Quote:
Originally Posted by RugbyBro
I've had 5 recorded and many more unrecorded (martial arts, football, rugby) - it's changed my life, especially after the last one. As Dale Earnhardt Jr. said: it's like version 2 of your life. Some things to consider:
1. Whiplash (vertical or lateral) is a very common cause of concussion - you do not need to have a direct impact to get one. Anytime there is an extreme deceleration of the body, your brain can rock inside of your skull. My 4th, I broke an arm tackle but the guy grabbed my jaw so my head twist as I broke the gain line which whipped my head forward... knew instantly after that something wasn't right. My 5th I ran full tilt with my shoulder into the side wall of a racket ball court - for context, I have above average speed/power so I picked up a ton of speed right into the concrete wall while trying to make a play. Whiplash will definitely do it.
2. It's commonly accepted that it takes ~60g's of force to cause a concussion (less if you've had prior ones). In stark contrast it can take as little as 2g's to cause whiplash. The unfortunate reality of head injuries is that concussions and neck injuries share virtually all of the same symptoms. It's extremely easy to confuse PCS with whiplash and vice versa. Your head, neck, and face have an extremely intricate network of various nerves which can get triggered regardless of which root cause is the culprit.
It does sound like you got a concussion given the blackouts. It's easy to assume that the initial symptoms correlate to the severity of the TBI, but that's not necessarily true, as it's usually measured by the duration of recovery. I'd say take it easy, don't rush back to anything, and see a doctor or neurologist ASAP if you aren't getting better. PCS can very easily become a long term issue if you do not manage it correctly - trust me on this...
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From someone else who's had at least 3 concussions (that I know of), all of this is spot on. Sounds like you have one from whiplash, especially from the blackout as RugbyBro pointed out.
As already stated too, please rest fully and let your brain/everything else heal. PCS is an absolute bitch and can last for months (or years) in some cases. There are definite things that change with you after concussions and none of it is fun, plus the long term studies of what they can do to the brain is also pretty unnerving. Rest up!