Concussions - ever had one?

[Kerfuffle]

I'm curious to know if anyone here has ever had a concussion. If so, what did it feel like, and what were the personal symptoms you experienced? I'm always reading about NHL concussions and the 'book' definition of the symptoms players have. But I'd like to know what some of the specifics are that keep the concussion an ongoing and lingering issue for months or even years.

 

[howcho]

I don't remember.

 

[supraman]

Think I had one but never seen a doc over it, chalked it up to "getting my bell rung" slammed the back of my head on the ice (had a helmet on) but yeah sucked. Was coasting backwards caught a groove in the ice and foot stopped, rest of the body didn't and I went flying backwards and hit head first. I was seeing stars and every muscle was aching and I wasn't exactly steady on my feet, got up after laying there a few seconds and skated to the bench.

 

[MassHavoc]

I don't remember.

Beat me to it.

 

[bri]

Do you think that you might have one? Because if you suspect that, you should definitely see a doctor. Head injuries are nothing to mess with.

 

[Kerfuffle]

Do you think that you might have one? Because if you suspect that, you should definitely see a doctor. Head injuries are nothing to mess with.

No, rather I'm just trying to learn more about the personal symptoms people incur after having one. I read about Crosby 'still having issues', and Kariya retiring from concussion symptoms but I'd like to know what those are. So beyond reading the medical text that says 'memory loss' is a symptom I'd like to know more detail around that. Since teams aren't going to divulge that I thought it would be best to ask those here who have had a concussion themselves and what they personally experienced, how long it lingered, and what were some of the recurring issues they had to deal with, and is it ever totally 'over with', etc.

 

[bri]

I was checked for a concussion once when I fell on my crutches and hit my head really hard, but the doctor said he thought I'd be OK. It was more of a precaution thing cause i fell at school.

 

[supraman]

No, rather I'm just trying to learn more about the personal symptoms people incur after having one. I read about Crosby 'still having issues', and Kariya retiring from concussion symptoms but I'd like to know what those are. So beyond reading the medical text that says 'memory loss' is a symptom I'd like to know more detail around that. Since teams aren't going to divulge that I thought it would be best to ask those here who have had a concussion themselves and what they personally experienced, how long it lingered, and what were some of the recurring issues they had to deal with, and is it ever totally 'over with', etc.

Do some searches about Marc Savard, he opened up about it and explained what he was going through. Also some articles about CTE might help too

 

[Shoots_he_scores]

I've had 2. One when I was 13, playing in a baseball tournament in Michigan took a 70mph fastball to the head, shattered the helmet. Left me pretty dazed and couldn't remember where I was. That was a pretty bad one.



My other one was back in November playing goalie on my intramural hockey team up here. Right at the end of a period, kid on the other team came down the right wing side, went wide around my D and cut in on net, I went down and poked the puck away, his knee went full force into the side of my head. Pretty dazed but finished the game (lost 2-0).



Both times for me it's been mostly a constant headache that gets worse throughout the day. Sensitivity to bright light and loud noise. If you've ever had Migraines they're kind of similar except concussions can also have some memory loss and confusion.

 

[BigPete]

Have you ever had a migraine or a bad hangover headache? How about vertigo or severe dizzyness? How about being really drunk. The most severe concussions usually have very similar symptoms. Light, not just bright light and noise can make the issues worse. This is precisely why a player is removed from the playing area and taken to a dark and quiet room where a doctor and medical trainer staff can evaluate them.



It is so hard to understand, for me, why it took so long for people to get really concerned about this. When you consider what happpens to your skin when you get a bruise from blunt force trauma and apply that to your brain it is pretty scary idea. Then when you add in how important your brain is to your being able to function, it is even scarier.



In a lot of cases the individual who suffered brain trauma needs time for that body part to heal. Sometimes, and it can be difficult to tell without several brain scans over a period of time, the damage is irreversable.

 

[ytsejam]

I had a bad one when I was in 1st grade. About 6 or 7 pm I was racing a friend across a parking lot, turned around to taunt him, then no memory at all until I woke up at 10am. My parents say I ran into a car and was in and out of consciousness but I remember absolutely none of it to this day. I remember going to the doctor, but don't remember headaches or anything.

 

[Kerfuffle]

I've had 2. One when I was 13, playing in a baseball tournament in Michigan took a 70mph fastball to the head, shattered the helmet. Left me pretty dazed and couldn't remember where I was. That was a pretty bad one.



My other one was back in November playing goalie on my intramural hockey team up here. Right at the end of a period, kid on the other team came down the right wing side, went wide around my D and cut in on net, I went down and poked the puck away, his knee went full force into the side of my head. Pretty dazed but finished the game (lost 2-0).



Both times for me it's been mostly a constant headache that gets worse throughout the day. Sensitivity to bright light and loud noise. If you've ever had Migraines they're kind of similar except concussions can also have some memory loss and confusion.

Interesting. So when you say sensitivity to bright light and noise, do you mean that while standing in 'normal' light it feels extra bright. And what is the sensitivity to loud noise - what do you feel? Just that sounds seem louder than usual?

 

[Kerfuffle]

I had a bad one when I was in 1st grade. About 6 or 7 pm I was racing a friend across a parking lot, turned around to taunt him, then no memory at all until I woke up at 10am. My parents say I ran into a car and was in and out of consciousness but I remember absolutely none of it to this day. I remember going to the doctor, but don't remember headaches or anything.

Do you have any long term symptoms or after-effects that you sometimes incur to this day?

 

[ytsejam]

The only thing I can think of is that I may be dazed more easily when hit in the head. I've been bonked a couple of times when I just aimlessly walked around for about 10 minutes after.

 

[Variable]

Have you ever had a migraine or a bad hangover headache? How about vertigo or severe dizzyness? How about being really drunk. The most severe concussions usually have very similar symptoms. Light, not just bright light and noise can make the issues worse. This is precisely why a player is removed from the playing area and taken to a dark and quiet room where a doctor and medical trainer staff can evaluate them.



It is so hard to understand, for me, why it took so long for people to get really concerned about this. When you consider what happpens to your skin when you get a bruise from blunt force trauma and apply that to your brain it is pretty scary idea. Then when you add in how important your brain is to your being able to function, it is even scarier.



In a lot of cases the individual who suffered brain trauma needs time for that body part to heal. Sometimes, and it can be difficult to tell without several brain scans over a period of time, the damage is irreversable.

They're still being stupid about handling it, especially in hockey. If you're out on the ice, you should be done at minimum for the rest of that game, no matter if it's preseason or Game 7 of the Cup final. There shouldn't even be a discussion on that, but it still happens.

 

[Rex]

I've had 2, 4 Wheeler accident, and hockey. They suck, headaches, neck hurts the day after really bad...and memory loss. After the hockey game I just remember sitting at my kitchen table wondering how I got home. Went outside to check to see if I parked safely. Scared the hell out of me.

 

[LordKOTL]

Great...I hope I never get one...I already have sensitivity to light (people think I'm part vampire), if I do get one I may need to be fully nocturnal.

 

[klemmer]

2 here.



They are not fun at all.

 

[Shoots_he_scores]

Interesting. So when you say sensitivity to bright light and noise, do you mean that while standing in 'normal' light it feels extra bright. And what is the sensitivity to loud noise - what do you feel? Just that sounds seem louder than usual?

Not that "normal" levels are amplified, it's more like sensitivity to sudden changes in intensity of light or sound.

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

I had a bad one when I was in 1st grade. About 6 or 7 pm I was racing a friend across a parking lot, turned around to taunt him, then no memory at all until I woke up at 10am. My parents say I ran into a car and was in and out of consciousness but I remember absolutely none of it to this day. I remember going to the doctor, but don't remember headaches or anything.

Yea one of mine is similar with the memory loss. I have a small chunk that is missing from one of my ears...apparently it is from one of the helimachopper crashes I had. I have no recollection of that flight, but I am on the crew list and have the cracked helmet. Then again I pretty much do not remember coming back to the States a week later. Always found it odd and never knew it was diagnosed as a concussion until I got my full medical file when I was out processed 12 years later.