I think I gave myself a concussion last night while sleeping, against the bed frame. I woke up feeling very bad this morning (strong headache and brain fog), but since I saw no apparent reason I decided to push through this and go to work, as I now do in these cases (I am 14 months into PCS, and was doing much better these last weeks).

However, after an hour or so I felt terrible and I had to go home. I also discovered a bump at the top of my forehead, which is tender, and where the headache is the strongest. My headache also intensifies when I look at screens, which is typically what happened in my previous 2 concussions. In terms of symptoms everything is like day 1 of my previous concussions (strong headache/pressure, brain fog, tiredness, nausea, and sensitivity to screens).

I am thus acting as if it were indeed a new concussion - dark room, complete rest, no screens except for writing this message, for 48 hours. But I am fairly surprised that it is possible to hurt oneself during the night - I would have thought that movements while asleep would be too slow to cause any damage, and, most importantly, that any significant impact would have woken me up, which did not happen. Any thoughts about this?

I should add that my emotions are now all over the place - I was not anxious at all until I discovered the bump, and now I am extremely worried at the thought that this nightmare is happening again.

Many thanks for your advice.

You could have all of the symptoms you have from just a bad night's sleep. I used to have them frequently. The tender spot can be just from sleeping with your head against the wall or headboard. Sleeping with your head and neck jammed against the headboard could cause the lousy sleep without ever having an impact.

I seriously doubt you could hit your head without it waking you up nor could you hit your head hard enough to cause even a mild impact.

Thank you very much, Mark. But if the hit was hard enough to cause a bump on the forehead, which is visible today, isn't it strong enough to also impact the brain?

Do you flop around in your sleep? Sleepwalk?
I'm trying to imagine how anyone can hit their forehead when sleeping and hard enough to make a bump and not wake up at the time..

Treat the symptoms for now and don't over think or stress about it..
Try some ice on the bump .. warmth for neck if it helps..
Tylenol / Aleve or such for any discomfort.

Vania,

If you slept with your forehead against the headboard or wall, that pressure alone could cause a bump. It's like falling asleep while riding in the car with your head against the door frame and waking up with a bump and sore spot. There was no impact, just a sustained contact.

If you want to have something to be concerned about, I suggest you look at your sleeping arrangement and consider if you can change anything so that you cannot sleep with your head up against a hard surface. It could be changing your position to a safer position when you go to sleep.

I have learned what positions are best for sleep. If I follow my own rules, I sleep better and often wake up in the same position I went to sleep in.

I am still feeling awful 48 hours after that, so I think I indeed hit my head fairly hard during the night, most likely against the headboard, and did not wake up - or do not remember that.

I wish I had taken some prevention measures to avoid that, this is so stupid... Now my mattress is on the floor, far away from any hard surface.

What I learn from this event is that I should have organized every little aspect of my life to minimize the risk of impacts, including these unlikely ones. I should simply have avoided sleeping on a bed with a headboard. I had thought about it but rejected this idea, since it sounded silly and paranoid, and I wanted to live as normally as possible without developping irrational or obsessive fears.

But the consequences of a hit are so undesirable for us that I think it makes sense to be overly cautious. I had made a fairly good recovery after 14 months of PCS, was starting to enjoy work/hobbies again, and all this has to be redone now.

Sorry for publicly wallowing in self-pity. If you are struggling with PCS, please consider making these kind of adjustments, as long as it does not develop into an obsession. Thanks again to Mark and Jo*mar for the advice, and my best wishes to all of you.

Vania,

If you let this irrational worry grab hold of your life, you will be constantly in fear. That fear will be more of a problem that any real hit to your head.

I hope you can find a way past this without being so anxious and fearful.

I can't see how you could sleep through an impact severe enough to cause a concussion.

Not saying you didn't bump your head but I just can't imagine, with the information given you caused a concussion.

Bud

Thank you, Bud. I agree with you, that sounds very unlikely. I wish I had videotaped my sleep to know what exactly happened

Perhaps I woke up but fell asleep soon again, and do not remember that. Or perhaps the hit was strong enough to cause a brief loss of consciousness. Or perhaps the hit wasn't that hard, and it is just a subconcussive impact which is causing all these symptoms now. I am speculating, as I have no idea at all - the only tangible piece of information is the physical bump and the sudden return of all symptoms after that night.

Anyway, I'll follow the usual advice from this site now - rest, go back to some non-stress activities quite soon, and try to keep my mind busy.

Many thaksn again for your patient advice and help.

Hello Vania,

If you read my posts you will se that I have been through the exact same situation several times. But you have to tell yourself that you did not get a concussion, because you did not get one. If you got one you would wake because a concussion hurts and normal sleep movements are slow, except if you Fall to the floor. My daughter hit my jaw with her head while I was at sleep some weeks ago, and I woke from the impact although the pain was minor. And btw a single subconcussive impact is not a problem.

Now, I cant tell you why you get symptoms, but its part of the game. For me it usually takes 2-7 days to resolve.

You have my deepest sympathy because we are in the same boat ragarding this and I know how frustrating and anxietyprovoking it is, but I think tje best you can do is to relax and try to move on slowly and make sure you sleep Well and perhaps get some gentle neck care.

BTW, When I get worry I hit my head in sleep I can find small bumps and sore spots in my head, so I guess this is normal but we just dont normally motiver it.

If I sound harsh it is not intended, but my english is not that well, so I hope you now that I just want to help if I can