 |
 |
How Much Can Any Brain Take? by Gary Trotta |
It seems our on-screen heroes are always getting knocked on the head in the movies and on TV but miraculously popping up again seemingly unscathed by their recent calamity. The truth is a knock on the head may be sufficient to render a loss of consciousness AND most typically will hurt our brain! It is the injury to the brain which induces the unconscious state, and the longer the unconscious period, the greater is the damage to the brain. In fact, even "mild" head traumas may cause damage to the brain, even without loss of consciousness.
Over a million people a year in the United States alone receive some sort of head injury with 500,000 requiring hospitalization and 70,000 developing long term disabilities. Over 2,000 people are put into a persistent vegetative state as a result of their head injury.
Boxers sustain over 50,000 hits to the head in their boxing careers. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons say that 90% of boxers sustain a brain injury. Boxing may account for fewer deaths than some other sports but the numbers of boxers suffering brain damage are believed to be much higher than recorded. It is not surprising that head injury is so common in boxing. It is estimated that when a boxer gets a direct blow to the head it is like being hit by a 12 pound padded, wooden mallet travelling at 20mph! (source: Boxing Injuries by Jerry Kennard).
Neurologists say once a person suffers a concussion, he is as much as four times more likely to sustain a second one. Moreover, after several concussions, it takes less of a blow to cause the injury and requires more time to recover. During October 1991, a 17-year-old high school football player was tackled on the last day of the first half of a varsity game and struck his head on the ground. During half-time intermission, he told a teammate that he felt ill and had a headache; he did not tell his coach. He played again during the third quarter and received several routine blows to his helmet during blocks and tackles. He then collapsed on the field and was taken to a local hospital in a coma. A computerized tomography (CT-Scan) brain scan revealed diffuse swelling of the brain and a small subdural hematoma. He was transferred to a regional trauma center, where attempts to reduce elevated intracranial pressure were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead 4 days later. Autopsy revealed diffuse brain swelling focal areas of sub cortical ischemia, and a small sub Dural Hematoma.
The number of individuals who suffer significant head injuries is actually unknown, and is like most things open to debate, but the overriding message is that head injuries are too often ignored and in general, it is wiser to err to the side of taking simple precautions and checking things out after such an injury occurs. |
|
|
 |
|
