Today I sat in my school regularly in my class at a break and some of my friends were standing and talking behind me.

One of them suddenly accidentally hit me in the head with his elbow when he was talking to his friends (he tried to explain to them something with his hands and hit me in the head by accident).

This is my third concussion and I'm really afraid it'll worsen my injury significantly and prolong my recovery time. These things are, sadly, sometimes unavoidable (what could have I done to avoid this concussion?)

I try to avoid it as much as I can, but this today has already happened. Even though he hit me in the head by accident (he was not running or something, he stood still when it happened) I think it was still strong enough to cause a concussion (a direct blow to the head from my friend's elbow that he moved when he spoke with his hands - I was just too unfortunate that he was behind me when he did that). He didn't move his elbow too quickly but it still hit me.

What should I do right now? Rest? Try to avoid additional blows in another way? Take supplements ASAP to reduce further damage?

Thanks,
-ProAgonist

What sensations did you feel that tell you this was a concussion rather than just a bump to the head ?

I just think that any bump to the head with an elbow like I got is a concussion.

When I got that blow/bump, my head moved to the right (the elbow came from the left and moved my head to the right) but I didn't feel strong jarring. I mean, I didn't feel the head shake but the impact still made it move to the right when it happened. Isn't any bump that causes the head to move quickly to one side count as a concussion, or a sub-concussive impact?

I had a small return of symptoms after this, but this might have been because of my intense anxiety.

So how do you think that this bump will affect my recovery quality/length? Also, you said you have gotten 14 concussions, most of them mild to very mild. When you say very mild, do you mean bumps like that or something more powerful?

That bump was not a concussion. Prabably not even a sub-concussive impact. It should not make any difference at all. My mild impacts all caused immediate concussion symptoms that went away within a few hours. For me, a common concussion symptom is a metallic taste in my mouth. Often, I get a short visual disturbance.

So, relax. It was not a concussion.

OK, Thank you.

What I meant, though, is that immediately after this I started feeling foggy, unable to focus for a few hours and just generally bad with a headache,
but I'm not sure if it was my anxiety that led to that or the blow itself (you said symptoms can be caused by anxiety).

Thanks,
-ProAgonist

ProAgonist, I agree with Mark.

When I look back on my life at blows that caused a concussion and those that didn't, there are huge differences. My last concussive blow caused a giant purple goose-egg that was swollen for days and tender to the touch and even so this concussion has been mild. I also saw stars and couldn't open my eyes for a fair bit.

I've been hit on the head many times before that - including having branches fall on my head. At most I've felt weird for a day, but it has always passed. And yes that included headaches and fogginess.

I agree with Mark that you need to seek help for your anxiety. During my first major concussion I was probably just as anxious as you and it hurt rather than helped me. I saw significant healing once I put my worries aside and allowed myself to rest.

ProAgonist, please forgive me if I sound harsh in any way as that is not my intention as I write this post, however, you have been worried about the popcorn you ate causing you a concusssion. You've been worried that the back pack that hit your neck caused a concussion. Now you're worried that you have another concussion from a knock to the head by an elbow.

Today is Tuesday here and on Saturday night it was raining. I already have some residual vertigo from a concussion years ago and I should have known better but I went outside to get something and I slipped on a terracotta tile on the stairs.

I slammed the back of my head into the edge or nose tile. I was lying flat on my back in the pouring rain in a pool of blood from the cut to my head and thought this was the end of me. My blood pressure spiked in the 180s/80s and stayed there for a couple of hours. I kept repeating the same thing over and over again apparently. I don't remember doing that. All I remember thinking was it was all over this time.

After a few hours in the ER my anxiety about death decreased and once I was able to see for my nursey self that my BP finally stabilized and that my pupils were fine and that I wasn't repeating myself over and over again, I was reassured by all that my signs and symptoms were not of the nature that I was going to have a brain bleed and die that night. I was stitched up and went home to bed.

Was I anxious? Very. I am still.

Do I sometimes worry about things I need not worry about? Yes
Do I take measure to keep my anxiety under control? Yes
Does it help? Sometimes more than other times.

Was this anxiety I was feeling on Saturday night and for some time afterwards warranted? Yes

OK. Now, if you ever feel worried enough that you think you have a concussion, you should tell your parents what has happened and they can assess the situation and know if you should go to the hospital.

In the meantime you should try to keep calm and live your life to the fullest because there is so much for you to do in your future. Perseverating on knocks to your head or teeth or neck will keep you at a standstill.

I know that can be easier said than done, but I'm very concerned that your anxiety is at such a level that it will confine you and that it will stop you doing things that you should be doing.

Many of us who have experienced anxiety know that there can be a very fine line before the condition can become life changing and debilitating. Fear is a terrible companion.