WOMEN AND CONCUSSIONS & THE FEMALE FACTOR

 

 

IMG_2760grpflower-1often, with a concussion, we visualize pictures, like the above, which is a group of flowers, and the one above that, which is a collage, that came to mind, while I am in the artistic mind about who flowers, and other images can be distorted when one has a concussion.  Be patient, things will and do clear up

 

 

If those who read this have not figured out yet, I will be writing about concussions as experienced  through my own eyes, and feelings.  I spoke with a doctor, last weekend who is an author of a book on concussions and runs a brain clinic.  In frustration, I spent the whole day writing down my various issues.

Many human beings have had concussive events  for years.  Many decisions and treatments have been focused  on men.  The why’s are obvious.  Sports has been talked about for years especially football.  Now depression events, are being more scrutinized regarding women.  Women’t soccer has brought the subject forward.  In the World Cup, two women hit heads, and were bleeding.  They were sent off the field, and were bleeding.  They were sent back to return to play.  If that were your daughter, how do you feel about that?

But there is a female factor:  Researchers are not sure why women seem to get more concussion with more enduring effects than men do.  One of the obvious theories has to do with the way women are built.   (Dr. Oz Magazine, Gretchen Voss)

Some scientists think that is about our  hormones, and how the brain injury, messes with these hormones. It is well known fact that women do worse than men after a concussion, especially and only during childbearing age.  Progesterone and Estrogen do protect the brain, might be involved.  Much more research is needed.

Because of the unknown facts as of this time, women need to be their own best advocates.  There are cases, where women and men go to the ER, with severe migraine headaches, and many times the physician, sends one home with Ibuprofen, and the concussion  isn’t picked up.  In those cases, if a patient is misdiagnosed, the first weeks of what a patient has to do is missed.

For me, the first sign, of this disturbance was severe fatigue, dizziness, balance, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, and balance issues.  Research is being pushed forward to find out what it is that makes females so vulnerable to concussions and their chaotic aftermath Stress also makes a concussion worse. After more research on this subject, we will know more when a concussive event happens, and then will know more how the frontline physicians should treat us, why we are so vulnerable,and know more how to protect our fragile brains.

It is Aug l, 20l5, and I fell on Dec l, 20l4.  I know a special doctor from across the country who specializes in concussions.  After much frustration, that this was not like a cold, flu or a skinned knee, I had the diagnosis, and had been referred to a fine specialist in the field that I was to get help.  In my exasperation, of this not going away, in my timeline, I contacted him.  We talked for long time. He owns a brain clinic and is a “super specialist.” He is a well know author and contributor to concussions.

He began texting me back, did I have this test?  Did I have that test?  I certainly appreciated his time, and at the same time, as a professional I realized that sometimes there are too many cooks making the broth, or too many opinions, or more realistically this specialist, this test, another test, and on and on, until, in my complete amazement, I decided what I knew all along.

My main doctor and the special neurologist I was sent to informed that many times, we are so impatient with the diagnosis, and the time we need to heal, that many patients in their frustration, go all over to find an instant cure, going to all kinds of doctors, optometrists, eye specialists, and that there is an entire group of physicians that are out there waiting for those of us who are so frustrated, when it takes time, time, rest, and more rest, no anxiety, stress, and just doing what you are told to do, for balance, and sometimes therapeutic intervention.

This is a process, not necessarily a good one.  But too much information, and looking down the wrong road, is not a good thing. It causes us frustration which leads to anxiety which leads to the very things we are attempting to avoid, headaches, migraines, no sleep or poor sleep and worry, craziness from sound, dizzy and on and on, and HIGH ANXIETY.

One still has to trust their own doctor who runs their own team to help you get well. The next morning I texted my doctor, to ask about this drug, that test and he replied no, these were not applicable to me.

In this process, each of us have our own set of how this happened, why and where. One has to trust their own doctor, and whom they refer you to.  Each of us have our own set of issues.  Some of us have fallen down stairs, and some of us have just hit our head, and a thousand variations of this conversation are applicable, but all of us have the same theme from a concussion.  One of the biggest problems, is after you have fallen, or been in a accident, you are very prone to another event.    As Dr. Oz states in his June article on Women and Concussions, we either fell off our bike, whacked our heads, felt woozy, after a fender bender, no big deal? RIGHT???.  Not true.  We are all vulnerable to lasting damage after a head bump.

LETS GO OVER THE RULES AGAIN:  what to do when you hit your head!!!! What do you when you fall, or accident, or anything that involves a possible concussion to your body, specifically as a women?

Get Medical attention immediately if you experience any of the symptoms below.

Loss of consciousness, intense drowsiness, weakness, numbness or decreased coordination, convulsions of seizures, trouble recognizing people or places, confusion, restlessness or agitation, vomiting, pupil larger than the other, nausea slurred speech, a headache that seems will last forever, and will not go away.

Dr. Oz in his June article on Women and Concussions, says a great deal.  Some people rebound in 3 weeks, and others, (because there really is no time frame) (regarding symptoms)  The article goes on to state, that women need to take these brain injuries more seriously.  The article further states that professionals need to be better educated to diagnose correctly in ER’s and that family physicians need to be better educated in thinking of concussions in females. Lots of studies have been done on men for obvious reasons of sports, which brings us to the situation of kids, sports, and head injuries.

This distortion of My photo Red Wine Rose, is sometimes how a concussed mind visualizes a picture, metaphorically to me:  The brain cells, which look like spaghetti strands, stretch and become damaged, and the trauma can suppress the pituitary gland.  The pituitary is the brain’s hormone controller.

concussions & More Conversation, Picture - Red Wine Roses from a concussed Mind!

 

As I read through the group yesterday, The Post Concussion Group on Line, yes our own private group, I see so much confusion, for a confusing injury.  None of us had this transpire in the manner, were affected in the same way, or have doctors treating us in the same way.  In some ways we need to educate ourselves on this miserable medical road to travel, and trust our people who are treating us, and understand that there is no magic bullet, but the right treatment, time, doing as we are told, and doing what makes each of us more comfortable, what ever that is.  That is not to say, that we should not look at all the options.

So perhaps this vignette today should be a bit about confusion…..