Concussions
1. Introduction
Concussion is a brain injury caused by movement of brain within the skull due to external forces that may cause sudden acceleration or decoration of a person such as collisions. It is a traumatically induced transient disturbance to the functioning of the brain caused by complex pathophysiological process (Harmon et al.). A bump, blow, or jolt to the head may cause concussion. Concussions also emanates from a blow to the body that causes the head and hence the brain to move quickly back and forth, causing the brain to bounce around or twist within the skull. Many people/studies refer to concussions as mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI) (Harmon et al.).
The sudden movement of brain inside the skull causes the brain to swell. This sudden movement of the brain causes the brain cells to stretch and tear, damaging the cells and creating chemical changes within the brain. It may not be obvious to parents, coaches, trainers and
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Some patients, however, do experience post-concussion syndrome (PCS) with symptoms lasting longer than expected. Post-concussion syndrome can include physical, cognitive, and emotional problems, including headache, dizziness, difficulty concentrating or completing tasks, irritability, and the sense that you “just don’t feel like yourself”.
This will ultimately cause some desperation to those affected, as performing daily chores will be difficult. Long-term effects of concussions are rare with sportspersons and any other people for that matter. Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) results to symptoms similar to those of concussion, but individuals with these TBIs often experience more severe problems with paying attention and loss of short-term memory, have difficulty performing daily tasks (e.g. practicing, learning, involvement in games, etc.), and report feeling “slower”
The Effects of a Concussion starts early on after suffering the injury, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy of also known as CTE starts a few years or even decades after suffering the Injury. According to James White MD. There are early signs and symptoms of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and of the first signs of CTE is troubles with Multitasking. Multitasking becomes very hard for Former NFL players who have suffered concussions in their career. Another key symptom of CTE in the early stages of the injury is Minor Cognitive Impairment. Former players have trouble with memory both short term and
Concussions can truly mess with an athlete’s brain and can give him or her lifelong troubles.
A concussion is medically defined by a traumatic injury to the brain. An athlete that has a concussion may experience signs of confusion, may lose consciousness, disorientation, or have a dazed look. Concussions occur due to an impact with the ground or another player. The skull is stopped by the impact, but the brain continues to move inside the skull in a shaking or spinning manner. Medical experts state that, “Violent shaking caused the brain cells to become depolarized and fire all their neurotransmitters at once in an unhealthy cascade, flooding the brain
Concussions have huge negative effects on the brain. Repeated trauma alters the structure and function of the brain. Researchers have used MRIs to demonstrate that maltreated children have smaller head size and brain volume compared to children with no history of maltreatment (De bellis. Keshavan, Clark, Case, Giedd, Boring et al.,1999; Mulvihill, 2005). Smaller brain sizes may be responsible for lower intelligence or cognitive ability, less impulse or emotional control, motor development delays, diagnosis or mental and psychological disorders and poor socio-emotional and or psychological function (De Bellis; Glaser, 2000). Some the the symptoms that occur after a concussion are according to (Aubry, 2002, pp.6-18) unaware of period, opposition, score of game, confusion, amnesia, loss of consciousness, unaware of time, date, place, headache, dizziness, nausea, unsteadiness/loss of balance, Feeling “dinged” or stunned or “dazed”, “Having my bell rung”, Seeing stars or flashing lights, ringing in the ears, and/or double vision. After a possible concussion any one or
A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain. The injury may damage the brain cells and create chemical changes in the brain (CDC). They are usually not life-threatening, but the effects can be serious (CDC), especially if a person receives multiple concussions. Something that makes a concussion dangerous or life-threatening is that the person may not even know that they have one or they may just shake it off and not pay attention to it. It is very common in athletes, but also appears in other people who receive an impact to the brain.
The leading cause of concussions is impact to the head. Everytime you go head to head with someone it shakes your head and brain. Everytime this happen it leaves a bruise or grey matter on the otter of the brain. Scientist say that real damage from concussions occur deep in the brain, in what they call the white matter. This results in stretching and twisting of the brain. Scientists also commonly believe that this kind of brain disease is caused not only by these severe concussive hits, but also by the accumulation of more minor blows.
Concussions are a very frightening and dangerous injury. A concussion is a traumatic brain injury in which your brain rattles around in your skull. When you sustain a concussion, your brain may jolt as a result from the impact. This form of brain injury can cause bruising, damage to the blood vessels, and injury to the nerves. Concussions are the most common brain injury. Although concussions are the least serious, they should not be taken lightly. Back in the day, people were unaware of concussions and the symptoms associated with them. As a result, people today especially former athletes are dying from past concussions. (Cantu, R. & Hyman M., 2012) Many people have seen, heard of, or had a concussion and they are relevant to everyone’s life.
In one’s life, the brain is able to recover from ONE traumatic injury like a concussion. One is the limit, no more. Then it comes to sports in the high schools and colleges, and almost half of their team that has/had a concussion. It would also depend on the degree of the concussion if it would be safe or not to play. Students have gotten seriously hurt from sports though. In high school football alone, there is on average 300,000 concussions per year in the US. (The following statistics are in 14 year olds or younger.) In cycling, there is about 34, 366 concussions per year; in basketball, about 11,359. And then in both baseball and
When you have a concussion it can be hard to focus, you can have lower test scores, and every time you get a concussion you damage your brain long term more and more [Newsela]. Also, after you get one concussion you have a better chance of multiple concussions, like cognitive impairments, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and also it can cause post concussion syndrome [Flynn]. 9/10 teens who continue to show symptoms of brain injury have academic problems like headaches and bad concentration. Once you have multiple concussions you can get syndrome like cognitive impairments (MCI's), chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and post-concussion syndrome (PCS). Headache (85%) and Dizziness (70-80%) are most commonly reported symptoms immediately following concussions for injured athletes [Flynn].“The National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research in Chapel Hill, NC, reported 35 cases of Second-impact syndrome [SIS] among American football players from
Concussions can have severe effects on an athlete. They can lead depression, memory loss, and event death. However, with growing research, it is possible to take preventative measures, identify the likelihood of a concussion and engage in treatment. Undiagnosed concussions can lead to more severe injuries and athletes should be concerned about, aware of them and treat them. With new technology, greater awareness, and growing acceptance that concern should be less on winning a game than preventing and treating a concussion, it is possible that one day, concussions may be a rare thing of the
Concussions are a major injury in contact sports. A concussion is a traumatic brain injury. This injury will affect your brain function. Major blows to the head can cause concussions. The neck and upper body can cause your brain to slide back and forth in the inner walls of your skull. There are many major and minor symptoms for concussions. Some of the symptoms are headaches, difficulty with concentration, loss of memory, hard time balancing, ringing in the ears, temporary loss of conscious, nausea, vomiting, and delayed responses. There are many treatments, preventions, and care for concussions.
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that results from a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body that causes the head to move quickly. The sudden movement can cause the brain to move in the skull. This movement can result in stretching and damaging the brain cells and create chemical changes in the brain. A young brain may more susceptible to the chemical changes that occur in the brain after a concussion. These changes may lead symptoms that affect their cognitive, physical, emotional, and sleep functions. While concussions affect people differently, most people will have symptoms that last for a few days to a week. More serious concussions may last for weeks, months or even longer. (Davies,
We should be exploring new ways to keep athletes safe from concussions. Public advocates are trying to find new ways to prevent traumatic brain injuries. These include difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly, headaches, irritability, anxiety, or sadness. These injuries have also been linked to sleep problems, vision problems, and sensitivity to light and noise. Concussions can also include long term risks for depression, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer 's disease and other health issues. NFL Head Health Challenges a grant worth $3.5 million initiative to fight brain injuries, to study how helmetless practices should teach high school football players to hit without using their heads (Heads Up). There
A concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury. Over 3,800,000 concussions were reported in 2012, double of what was reported in 2002 (“Stats on Concussions”). A concussion is mild, but serious, brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) happen when the brain bounces off the inside of the skull. The brain is shaken, causing the brain to function in different ways.
Like all sports, the ability to think the game and mentally prepare is arguably the most important aspect. After suffering a concussion, players often explain to doctors and trainers feelings of cloudiness and the inability to think without distraction. As a result this can lead to a decrease in major areas that directly correlate to player performance.