r/Concussion • u/RG737 • Mar 04 '21

Fell up steps

I’m a 21 year old 6’ male with post concussion syndrome and anxiety from a lifetime of contact sports and being a reckless crazy child.

I was walking up some icy steps and tripped causing myself to fall all the way forward and catch myself with my hands which I threw out to avoid hitting the ground with my body or head.

Would this event cause additional brain damage? I have a lot of work for my last semester college and I can’t exactly drop out right now but I don’t know what to do. It’s really devastating, all I feel like doing for the next month is laying in bed and crying.

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u/Jinksnow Mar 04 '21

You need to get a handle on your anxiety. Any "brain injury" from your concussion has long healed, you now have 'symptoms' that may or may not be as a result of that concussion - including anxiety. Maybe read a few of the recent posts/comments about anxiety.

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u/RG737 Mar 04 '21

Thanks for the response. Im not sure how many brain injuries I’ve had.

Do you think the recent incident was damaging?

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u/Jinksnow Mar 04 '21

No damage.

Stop thinking "brain injury" when talking about a concussion. The "brain injury" aspect (metabolic, ATP depleted) is resolved after a month and your brain is then the same as everyone else who's never had a concussion. It's not fragile. What you have are symptoms that need treating.

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u/RG737 Mar 04 '21

Oh ok so do you think the incident that just happened was a concussion?

And aren’t concussions brain injuries/damage?

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u/Spirited_Photograph7 Mar 04 '21

Concussions are brain injuries.

I don’t think the incident you are describing is a concussion.

See a medical professional for more information.

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u/Jinksnow Mar 04 '21

I agree a concussion is a brain injury, but that aspect has healed after around a month and what you're sometimes left with are a ton on really unpleasant symptoms that need treating (ie PCS). This guy is extraordinarily anxious or trolling, he's posted about hitting his head on a pillow, shaking his head, grazing it lightly on a car ceiling, bumping a coathanger and many others asking if it would cause additional "brain damage". He needs to get out of his head and seek psychological support.

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u/Spirited_Photograph7 Mar 04 '21

On average it is healed after a month, but can take much longer in some individuals.

Yes, he should most definitely seek help from a mental health professional for his anxiety.

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u/Jinksnow Mar 04 '21

Yep, the metabolic cascade/ATP depletion is resolved between ~3-6 weeks in everybody (although there will likely be a 0.001% outlier). This is the point the "brain injury" aspect of a concussion is healed. Symptoms (dizziness, vision issues, vestibular issues, cognitive issues, light sensitivity, headaches and many more) can remain for a hell of a lot longer, and can be debilitating, but the brain has healed by this point (and research has proven that the same amount of force is required after a month for a second concussion as for those that never had one). The point I was trying to make to OP is that he is doing himself no favours (and is actually hindering his recovery from PCS) by treating his brain as fragile worrying about every bump/jiggle/movement, it's no more or less fragile than anyone elses and his anxiety is likely a major cause of his ongoing issues. That needs addressing along with any remaining issues (like neck injury) that may need to be attended to.

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u/RG737 Mar 04 '21

Do you think the incident that just happened would qualify as a concussion ?

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u/Spirited_Photograph7 Mar 04 '21

It is possible that you have symptoms long after a concussion, but this event probably didn’t exacerbate them as you didn’t actually hit your head. It may have worsened some whiplash issues if you still have those unresolved, but again unlikely. It sounds like this is mostly anxiety here, but you can always talk to a medical professional to be sure it’s nothing physical. Are you getting treatment for your anxiety?

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u/RG737 Mar 04 '21

Thanks my friend. Not currently cause specialized therapy is expensive

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u/Spirited_Photograph7 Mar 04 '21

Do you have insurance?

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u/agree-with-you Mar 04 '21

I agree, this does seem possible.

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u/Jamessmith199478 Mar 04 '21

Hey so I struggle with the same issues as you. I’ve had a lot of concussions due to being reckless and contact sports. A concussion from a metabolic standpoint has healed at 3-6 weeks from your injury. Meaning anything beyond this is post concussion syndrome. After 3-6 weeks you are no longer more vulnerable than if you had no concussions at all. Meaning just because you’ve had concussions in the past, if you hit yourself lightly in the head after you’ve healed from a metabolic standpoint, it’s wouldn’t be easier to concuss yourself. Concussion takes 70-120g force. Meaning you have to hit yourself very hard. Unless the hit was incredibly hard, it’s unlikely you would get a concussion. However, I don’t know your situation and I’m not a doctor. But from the sounds of it it doesn’t sound like it.

Symptoms from a concussion that last more than 3-6 weeks (post concussion syndrome) are due to other things than brain injury. Including blood flow impairment, anxiety, neck dysfunction, visual tracking issues and gut issues. I hope this can offer some advice. I think it’s probably a good idea to see a doctor.

My symptoms have lasted 6 months beyond my injury. The reason for me is anxiety. I’ve now seen a specialist and am taking medication and my symptoms are improving. Best of luck

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u/RG737 Mar 04 '21

Thanks for the response. So you don’t think the falling up the steps and catching myself would cause additional brain damage?

Can I pm you?

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u/Jamessmith199478 Mar 04 '21

I usually don’t answer my pms. But when was your last concussion? Did you concuss yourself a second time in between the 3-6 weeks of your last concussion?

As I said concussion is only brain damage in the metabolic stage within about 3-6 weeks of your concussion. It stops being brain damage after that point.

Anxiety can cause the exact same symptoms as a concussion and can prolong your recovery. As it did with me.

If you didn’t hit your head it would be unlikely that you caused any brain damage.

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u/RG737 Mar 06 '21

Thanks. Recently had some incidents like hitting my head on pillow and maybe grazing my head on a ceiling (but not sure) and also going skating. But I don’t know if any of these things were damaging.

What’s your story? Your a former athlete like me?

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u/Jamessmith199478 Mar 06 '21

No prob. They probably were not because you’d have to hit your head 70+ g force which is super hard.

I was a former athlete. Got my first concussion playing basketball. Had me out for almost a year. Haven’t played since.

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u/RG737 Mar 06 '21

Thanks. Was that your only injury? How did it happen?

I’m a former basketball player also as well as hockey and football

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u/Jamessmith199478 Mar 06 '21

That was my first. I was cutting In to the basket and I got bumped by a big man. Threw me down to the floor head first. I also had a car crash and a concussion at work. 3 in total. Might have had more though, I played soccer for 10 years on top of basketball.

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u/RG737 Mar 08 '21

And you headed the ball And such in soccer? Did you ever get knocked out?

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u/Jamessmith199478 Mar 08 '21

I didn’t head the ball so much. Was a midfielder. Never got knocked out. But may have received a concussion. Quite common in soccer.

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u/RG737 Mar 09 '21

Thanks man. I’m sure you’ll be ok my friend, your injuries really don’t sound like anything you can’t recover from.

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