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Concussion: the ugly facts

A concussion diagnosis until recently not been the subject of serious discussion. Concussion the people who decided to devote himself to the sport, is perceived as something mundane, absolutely inevitable. Meanwhile news articles abound with all kinds of reviews relating to traumatic brain injuries and their adverse health effects. The wider public are invited to promote the prohibition of children's football, the imposition of restrictions on the youth section of the Rugby. On the topic of the day was even made into a movie,"Concussion" with will Smith in the title role, presented to the British public in February. The premiere was successful, and the creation of Hollywood won the award. But if the attitude raised the hype to the real situation? Really the helmet is so good and is able to effectively protect the head?

What is a concussion

Under concussion of the brain was understood to be caused by functional problems in the short term, resulting in impaired concentration, showed signs of memory loss. However, in the long run is much more serious! After the concussion, there is the appearance of structural damage that will suffer the most thin fibers of nerve cells (axons) that are located inside of the brain. Many people mistakenly believe that to get a concussion it is imperative to be knocked out. Frankly speaking, only 10% of concussions accompanied by a loss of consciousness. A concussion can cause a malfunction of the brain. This is due to the whiplash, a blow to the head, the other parts of the body.

The signs of a concussion

Symptoms of concussion are quite extensive. In addition to headache, there are cramps, visual disturbances, problems with memory. This kind of ailments can vanish within a few hours, or not to leave the accident for several days. Importantly, the injured athlete, who decided to continue the game, then you run the risk of more serious harm. We are talking about "syndrome second impact", the damage associated with the damage not only brain but also other organs, leading to very disastrous consequences, including death. Therefore, any doubts about the state of health should be the occasion to take it easy. Better to get out of the ring or to leave the stadium on their feet, and not on a stretcher!

Dementia as a risk factor

Degenerative processes in the brain that are triggered by the trauma, are increasingly recognized by experts the main reason for the development of dementia. Initially inclined to the belief: at risk are exclusively boxers and fighters involvedother martial arts where getting blows to the head is nothing like the costs of the profession. But the picture with will Smith makes it clear that representatives of other sports (Rugby players, footballers, wrestlers, hockey players) are regularly exposed to shocks and are in no less danger. In the movie, Smith masterfully played the role of Bennett Omalu, the pathologist, who threw all their forces to fight against a brutal system trying to cover the problem from the inside, to tell people about the situation in American football.

The idea is to recognize the possibility of injury to the brain is in some particular form, and about the dangers of professional sports as a whole. Moreover, the consequences of injuries should be taken seriously since they can lead to the development of CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). However, progress can not be called significant. Even a terrible diagnosis recognized by the medical community, the diagnosis system has not been developed so far. The remains mortem examination that took place in the case of one hundred players in the National football League, finished his career.

Undoubtedly, the progress in diagnosing chronic traumatic encephalopathy and prevention of dementia would be a great without opposition on the part of sports officials. Today, on the basis of obtained information it can be concluded that five to fifteen percent of cases of dementia are associated with injuries of the brain. Most interesting is that quite a large number of people living with CTE and not have the slightest idea about their diagnosis.

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Is it curable?

Unfortunately, we must admit that we are only at the beginning of a long and difficult path unlock the mysteries of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. With the advent of new and original research programmes concerning the study of concussion and its impact on the development of CTE, has valuable knowledge, necessary for a detailed consideration of the problem. They create a Foundation for new challenges, say, healing from Alzheimer's disease. It is not yet possible to speak of a comprehensive understanding of existing risk factors, because it is not developed diagnostic tests and procedures. Consequently, it remains to be satisfied with preventive measures aimed at increasing people's awareness, reducing the chance of receiving concussions and diseases associated with them, defining the symptoms, paying attention to the things that will help prevent unwanted effects.

Of course, sports, especiallyon a professional level, often become a factor of causing harm. However, this is not a reason to abandon an active lifestyle. Comparing the advantages and disadvantages of given exercises, we will see the undeniable usefulness of the exercise. Will never be able to protect athletes one hundred percent. No protective equipment is not able to do it. But the recognition and comprehensive solution to the problem will allow you to reduce the danger level to an acceptable minimum.