{"id":2622,"date":"2019-01-05T13:13:40","date_gmt":"2019-01-05T13:13:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/?p=2622"},"modified":"2021-07-28T12:11:01","modified_gmt":"2021-07-28T12:11:01","slug":"8-bizarre-signs-of-a-concussion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/8-bizarre-signs-of-a-concussion\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Bizarre Signs of a Concussion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A concussion can happen to anyone. A car accident, sports injury, or any impact to the head can create a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). A sudden impact to the skull or a violent jerk to one side overwhelms the protective capabilities of the fluid surrounding the brain. The resultant force causes the brain to make contact with the skull, initiating swelling and bruising of sensitive brain tissue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All concussions should be treated as severe brain injuries and require immediate medical attention. If left untreated, the symptoms of a concussion can escalate to a point where they create permanent neurological and physiological disorders.
Common symptoms of concussion can last for days or weeks and include; Dizziness, nausea, discoordination, and headaches. However, not all of the symptoms are as obvious to identify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are 8 bizarre signs of a concussion that you might miss. If you or anyone you know is displaying these symptoms after receiving a head injury, make sure they see a doctor as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Personality Changes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Why don\u2019t I like Ketchup anymore?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The frontal lobes of the brain hold our personality. Severe head trauma and mTBI resulting in concussion can damage this sensitive area of the brain. Disliking tastes or smells that you used to enjoy before your injury<\/a> are examples of minor changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it is possible to experience significant changes in your personality as well. Losing your sense of humor or your ability to contribute to conversations are serious alterations that could have a permanent effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CT or MRI scans will not be able to show the reason for the personality shift. Damaging the frontal lobes with a TBI can have similar effects to the lobotomies practiced in the 1960s, where a sharp instrument was used to penetrate the ocular or nasal cavity destroying the frontal lobes along with the seat of consciousness. Patients were shells of their former selves after undergoing the procedure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Insomnia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I thought an mTBI is supposed to make me feel drowsy, why can\u2019t I Fall asleep?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The myth that concussion victims need to stay awake is a complete falsehood. The brain is continuously active, 24-hours a day and it recovers during the sleep cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disturbance in the sleeping and waking cycle is a common symptom of TBI. However, insomnia <\/a>may be the last symptom you would expect from a concussion. A injury can damage the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, a fragile organ in the brain responsible for the sleep cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The suprachiasmatic nucleus releases chemicals into the blood around the brain, slowing your brain waves from a conscious state into the dream state. An injury to this area of the brain leaves you unable to fall asleep easily, resulting in insomnia. Persistent insomnia creates havoc in both your neurological and hormonal systems. An \u201cAddisonian crisis\u201d is the final result of adrenal fatigue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Fatigue<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Why am I so tired all the time?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conditions like insomnia will place further demand on your nervous system, and it is possible that you could develop adrenal fatigue<\/a>. This sleep disorder will create a negative feedback loop. As the condition worsens, you will feel exhausted but can\u2019t seem to fall asleep no matter how hard you try. Instead, you will toss and turn all night, incapable of drifting off. If the situation is left untreated, you eventually risk becoming so burned out that you can no longer perform essential motor skill functions such as picking up the phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Misdiagnosis of excessive adrenal fatigue is common in the initial stages of recovery from a concussion. It\u2019s logical to assume that you may feel down or tired after taking an injury to the head. Persistent fatigue that does not improve but instead continues to diminish energy levels further is a symptom of mTBI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Confused Speech<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Why can\u2019t I get my sentences straight?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When there is damage to the area of the CNS (Central Nervous System) responsible for speech, this condition is known as dysarthria<\/a>. Depending on the severity of neurological damage, you could experience aphasia as well. Aphasia will leave you unable to comprehend language. Simultaneously experiencing both conditions will leave you unable to communicate with those around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The frustration of being cut-off from the world can lead to rising levels of anxiety and the fear that you may not recover from the injury. However, most symptoms of dysarthria and aphasia dissipate over a few days, with severe cases lasting a week or two. Situations, where either disorder becomes permanent in the victim of a concussion, are rare.
Another disorder of speech related to concussion is speech dyspraxia. Unlike dysarthria, the concussed individual has control over their speech muscles, but they are unable to express their thoughts in language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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 5. Frequent Forgetfulness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Where did I put my car keys?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A failure in short-term memory is a common symptom of TBI. However, it will feel incredibly disturbing to forget where you put items that you had in your hands just moments ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In severe cases of concussion, you may also have trouble remembering things that you should know, like your time’s tables and people\u2019s names.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This bout of amnesia will eventually pass as your brain recovers from the injury. You may find that you also have trouble remembering the events or their timeline around the accident that inflicted your concussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this delicate recovery phase, you will also find that it is challenging to remember new information. If you suspect that you have a concussion, ask someone close to you to ask you questions about yourself. If you fail to recall basic details, then you should be treated for a brain injury<\/a> immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Disorientation and Vertigo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Why do I feel like I\u2019m going to fall over while I\u2019m lying on the couch?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you experience a mild concussion, you could become disorientated for a short period. Being disorientated feels bewildering, and you may not be able to understand where you are or why you are there. In some cases, the feeling can be so overwhelming that you may begin to stress and panic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another symptom that goes hand-in-hand with disorientation is vertigo<\/a>. Receiving a head injury can break away tiny pieces of bone from your inner-ear. These fragments float around aimlessly in your ear canal, disrupting balance and creating feelings of nausea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Damaging the vestibular system creates feelings of vertigo. These sensitive ear canals are responsible for adjusting the eyes body when the head moves. If you turn a corner sharply and suddenly feel like falling over, you may be experiencing the symptoms of vertigo from a concussion.
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7. Mental Confusion and Irritability<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Why do I feel grumpy all day long?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TBI can result in a combination of symptoms occurring at once. Disorientation and amnesia, when presented together, can confuse cognitive processes such as speech<\/a>, memory, and control of the motor system. Brain damage may leave you unable to concentrate and frustrated at the slow pace of your recovery or incapable of remembering how you sustained the injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A concussion can also impact your mood. Wild swings from outbursts of laughter and happiness, to tears and sadness at the drop of a hat, can be signs of manic-depressive personality disorder. Feelings of irritability often accompany this erratic behavior and directed at people or objects around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Irritability can also be confused with excessive worrying or anxiety. Irritability combined with dizzy spells, nausea, or sleepiness, is a sign of a brain injury. If you display any of these emotions or physiological effects, seek medical attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Ringing in the Ears<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When is this ringing going to stop?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If during your accident you perforate your eardrum or dislocate any of the tiny bones found inside the ear, you may experience the symptoms of tinnitus<\/a>. A shrill, high-pitched ringing sound that does not go away is the best description of this hearing disorder. Tinnitus is not a brain injury, but it can drive you crazy as the ringing in your ears will not stop, even as you try to fall asleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tinnitus presents itself when there is damage to the vestibular system, not the brain. However, this does not make it any less severe. The extent of the damage to these sensitive auditory canals will determine the \u201cvolume\u201d of the ringing in your ears. In most cases of a mild concussion, tinnitus subsides after just a few minutes. However, in severe cases it could last for months, and for an unlucky few the condition may have a permanent effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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