• Question: what happens to our brains when we get concussion

    Asked by anon-187920 to Warren, Shanti, Pizza Ka Yee, Paul, Alex on 8 Nov 2018.
    • Photo: Alex Reid

      Alex Reid answered on 8 Nov 2018:


      Your brain sits in your head pretty well protected by your skull and the fluid surrounding it (called cerebrospinal fluid). The fluid normally cushions and protects your brain, but if you ding your head too hard your brain can bounce off the inside of your skull. This is a concussion and the severity of the concussion depends on how hard your brain got smashed, but the effects are usually temporary unless it is really severe. It can effect your brain in a number of ways through memory loss (amnesia) confusion and a headache. You might also feel nausea and want to puke, have slurred speech and feel really tired. None of this is good, and if this happens to you or someone you know, seek out a doctor immediately and try and keep yourself (or whoever has the concussion) awake until medical help arrives.

    • Photo: Paul Matusz

      Paul Matusz answered on 11 Nov 2018:


      Alex already gave great answer here. I’d just add that any contact sports like rugby or american football that are linked with high number of body and so brain being hit cause small injuries called microlesions that even without a concussion can gradually with their larger number impair someone’s cogntive functioning.

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