Concussions
Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00Moby? Moby? Moby? Are you ok? You know, you really should be wearing a helmet.
00:30Dear Tim and Moby,
00:32My friend banged her head during our last soccer game.
00:35She seemed fine, but had to miss the rest of the game.
00:39Why can't she play if she feels ok?
00:42From Ronnie
00:43Hey Ronnie, your coach was probably concerned that your friend had a concussion.
00:49It's the most common type of head injury and one of the most puzzling.
00:53Even though your brain's been injured, you can look and even feel ok.
00:58Concussions usually result from a sudden blow to the head.
01:02Any kid who plays sports knows you can't always avoid being hit.
01:06Contact sports are especially dangerous.
01:09But concussions can happen any time you bump your head.
01:13Or take a really bad spill.
01:15Car accidents...
01:18Oompa Band? Are you sure you're ok?
01:23Right, where was I?
01:26Oh yeah, car accidents are another major cause of concussions.
01:31Actually, you don't have to bang your head at all.
01:34With concussions, it's the shaking more than the impact that causes the harm.
01:39The whipping motion is too much for our delicate brains to handle.
01:44Well, they're about as fragile as a bowl of jello.
01:51That's why the brain has so much protection.
01:54It's surrounded by fluid and layers of protective membranes.
01:58This cushioning system is encased with hard bone, the cranium.
02:04The cranium safeguards the brain against serious injury.
02:08But in a concussion, it's actually part of the problem.
02:11Any serious jolt can cause your brain to slam against it.
02:15It can even rock back and forth multiple times.
02:20There's actually little or no physical damage to your brain's nerve cells or neurons.
02:25But when your brain sloshes around, those cells stretch and contort.
02:29The distorted neurons have trouble communicating properly.
02:33So your brain has a much harder time processing information.
02:38Well, that's the scary part of a concussion.
02:41What might feel like a minor bump can still cause trouble.
02:45You may not have any cuts or bruises, and you don't always lose consciousness.
02:49In fact, kids rarely do.
02:52So concussions can easily go unnoticed.
02:55They're not exactly invisible, but they don't always show up on imaging tests.
03:00MRIs and CT scans can only detect things like bleeding and swelling.
03:05The only way to tell if you have a concussion is if you show any symptoms.
03:09At first, you might feel confused and even have blurry or double vision.
03:14You may experience headaches along with dizziness and nausea.
03:18Other symptoms don't show up immediately.
03:21Problems with memory and concentration are common.
03:25You might also have trouble falling asleep or staying awake.
03:29Mood swings can also make you cranky or upset.
03:33Sitting things out is the only way to heal a concussion.
03:37Those tweaked neurons just need time to work out the kinks.
03:42That's why doctors recommend resting your body and mind.
03:46Well, definitely no physical exertion whatsoever.
03:50No television, video games, no texting, or tablets.
03:54You have to avoid taxing your brain in any way, Moby.
03:58That means no reading, homework, or tests either.
04:01Doctors will keep a close eye on you until all your symptoms subside.
04:05The good news is that they usually fade away within a few weeks.
04:09That means your neurons are healed up and your brain is back to normal.
04:13Some people do experience post-concussive syndrome.
04:17That's when symptoms linger for months or even years.
04:21Unlike with the initial injury, rest doesn't seem to help.
04:24And if another concussion happens, the recovery is even longer.
04:29That's the really mysterious thing about concussions.
04:32Once you have one, you're more susceptible to having another.
04:36Repeated concussions can be serious trouble.
04:39Researchers have linked it to severe depression and long-term memory loss.
04:43In some cases, it can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.
04:50CTE causes brains to shrink, lose weight, and basically wither away.
04:55These discoveries have rocked the sports world, especially football.
04:59All-stars are now quitting the game out of concern for their health.
05:04Well, it's hard to avoid collisions when it's your job to smash into people.
05:08That's why coaches are teaching kids new ways to play certain sports.
05:12Like heads-up tackling in football.
05:15And injured players have to pass rigorous tests before they can return to action.
05:20Right, concussions don't just happen on the field.
05:24That's why safety gear is a must, even if you're just messing around.
05:33Golden Owl?
05:36Right, we're taking you home.