Joe Namath Serious About Helping Those With Traumatic Brain … – CBS New York

March 23, 2017 11:11 AM

By Ann Liguori More Columns

Joe Namaths return to Long Island on Wednesday was not about recalling the good oldays of leading the Jets to their Super Bowl III victory. Instead, he spoke at theHead Injury Awareness and Prevention Celebrity Sports Forum at the New York Institute of Technologys Center for Sports Medicine to increase awareness ofprotecting school-aged athletes from concussions.

At the event, sponsored by the Head Injury Association, Namath was joined by other luminaries, including fellow former Jets Curtis Martin, Marty Lyons, John Nittiand Rich Caster; former heavyweight contender Gerry Cooney; and Hall of Fame jockey Ramon Dominguez, to name a few. They shared their stories of sufferingconcussions in their careers and how raising awareness of how to prevent and treat concussions is the best recourse.

Namath spoke about the treatment hes been undergoing in hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers and the progress Dr. Barry Miskin, the medical director of the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center in Jupiter, Florida, has made in helping Namath and others in treating traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

Recalling that he endured five concussions while playing pro football, Namath told the audience that included coaches, athletic directors, teachersand brain injury survivors that we used to call it getting your bell rung.

Earlier in the week, I interviewed Namath about the hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy and why he thought he needed it.

I was always questioning myself, he revealed. We all question ourselves. Were forgetful about things. We cant remember this. We get concerned with the aging process because weve seen so many people over the years with the early onset of dementia, Alzheimers. Its so much in the news these days. Were more educated about the folks who are unfortunate and have a deteriorating process, with personal association with guys who took their own lives, couldnt live. Why did they do that? Were continuing to research, and we are going to find out.

Researchers have a better handle on it today than ever. Some of my symptoms certainly came from the curiosity of my behavior, simple things like forgetting things and knowing that I had been concussed and knowing I had TBI over the years, but we didnt call it that. So I knew Id had some injuries, and I wanted to find out about it.

So Namath dove in, literally. He connected with Miskin at the Jupiter Medical Center in Jupiter, Florida, where Joe has lived for over 30years. Miskin did brain scans and various tests on Namath and suggested that Broadway Joe try hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Because I know I had a minimum of five concussions, Namath explained, I said to myself and were going back to 2012 I said it behooves me for my sake and my familys sake to see if possible what my situation was at the time. And so I approached the doctors at the Jupiter Medical Center, and Dr. Miskin gave me some cognitive tests. And I took some brain scans, and over a period of time, after over 100 dives (the term used for going intoa hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber), we saw a dramatic change.

So Im convinced we can help. Now weve had friends, people we know who have suffered a TBI, whether its falling off a bicycle or a military veteran or an automobile crash victim these injuries dont discriminate. We know we can help at this stage. Its a matter of convincing the powers to be that recognizing the treatment, that this is a positive.

When I asked Namath how he feels after a session in the hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber, he saidthe results are gradual.

After the first dive, the second dive, the 100th dive, I wasnt feeling an immediate change because, Ann, Ive been blessed; Ive been feeling good for a long time, he said. Ive taken care of my mind and body maybe not as much as I should have sometimes, but I have taken care. I dont remember any one time (in the chamber) that I suddenly felt well. But I have a tendency to try to simplify things, get to the point and try to make things clear and simple. When I think about my life and when I think about how my body operates, Ive often thought: You know, I can fast.I can go without food,without fuel, but how long can I go without oxygen? How important is oxygen to the animal that we are, to every living thing? We need it so much. And to have it administered into our system with the process that were using through the hyperbaric chambers, the healing effect on cells that arent as healthy that wed need them to be .

Ive seen my brain scans over a period of time, Namath continued. Ive seen the changes. I know it works. You have to trust the process, and you will ultimately feel the changes. People feel the change. They go through our process. They could not talk, and theyre now talking. Could not use the left arm, couldnt lift it up, and now are using the limb. Ive seen changes in other patients that have convinced all of us that this does help.

When I asked Namath if the NFL is doing enough to help players who suffer from TBI,hesaid: Ann, I think everyone could be doing a lot more. I know the powers to be in the NFL have changed some rules and all. I dont think any of us are ever going to stop TBI from happening in automobile accidents, in sports, in the military. The brain is a fragile organ in our head, and it can be damaged. I wish everyone was doing more, let me put it that way. I wish the NFL, all of us were doing more to help TBI victims.

Namath feels the NFL could be supporting his work at the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center.

I can only hope, he said. Weve reached out but havent had success with the powers that be at the NFL. I can only hope that everyone recognizes that there is a process that can help heal people with these brain injuries.

Miskin, at the podium at Wednesdays forum, said a scan of Namaths brain that he dida week ago shows significant improvement.

Our message is one of hope, Miskin said. I believe hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy can be a really good treatment for TBI.

Please follow Ann on Twitter at @AnnLiguori

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Joe Namath Serious About Helping Those With Traumatic Brain ... - CBS New York