best to you.
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Theta Z (10-18-2012)
Old 10-18-2012, 04:59 AM #3
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Mark wrote:
"As a valedictorian, you have an expectation of high achievement. Cognitive and memory dysfunctions make life miserable for high achievers. You know what you used to be able to achieve and the dysfunctions become quite aggravating."

"My advice to you is simple. Stop any risk of further damage. You have too much life to look forward to and lots of academic achievement to attain".
__________________________________________________ ______
Sally,

Please heed what Mark has so clearly said.

Voluntarily letting go of that which puts you at greatest risk, i.e. field hockey, that aspect of your life as a college athlete ---
will be the far lesser sacrifice/loss/price-paid now, vs. what you may 'lose' down the road of life.
SO much is unforeseen ahead of us.

You've regained a great deal.
Do not risk losing it again, and potentially losing a great deal more.

Take good care of your brain.
It needs you to make that choice, so that it can continue to serve you with the excellence you've come to expect of yourself.

It's almost a given that we 'take that for granted' in our younger selves.
Be wise now in the choices you can make for your 'older self', down the road of life. You'll be glad you did.

Sincerely,
Theta
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