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How the brain fails to work is about as big of a mystery as the brain, itself.
Photo licensed from iStockphoto |
Many things occur in life to make you think your brain unravelled.
Having a brain injury, of course, is a pretty good clue that things are not right.
But many injured brains are not detected when they occur. It may be a hard hit in a sporting event, or being near an IED when it explodes, or many other things. |
Concussions are considered to be a mild form of brain injury, and most people think the brain fully recuperates in minutes, hours or a few days. While that is true in many cases, it is not always the case.
The military classifies concussive events as possibly causing mTBI (mild traumatic brain injury). The military recommends that soldiers involved in such an event be sure to get a mental health eval.
Could they have chosen worse words to use with a bunch of macho, adrenaline-pumped and (in many cases) testosterone - filled soldiers? Can you imagine Rambo or the Terminator taking time out for a mental health evaluation?
Even if the soldiers do report for the eval, the goal is to assess them and get them back into action as quickly as possible. Again, while this might be perfectly fine in many cases, it does not apply to all cases.
Some effects from concussion may not show themselves for days, weeks or months.
There are many events other than concussions that can cause brain injury. Car, motorcycle and bicycle accidents are among the major contributors. Strokes are another. Brain bleeding, or AVM, is another.
Remember in part one of this discussion how we compared the brain cells to the Internet with computers being connected to computers being connected to computers. Let's narrow it down to one section of the Internet: MySpace.
MySpace has hundreds of thousands of users from all over the world. Now, imagine MySpace crashing. Those users would not be able to use that section of the Internet.
A brain injury can cause failure in a section of brain cells. Information passing through those cells no longer pass. Since you and I try to recall information when we need it, we may not realize a part of the brain is not working properly until we try to use it.
We knew Beth had a problem when she did not know who I was. But we didn't know she could not cook until weeks later when she tried. We did not know she substituted "b" for "p" (and vice versa) when writing until she actually wrote something that required those letters.
You May Have a Problem...if
- You have trouble remembering what people said 15 minutes earlier
- You have difficulty remembering things you have just read
- Friends or family members tell you that you have asked the same question several times
- You have problems finding the right words when speaking
- You get tired more easily than before the event
- You have difficulty concentrating on what you're doing
- You get irritated more easily and/or more often
- You seem to be more depressed than usual
- You have problems getting a full night's sleep
- You have more headaches now than before the event
- You experience migraine-related vision problems but no headache
- You experience pain at different locations in your head
- You are more easily distracted and you find it harder to finish tasks
- You find yourself saying things without thinking about them
- You buy things on impulse more often than before the event
If several items on the list apply to you, please consult your primary care physician.
Part One of this discussion, if you missed it, is How the Brain Works.
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