Accidents happen all the time. Whether they are sports-related, or as simple as slipping on the sidewalk, these mishaps can lead to the development of a concussion, an injury that is much more serious than it sounds. In fact, every concussion is technically considered to be a traumatic brain injury.
We often think of traumatic brain injuries as something quite severe, whereas the occurrence of a concussion is taken rather lightly. Fortunately, more information is being shed on the danger of concussions, thanks to recent documentary The Crash Reel and more mainstream movies like Concussion. The visible harm of a concussion is not necessarily as dramatic as you might think—most people might continue on in whatever activity they’re immersed in, especially if there are no immediate side effects. The truth is, when concussion symptoms subside, the brain is still in recovery mode, meaning that injured parties need to take more time to recover. According to Canadian neuropsychologist Dr. Maryse Lassonde, “…results indicate that there is abnormal brain wave activity for years after a concussion, as well partial wasting away of the motor pathways, which can lead to significant attention problems.” (Lassonde formerly worked with the Montreal Canadiens hockey team.) So basically, while you feel normal, your brain may not have caught up to you yet. This is why it is imperative that physical activity cease until a doctor has cleared the injured party—even if everything seems like it’s fine.
In our society, we’ve adopted the attitude that if you don’t lose consciousness after a blow to the head, you’re probably okay. Unfortunately, this is not the case. In addition to the temporary brain function loss that is associated with the development of a concussion—which can lead to depression, headaches, confusion, amnesia and moodiness—research shows that recurring hits to the head can cause irreversible deterioration of brain tissue over time. Add this to the accumulation of tau, a protein that has been associated with dementia, and you get a condition called chronic traumatic encephalitis (degenerative disease of the brain). According to a 2014 article in the Daily Mail, this condition can be triggered years after the occurrence of the original concussion. If this wasn’t enough to make you think twice before double-checking with a doctor before heading back out to the pitch, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have declared “…traumatic brain injury to be the leading cause of death for children and adults ages 1 to 44 in the USA.”
That being said, perhaps it’s time that athletes take a minute to step out of the game after any impact to the head—that goes for individuals immersed in regular activities and for children at play, too. Not taking the time to get properly checked following a fall can lead to life-altering consequences—even long after the concussion has healed.
