Can You Get a Concussion Without Hitting Your Head?
Concussions are a type of brain injury caused by a sudden impact to the head or body. They are common in sports like football and hockey, but can also happen in everyday accidents like falls or car crashes. While head impacts are often the leading cause of concussions, there are other non-impact causes that people should be aware of to understand the full scope of this brain injury. In this article, we will explore non-impact causes of concussions and how they impact the brain.
Symptoms of Concussion: Understanding the Non-Impact Causes
Symptoms of a concussion may vary, but some of the most common symptoms include dizziness, headache, confusion, and difficulty with coordination or balance. These can also be caused by non-impact concussions that happen from severe emotional stress, whiplash, or violent shaking.
Whiplash is caused by a sudden movement of the head that causes neck muscles to stretch beyond their normal range of motion. This type of injury is common in car accidents, especially rear-end collisions. Severe emotional stress can also be a cause of concussion-like symptoms. For example, if a soldier experiences an explosion nearby, they might not hit their head, but the blast can still cause a concussion.
Violent shaking is another cause of non-impact concussions. This type of injury is common in cases of child abuse, particularly shaken baby syndrome. The shaking movement can cause the brain to bounce around in the skull, leading to serious injury or death.
Sports Concussions: Are Head Impacts the Only Cause?
In sports, head impacts are often the leading cause of concussions. However, there are other non-head impact causes that can also lead to concussions. These include neck impact and ground impact.
Neck impact occurs when a player’s neck is jolted suddenly, causing the head to snap forward or backward. This can be seen in sports like rugby or football, where players often tackle with their heads down. Similarly, ground impact occurs when a player lands hard on the ground, causing the brain to jolt inside the skull.
The Science of Concussions: Understanding the Brain Trauma Beyond Physical Injury
Even if a person does not experience a direct physical impact, the intense movement of the brain inside the skull can still cause serious trauma to the brain. This occurs because the movement causes the brain to bounce around inside the skull, sometimes causing shearing, tearing, or stretching of nerves and blood vessels.
Research has shown that repeated brain injuries can lead to long-term consequences such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This condition is often found in athletes who have experienced multiple concussions throughout their careers, especially in sports like football and boxing.
Consequences of Shaken Baby Syndrome
Shaken baby syndrome is a type of non-impact concussion that can cause serious brain injuries in infants and young children. This condition occurs when someone violently shakes a baby or young child, causing the brain to bounce around inside the skull. This can lead to permanent brain damage, seizures, blindness, or even death.
Public Safety Alert: Recognizing Concussion Causes Beyond Head Injuries
It’s important for the public to recognize that concussions can happen from causes beyond just head injuries. Exposure to loud noises or sudden changes in air pressure can also lead to concussions. For example, a person who has been in close proximity to an explosion could experience a concussion from the force of the blast without ever hitting their head.
It’s important to recognize these causes to prevent concussions from happening in the first place. For example, when participating in loud activities like concerts or shooting ranges, people should wear protective earplugs to reduce the risk of hearing damage and concussion-like symptoms.
Conclusion
While head impacts are often the leading cause of concussions, it’s important to understand that there are other non-impact causes that can lead to serious brain injuries. Symptoms of concussion can include dizziness, headache, confusion, and difficulty with coordination or balance. If you experience any of these symptoms, seek medical treatment as soon as possible. And as public awareness of concussion causes expands, we can work together to prevent concussions from happening in the first place.
