FAQ/Help |
Calendar |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome For traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post concussion syndrome (PCS). |
Reply |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
09-04-2008, 05:24 PM | #1 | ||
|
|||
New Member
|
Hallo. About a year ago, I was in a bar and I fainted (syncope), fell backward and received a laceration to the scalp about 2 centimetres long on the back of my head due to a wooden step behind me. I was lifted from the ground by people in the bar and came around. I don't think I was unconscious for more than a minute or two. I remember everything until the moment of fainting, and then everything from a few minutes after. After the injury I repeated myself a few times asking what had happened and was generally confused. My memory of the time is a bit blurry, though I can remember a few minutes after the injury. I may have just been in shock.
A taxi was called and I went to the hospital. In the taxi, about ten minutes after the injury, I was fully lucid. A doctor saw me at the hospital, determined that I didn't have a skull fracture and fixed the laceration. He decided I was fluent and lucid enough to not send me for any scans. He asked me questions and did some tests - I don't remember what, exactly. I described that I had no retrograde amnesia (prior to injury) and only momentary anterograde amnesia (after the injury). My question is: is it likely I suffered concussion or post-concussive syndrome? Because I fainted immediately before the injury (and in so doing caused the injury), it is impossible to distinguish the unconsciousness caused by syncope and any unconsciousness caused by concussion. Also, because I fainted I am not clear as to what happened: whether I fell backward and landed with my head on the lowest wooden step, or whether I crumpled to the ground and hit my head secondarily. The outcome of hitting my head full-whack is different to having fallen to the ground and scraped my head. Are lacerations common with blunt blows to the head? I did not have any especially noticable symptoms that indicated concussion: I was not nauseous and did not have a splitting headache. I may have had a mild headache for everything going on, but it is not memorable. In terms of post-concussive syndrome, I have not especially noticed cognitive impairment. My memory has always been poor, but I don't think I've noticed it getting worse. Would I be aware if my cognition is impaired relative to pre-injury? Would I realise that my memory, concentration or intelligence are less now than they were before the injury? My job depends on cognition and this is the main reason for my concern. I have suffered some depression and anxiety in the last year, but I suffered both before the injury and there is no indication that this is the cause. For some context: I have not had any other concussion (that I am aware of), and have done quite well at university in the year since (I am a neuroscience student). I do seem to have some post-traumatic stress disorder relating to the injury. I think about the injury almost every day and I am concerned that it may have had lasting effect on my cognition. So my essential question is, is it likely I was concussed (despite no nausea). If I was concussed, it was mild since my unconsciousness was momentarily and my amnesia is ten minutes at most. In this case, would any lasting cognitive impairment be expected? Would I notice cognitive impairment? Any help, information or advice would be very much appreciated. |
||
Reply With Quote |
09-05-2008, 09:13 AM | #2 | |||
|
||||
Member
|
hello and welcome
this brain injury thing seems to have a very broad spectrum I had no memory for 30 minutes prior to injury I dont know how long I was unconscious, I can now 9 months later only remember snippets of the event medics tend to access people using the premis of unconscious semi conscious or conscious and the notion of lucidity I would describe my state as semi conscious on arrival at A&E by this I mean running on instinct I knew my name and address but didn't know were I was, could walk, but could not tell my left from right I thought I was in a town I has been days before, I did not feel sick ? in fact my brain was in shock and had shut down and in a catatonic state, it is our instinct to get up but ,I would say I was still unconscious for another three hours after my arrival at A&E, so I feel the time one is unconscious is irrelevant I only feel nauseous now my brain has recovered from the shock I think medic access on a thing called the Glasgow coma scale ? by reading this you might think I have no cognitive impairment.but this has taken me hours to write if it was not for the spell checker and ctrl C this would be gobbledygook ah! the spell checker got that one right I can read and understand but cannot hold a word in my mind my short term memory is shot unfortunately neurosurgeons cant insert a new ram stick so the computer is my aid memoir I think it depends on the persons intellectual development pre injury and the damage sites, I dont remember I have forgotten something, cause its not there.the PDSD and low mood you feel may be treated by neurophysiology I hope to see one at some point I can understand your fear of fainting could trigger PDSD and a blow to the head is never a good thing I am not a doctor so can only go on about how it is for me hope you get some answers here and good luck with your study's
__________________
the light connects the many stars, and through the web they think as one, like god the universe we learn about our self's, the light and warmth connect us, the distance & darkness keep us apart . vini . |
|||
Reply With Quote |
Reply |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Cognitive impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis | ALS News & Research | |||
Cognitive impairment appears to be common in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclero | ALS |