For those involved in the athletic community \u2014 especially those who play contact sports, concussions are always a potential risk. When an individual experiences this form of mild brain injury, the symptoms are not generally life-threatening, but are there any lasting effects?<\/p>\n
What Is a Concussion and How Does It Affect the Brain?<\/strong><\/p>\n Although we often recognize concussion risk within sports, this form of brain trauma can also occur when individuals fall, are involved in a motor vehicle accident, or any other incident that results in impact\/rapid acceleration of the head. When someone experiences blunt force trauma, for instance, this will likely cause a primary<\/em> injury.<\/p>\n This means, that the initial impact caused the brain to hit the interior of one’s skull, resulting in possible contusions. When someone is suffering from a concussion, this is generally associated with secondar<\/em>y injuries \u2014 some which will develop hours, or even days later.<\/p>\n So, once a concussion occurs, are there lasting effects?<\/p>\n The Long-Term Effects of Concussions<\/strong><\/p>\n If you have experienced a concussion in the past, then you are already aware of the possible short-term effects, including:<\/p>\n These symptoms are troublesome to say the least \u2014 but it’s the long-term effects that both researchers, physicians, and patients are concerned with. Will a concussion lead to issues with one’s emotional stability and cognitive function in their later years?<\/p>\n Based on current research, it appears that there are possible symptoms that can last months \u2014 if not years. Unfortunately, concussions are also cumulative in nature, making the recovery process even more challenging. This means, that if you suffer from one concussion, it’s generally easier that you’ll suffer from another.<\/p>\n Although most individuals successfully recover from a single concussion, each repeated concussion can result in more severe effects \u2014 both short- and long-term. In this sense, please be aware of the possible consequences of temporary brain injury.<\/p>\n In addition, some of the possible long-term symptoms include, but are not limited to:<\/p>\n Depression <\/strong><\/p>\n Unfortunately, approximately half of all people who suffer from a traumatic brain injury, are affected by depression within the first year. Of these individuals, more than half will also suffer from increased anxiety. This link has been well-established, as seen in a number of studies.<\/p>\n Within one key study<\/a>, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry<\/em>, it was found that following a head injury, patients increased their risk of a mental health disorder by up to 439 percent. Being the largest study of its kind, it was found that of those who experienced head trauma, they were:<\/p>\n After experiencing head trauma, such as a concussion, the greatest risk of reduced mental health generally occurs within the first year. With that being said, even after 15 years have passed, these individuals continue to experience an elevated risk.<\/p>\n\n
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