All I can say it dealing with bright light after getting my bell rung was the worst.
All I can say it dealing with bright light after getting my bell rung was the worst.
I had a really bad one playing rugby back in college. About a week later, I was doing homework and was spending a bunch of time looking down at the book reading. Got up from my chair to get a drink and stretch and bam fell straight to the floor like a wet noodle. It was like my body couldn't support itself. I still have the scar on my hand from where I hit my dresser.
Speaking of concussions, how's your head doing these days, FT?
foxtrapper wrote: Eric Medlen. Can't forget his story. He died from the shaking.
I came here to speak about this. The brain just isn't made to be slammed around.
Hockey player here. I have had, to my knowledge, 1 self diagnosed concussion--it occured at about 6AM playing hockey, so I took the day off work and stayed in a dark room all day. Friday, so I was able to continue into the weekend like that. The "don't go to sleep" thing is BS btw. At least that is what 2 nurses and 1 doctor told me. Just keep waking the person up immediately after every 30 minutes or so to make sure they still do, and make sure they're breathing the whole time.
It is scary stuff. If kids have a bad one, or multiple, they should probably be pulled out of school and held back a grade while they're resting their heads. Seriously, after a bad concussion you should stay in low light, rest often, not watch tv or look at screens, and not even read. Basically stare off into space.
In any case, whether it is a hockey helmet or a racing helmet, you're probably not going to stop the concussion. The fact is that you cannot put a layer between your skull and your brain; it is the impact against your skull that causes the damage.
There is also "counter-coup" damage to the opposite side of the brain. This can be increased by the bouncing effect of the helmet.
There's a strong corrolation between multiple concussions and onset of ALS as well.
tuna55 wrote:foxtrapper wrote: Eric Medlen. Can't forget his story. He died from the shaking.I came here to speak about this. The brain just isn't made to be slammed around.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Medlen
Wikipedia said: One major legacy that was left behind by Medlen happened after his death, the NHRA enacted a new safety requirement within the Funny Car division, that states that the roll bars within the car now have to be padded. The roll bars are padded with a heavy foam rubber insulation and wrapped with seven layers of Nomex fabric to make the foam rubber more resistant to fire. This has dramatically reduced the kinds of injuries among drivers that Medlen suffered which ultimately resulted in his death.
Wait. They didn't pad the bars before this? We've been padding amateur race cars for decades before that and yet "professional" Funny cars didn't?
In reply to Stefan (Not Bruce):
Probably concerns about fire. Funny Cars aren't necessarily easy to get out of solo at the best of times.
Note that they specifically mentioned that the padding is behind seven proxies. Er, layers of Nomex.
I've had two confirmed concussions and possibly more at times when I had written it off as having my bell rung. The last one was about 6 years ago and the worst one. I had a ladder collapse with my head probably at least 10 foot above a garage floor. I hit the concrete floor first with my shoulder and then whip lashing the back of my head onto the concrete floor. I was out cold for over 5 minutes and have no memory for about 3 hours that night. They did an MRI in the ER to check for bleeding on the brain and skull fractures and finally sent me home 8 or 10 hours later.
I was in bed for a couple of days with the room spinning and terrible nausea. On a business trip 3 weeks later i walked out of my hotel room only to have vertigo so bad I had to lean against the wall in the hallway until I could get back into the room to lay down. Another MRI and bed rest followed. It took almost a year for most of the symptoms to go a way. I still get vertigo while laying on my back working on a car or house project or when moving my head too fast. Doctor says at this point he doesn't think I will ever get rid of the vertigo completely. Doctor said he thinks I am lucky to be alive.
Never gave a thought about concussions before but have a real respect now. Wouldn't think about doing motorsports without the best helmet and equipment I can afford. Also have a real awareness about doing things where head injuries can occur. Also not very happy about grandsons playing football or for that matter grand daughter in cheer leading where they do all the throws and pyramids now. Certainly not suggesting people shouldn't do the things they like but do so with the best equipment and awareness of how they can avoid concussions.
I recently saw a few presentations by the late Dr. John Hinds on the tube. He was a rapid responder at UK roadraces & TTs. It was a sobering and informative watch while waiting for my battery to charge before a ride. Highly recommended.
This whole topic is a downer.
I headed soccer balls for several years. I'm curious to see when the first soccer players brain gets analyzed for CTE.. actually I don't want to know.
In reply to OHSCrifle:
Soccer was in the news in this regard recently. Immediate advice is to stop letting children head the ball.
Personally, uh, professionally in a previous profession, I think that boxing should be "highly discouraged." Two men beating each other until one has brain damage is not something that people should be encouraged to participate in or watch. I'm not saying outlaw it, because I think people should do whatever the berkeley they want, but I think discouraging it, like we should discourage, say, heroin use, meth, etc., would be a good idea.
Heart-breaking to watch Ali in the interview right after the first (I think,) Frazier fight. Maybe the last one that destroyed them both. Swatting at flies he saw in his face. I don't think he ever stopped doing that during the time he appeared in public.
Count me among you guys that have had at least one hit hard enough to require a doctor visit and an extensive time period of trying to recover memories. Short term memory loss was one of the worst experiences of my life. I will always worry about issues associated with my past head injuries. I hate it.
I will always worry about issues associated with my past head injuries. I hate it.
Yeah, at this point the foreboding is the worst part. I had something around a dozen concussions as a kid (only knocked out once, i guess that's good?) and even though i don't like sports i take more than a casual interest in all the CTE stuff going on with the NFL. That my 2 out of my 5 aunts/uncles already have multiple sclerosis (one already died from it, other is barely 50 and has had it for many years) and that the grandparent with MS who lived long enough just got Alzheimer's anyway isn't helping. My basic assumption is that at age 31, i have maybe 10-15 more good years. My body is not even middle aged but when i reach that point my brain may be heading into its twilight years.
Dr. Hess wrote: Two men beating each other until one has brain damage is not something that people should be encouraged to participate in or watch.
(POLITICS JOKE HERE)
Vigo wrote: My basic assumption is that at age 31, i have maybe 10-15 more good years. My body is not even middle aged but when i reach that point my brain may be heading into its twilight years.
I figured that at 30 too. 10 more good years. At 40 I'm thinking maybe 10 more. My father in law is 65. He figures he has 10. The immediate future always looks pretty good.
In reply to mazdeuce:
Until it suddenly doesn't. I thought at 30 that in spite of having had a multitude of concussions, over 20 surgeries and 2 bouts with the big C, that I had 15-20 good years left. Fast forward to just before my 33rd birthday a freak shoulder injury occurs that I'm up to 3 surgeries on and it will eventually require a complete replacement. A second battle with staph nearly kills me but then the damn injury ends up saving my life as the pancreatic cancer was discovered during the preop blood work for surgery number 2. I'll never be the same regarding what I'm physically capable of, but I'm 36 now and still here. I doubt that I make it to 50, but it won't be for lack of trying by myself nor the medical professional community. The things that your survive and preserve through change you, you may make it, but you're physically hardly ever even close to the same.
I had a good one in a car wreck back in 1997. I don't remember the wreck or 4 days afterwards. My doc seems to think that the migraines I get now days are related to that whack.
OHSCrifle wrote: This whole topic is a downer. I headed soccer balls for several years. I'm curious to see when the first soccer players brain gets analyzed for CTE.. actually I don't want to know.
In regards to soccer I don't think heading the ball itself ends up being damaging in the worst sense, more of the collisions that result as a consequence of getting that wrong. But a big spokesman who came out in my opinion slightly ahead of the topic (if you can call 2009 early) is Taylor Twellman who left the game due to the effects of a concussion. He's been an analyst for the last couple world cups.
TucoRamirez wrote: I recently saw a few presentations by the late Dr. John Hinds on the tube. He was a rapid responder at UK roadraces & TTs. It was a sobering and informative watch while waiting for my battery to charge before a ride. Highly recommended.
Completely and totally agree. I've watched everything that I could find from him, even the stuff that has nothing to do with racing. The Northern Irish medical community lost a huge asset.
Spoolpigeon wrote: I had a good one in a car wreck back in 1997. I don't remember the wreck or 4 days afterwards. My doc seems to think that the migraines I get now days are related to that whack.
Yep. I functioned for four days. Went to work etc. Don't remember any of it. I remember the sensation of coming out of the fog. Weird. I had gone to the doctor right after getting my bell rung in a work related head injury. I don't remember taking my self to the doctor. When the fog lifted I had a holly ships moment and immediately went back to the ER. They kept me for 24 hours after I explained the situation. All kinds of tests later and they could not find any issues.
The second one was a coupole years later and the light sensitivity was bad for a coupole weeks and lingered for close to a year. That really sucked. However I had no memory loss at all.
The first one with the memory loss was from a bungee cord a full extension letting go and hitting me right between the eyes. I did not even realize I had stitches on my face untill I got back to the emergency room. Really a weird thing.
Never under estimate the potential energy of a bungee cord at full extension.
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