The force of any blow to the head can cause the brain to shake inside the skull, smashing up against the inner walls, resulting in a traumatic brain injury. According to the Brain Decoder, traumatic brain injury is a diagnosis that more than 2 million Americans receive each year. The most common type of TMI is a concussion. Concussions have many symptoms including headaches, nausea, confusion, blurry vision, and problems with concentration, memory, balance, and many more. Despite knowing all of these symptoms, what happens during a concussion inside the brain is extremely complex, and not entirely understood by science.
Even if one doesn't receive a blow to the head, it is still possible to experience concussion symptoms due to oxygen deprivation in the brain. A lot of concussion symptoms may not be due to brain damage, but rather resulting from neck or muscle spasms, ear problems, or bone pain from the skull. Neurosurgeon Dr. Uzma Samadani MD, co-director of the NYU Cohen Veterans Center, stated that, “in fact, our research suggests that the vast majority of people who are hit in the head and have some concussion symptoms actually do not have brain damage per se.” Samadani explained that injuries that do not involve brain damage can still be problems. Brain Decoder reported:
"I think it is extremely important to be able to detect and quantify concussion because without objectively being able to do that, we cannot begin to treat the problem," Samadani said. "Right now we still have people who get hit in the head and have problems for months and even years and we don't see a problem on conventional radiographic imaging so they are not getting treated. People's lives can be ruined socially and economically because they can have a lasting problem that impairs their functioning. While most people who are hit in the head will recover very quickly, we need to be able to identify and help those who do not."
There is no definitive definition for a concussion, therefore making it difficult to diagnose or it, or even calculate how often it happens. Neurosurgery doctor, Dr. Samadani and her team made an estimate that between 4 million and 7 million people receive CT scans for concussions. However, she also explained that a lot of times, CT scans, along with MRIs, often miss concussions. Many research programs including the National Institutes of Health, the National Football League, and Samadani's team, are currently working on methods and technologies used for detecting concussions.
Along with sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents are one of the major causes of concussions. If you receive a concussion in an accident or have been injured in any type of car or motorcycle crash, contact a lawyer at The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Our experienced attorneys are highly skilled in handling all types of auto accident cases. Call 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation today.