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Watch this video for an informative overview on concussions
Different ways the brain can be injured:
Different ways the brain can be injured:
- Focal Impact- The brain injury is a result of a direct impact.
- Coup- The side where the impact is received.
- Contrecoup- The opposite side that is damaged due to the recoil.
2. Linear (or translational)- Also known as whiplash. Since the brain sits inside of the skull, unattached, it can slide back and forth and be injured coup or contrecoup side.
3. Angular (or rotational)- A sudden twist separates the brain and the spinal cord. It serves the connective tissue, Corpus Callosum, which in return damages the brain stem and cerebellum. It causes the most serious type of concussion and causes severe neurological disorders.
Applications
Applications
65% of studied combat veterans have been diagnosed with CTE
65% of studied combat veterans have been diagnosed with CTE
Combat
Combat
Although these veterans have not lost a limb, some will lose their mind. Similar to athletes who receive repetitive blows in the head, soldiers are suffering from the same degenerative brain disease.
According to Dr. McKee at Boston University, a blast can be just as damaging as a physical blow. A blast causes a tremendous whiplash that injures the brain from its contact inside the skull. While this does not immediately show up in visuals, it has a long term affect on the brain, especially with constant exposure to blasts. Many call this exposure to blasts the silent injury.
Because brain trauma via combat blasts is a new discovery, there is little awareness. Many soldiers have come back from combat with symptoms of CTE but have had trouble with diagnoses because the disease is only recognized through brain autopsy.
Car Accidents
Car Accidents
- According to the CDC, 14.3% of all concussions are the result of car accidents.
- Motor vehicle accidents are the third most common cause of concussions.
- Several forces can cause concussions in accidents like
- Violent shaking or sudden movement of upper body and head
- Being ejected from the car
- Hitting the head against a window or other part of the car
- Since concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are not visible to the eye, it is sometimes undiagnosed
Athletics
Athletics
- It is estimated that there are 1.6-3.8million sports-related concussions in the US each year.
- 60% of concussions occur in football.
- High school athletes usually take longer to recover than college athletes, though recovery time depends on the severity of the concussion and differs with each person.
- High school athletes who are diagnosed with a concussion are three times more likely to sustain a second concussion.
- 80 to 90% of concussions resolve within 7 to 10 days
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