Sportscasters Aren't DiscussingThese Concussions

Car racing fans are will be missing a favorite driver in races throughout the rest of 2016. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been off the track for several races already due to a  concussion and it was recently announced that he'll miss the remaining races of the season.  In recent years, athletics teams have been much more diligent  in implementing concussion protocols to better evaluate, monitor and treat brain injuries to minimize the risk of long-term health problems.  Each head injury is unique and recovery may take days, weeks or months... or may result in permanent injury. From football fields to the boxing ring, to racecars, and from Little Leagues to the major leagues,  there's increased concern for addressing neurological damage due to head injuries.

Even with protective gear, helmets, and attentive medical professionals, athletes and coaches are concerned  about the life-altering damage that can be caused by a single, or by repeated, head trauma. There's a group of people who may suffer these same damaging blows  to the head, but they lack protective gear, immediate medical attention, or  protocols to assist them post injury. They may  experience lasting neurological damage that impairs their daily functioning... and no one identified the reason. According to the article Fists Not Football: Brian Injuries  Seen in Domestic Assaults, "the injuries leave some survivors so impaired that they can't manage their jobs and lives. Some even end up homeless". For many of these victims, the cognitive decline was gradual, the result of  repeated injuries, many which never  resulted in any medical intervention. In the article, Susan Contreras talks discusses mysterious seemingly unrelated physical conditions, headaches, memory loss, and confusion that she'd never associated with the physical abuse.

"He would hit me mainly in the head

so that nobody would see the injuries...

there's so many holes in my memory, thinking problems," she said. 

 "My memory is really gone."

 

This isn't just a random, small population. According to the Center for Disease Control, in the US,  about one quarter of  women and 14% of men have experienced  severe physical assaults by a partner. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, we can help. Call Wellspring to discuss your concerns and your options. All services are free and confidential.

 

 

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