Subconcussive hits damage the connections in our brain. Different areas of the brain are interconnected by bundles of wire-like brain cells, allowing different brain areas to seamlessly communicate
Using a technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging, scientists can see how active different brain areas are during thinking or memory tasks. Studies in contact athletes have shown that athletes with more subconcussive impacts have less brain activity than athletes with fewer impacts.
Concussion Legacy Foundation
According to Clifford Robbins in his Ted Talk “What happens when you have a concussion?”, the neoron and axons in your brain get damaged in a head injury of any kind. The axons degrade and release toxins.
He goes on to say that a majority of patients it lasts only days or weeks, although some develop Post Concussion Syndrome (PCS) which can last months or years after the injury. He states that the symptoms can unfold over time.
Can’t recall events prior to or after a hit or fall.
Appears dazed or stunned.
Forgets an instruction, is confused about an assignment or position, or is unsure of the game, score, or opponent.
Moves clumsily.
Answers questions slowly.
Loses consciousness (even briefly).
Shows mood, behavior, or personality changes.
Headache or “pressure” in head.
Nausea or vomiting.
Balance problems or dizziness, or double or blurry vision.
Bothered by light or noise.
Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy.
Confusion, or concentration or memory problems.
Just not “feeling right,” or “feeling down”.
One pupil larger than the other.
Drowsiness or inability to wake up.
A headache that gets worse and does not go away.
Slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or decreased coordination.
Repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures (shaking or twitching).
Unusual behavior, increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation.
Loss of consciousness (passed out/knocked out). Even a brief loss of consciousness should be taken seriously.
Frontal Lobe-
Sequencing
Decision Making
Attention
Personality
Problem Solving
Verbal Expression
Spontaneity
Emotions-social and sexual behaviors
Movement initiation
Temporal Lobe-
Spoken Word
Selective Attention
Sexuality
Inhibitions
Aggression
Identification
Categorization
Facial Recognition
Locating Objects
Parietal Lobe-
Object Classification
Tactile Processing
Academic Skills
Cognitive Ability
Directional Understanding
Hand-Eye Coordination
Spatial Orientation
Occipital Lobe-
Vision Defects
Visual Field
Locating Objects
Color Identification
Distorted Vision
Hallucinations
Word Blindness
Movement Perception
Reading/Writing
Visual Processing
Cerebellum-
Gross and Fine Motor Skills
Voluntary Motor Skills
Balance
Equilibrium
Coordination
Postural Controls
Eye Movement
Brain Stem-
Body Temperature
Heart Rate
Breathing
Balance
Movement
Swallowing
Vertigo
Nausea
So what can be done to help a survivor of a TBI:
They need to be able to get their lives to what i call the "New Normal".
My therapist i was seeing after the accident said the greatest thing to me. She told me i was grieving my old life and i needed to continue the grieving process.
Once i heard that, a light bulb went off in my head and i understood it finally. From that moment forward ive just been growing exponentially daily.
I still have alot of symptoms but they are usually manageable. Although my mood still goes up and down depending on how bad my heafaches are, im able to have a positive attitude for the most part.
i do have alot of really bad days but nothing like what i had at first.
At the beginning:
limit physical and thinking/remembering activities to avoid symptoms getting worse.
Avoid activities that put them at risk for another injury to the head and brain.
Get a good night’s sleep and take naps during the day as needed
Find relaxing activities at home. Avoid activities that put your child at risk for another injury to the head and brain.
Return to school gradually. If symptoms do not worsen during an activity, then this activity is OK for your child. If symptoms worsen, cut back on that activity until it is tolerated.
Get maximum nighttime sleep. (Avoid screen time and loud music before bed, sleep in a dark room, and keep to a fixed bedtime and wake up schedule.)
Reduce daytime naps or return to a regular daytime nap schedule (as appropriate for their age).
Help your child take breaks only if concussion symptoms worsen.
Return to a regular school schedule.
There is no universally accepted definition of postconcussion syndrome, but what I've found most doctor’s go by is if at least 3 of the following symptoms lasts more than 3-4 months: headache, dizziness, fatigue, irritability, impaired memory and concentration, insomnia, and lowered tolerance for noise and light.
Persistent postconcussive syndrome (PPCS) is generally defined as symptoms lasting more than 6 months.
The ICD-10 criteria include a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the presence of 3 or more of the following 8 symptoms: (1) headache, (2) dizziness, (3) fatigue, (4) irritability, (5) insomnia, (6) concentration or (7) memory difficulty, and (8) intolerance of stress, emotion, or alcohol.
According to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), post concussion syndrome is given a diagnosis of either major or mild neurocognitive disorder (NCD) due to TBI.[4] The DSM-5 criteria for neurocognitive disorder due to TBI include the following:
Evidence of traumatic brain injury: impact to the head or other mechanisms of rapid movement or displacement of the brain within the skull with any of the following: loss of consciousness, posttraumatic amnesia, disorientation and confusion, neurologic signs such as new onset of seizures, anosmia, or hemiparesis.
The neurocognitive disorder presents immediately after the occurrence of the TBI or immediately after recovery of consciousness and persists past the acute post-injury period.
While recent research has shown that psychological factors may be present early, other studies using imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and magnetoencephalography (MEG) have demonstrated the presence of organic brain injury in patients with persistent PCS at greater than 1 year after injury.
Approximately 15% of patients complain of problems more than 12 months after injury. This group is likely to experience persistent and intrusive symptoms that may be refractory to treatment and impose a lifelong disability.
At least one study found the persistence of dizziness as a symptom seemed to portend a longer and more significant symptom complex. [15] Other studies found the depression, pain, and symptom invalidity were correlated with longer and worse symptoms. [16] Another found patients with early clinical symptoms, such as headache, dizziness, and intracranial lesions were more likely to have persistent PCS.
PCS is commonly associated with multiple concussions, but in one series, 23.1% of patients experienced PCS after only 1 concussion (average was 3.3 concussions). Hiploylee et al found that time to recovery often depended on the number of initial symptoms reported, with each symptom reducing recovery rate by about 20%. They also found that PCS may be permanent if recovery hasn't occurred within 3 years.
The above was taken from:
Postconcussion Syndrome
Updated: Dec 06, 2017 WebMD LLC
Author: Eric L Legome, MD; Chief Editor: Trevor John Mills, MD, MPH more…
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/828904-overview
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