Head Injuries and CTE

[Lobouspo]

Anyone (or a friend/loved one) ever had a bad concussion or mulitiple concussions that took you awhile to get over? (i.e. continuing dizzyness, memory loss, depression, disorientation). Now that that they have a test that can diagnose CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephlopathy) its pretty scary stuff. Jim McMahon former quaterback of the Chicago Bears was recently diagnosed. I always thought he was a douche as person, but a good player and tough as nails. I wouldn't wish the things he is going through now on my worst enemy.

 

I have a theory about CTE and depression. Pain meds. I would not be surprised if pain meds are implicated with accelerating CTE and depression in combination with brain injury or block a protein involved in repair process or somehow screw with inflammation. Drug interactions and pathways are being discovered daily and the bottom line is that these molecules get involved in a lot more than the intended target.

 

Thoughts?

[Shepp]

Got pretty bad concussion when I was 13.

Got hit in the head by one of those massive ceiling beams when my brother had a house fire.

 

I wasn't depressed but I like to think im quite a chipper guy, I was dizzy thou for a few days, the scary thing was the memory thing, my short term memory went a bit patchy for, well it was probably only a couple of days, but it seems a lot when you were 13.

 

Dunno about all the science behind it thou.

[Lobouspo]

I wonder where where all this research with CTE will affect the games so many people love to play and watch (ie MMA, Boxing, Ice Hockey, American Football) Even soccer not generally thought of as a violent sport could be affected, as preliminary research suggests incidental contact like heading a ball may cause damage.

[Shepp]

I wonder where where all this research with CTE will affect the games so many people love to play and watch (ie MMA, Boxing, Ice Hockey, American Football)

I think it'll be soon in boxing now...You hear so much about punch drunk (which i think is CTE) and retired boxers with serious mental health conditions.

There's so much press around like 'ban boxing' or 'stop boxers hitting the head' and I think it's a real shame - ive boxed since I was 5, it's one of the most ancient sports, I think it's unrivalled on physical fitness, it teaches discipline, it channels strength. I think to change it drastically would be really really sad but I've walked away from more than a couple of fights with a headache, it clearly isn't great for your head but y'know I say that as long as smoking is legal let me box!

 

Even soccer not generally thought of as a violent sport could be affected, as preliminary research suggests incidental contact like heading a ball may cause damage.

I heard that not long ago - I think it's an intresting one but I think it'll be a long long long time before any changes as made. I play semi-pro football and I think that semi-pro definitely in England is a lot more 'contact' than people realise, it's really competitive...I just think its such A heritage thing you know? I think there'd have real problems ever trying to stop heading or to make players wear Pete Cech style helmets, I can just imagine all the little old geezers like 'they need to man up, it wasn't like this in our day' i think it's just tradition to p,ay the game like your brother, your dad, your grandad, your grandad did. Especially all the time there not wearing helmets in rugby.