NASCAR and the Anatomy of a Concussion

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works.

After the original blow, the brain then hits the skull in a counterblow that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth. In more severe cases, often as the result of twisting the neck during the blow, pressure is put on the brain stem. This is particularly worrisome, as the brain stem is where all basic involuntary life functions are controlled, including heart rate, breathing, sleeping and eating.

Bleeding or other damage may occur.

Often, people who sustain a concussion cannot remember the events surrounding the blow.

Symptoms of a concussion include: drowsiness, difficulty waking up or similar changes, headaches, loss of consciousness, memory loss (amnesia) of events immediately before or after the injury, nausea and vomiting, seeing flashing lights or even feeling like you have "lost time."

Sometimes, the symptoms may even be severe enough to require immediate medical attention.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) at the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), patients should seek immediate medical care if there are:

Accordingly, the American Academy of Neurology has established guidelines for three levels of concussion:

Grade 1: No perceptible loss of consciousness; mild confusion and loss of coordination; symptoms lasting no more than 15 minutes (checking every five minutes for symptoms, up until 15 minutes have expired. If symptoms have cleared, an athlete may resume normal activity).

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NASCAR and the Anatomy of a Concussion