Concussions Resolve Themselves

Because they are mini-strokes. 

So how in the world are we going to try to relate these two events? It’s simple, if you accept some of my other proofs. But if you don’t, I would just stop reading right here. Here are the prerequisites to understanding this correlation:

• High blood pressure starts in the brain
• Entropy and the Brain
• Here’s Your Brain Model
• Concussions do not cause CTE

What are the symptoms of a mini-stroke?

• Weakness or numbness in your arms and/or legs, usually on one side of the body
• Dysphasia (difficulty speaking)
• Dizziness
• Vision changes
• Tingling (paresthesias)
• Abnormal taste and/or smells
• Confusion
• Loss of balance
• Altered consciousness and/or passing out

What are the symptoms of a concussion?

• Headache or a feeling of pressure in the head
• Temporary loss of consciousness
• Confusion or feeling as if in a fog
• Amnesia surrounding the traumatic event
• Dizziness or “seeing stars”
• Ringing in the ears
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Slurred speech
• Delayed response to questions
• Appearing dazed
• Fatigue

What are the causes of a mini-stroke?

• Blood pressure readings higher than 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg)
• Cigarette smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Cardiovascular disease, including heart failure, heart defects, heart infection or abnormal heart rhythm
• Personal or family history of stroke, heart attack or transient ischemic attack.

Other factors associated with a higher risk of stroke include:

• Age —People age 55 or older have a higher risk of stroke than do younger people.
• Race — African-Americans have a higher risk of stroke than do people of other races.
• Sex — Men have a higher risk of stroke than women. Women are usually older when they have strokes, and they’re more likely to die of strokes than are men.
• Hormones — use of birth control pills or hormone therapies that include estrogen, as well as increased estrogen levels from pregnancy and childbirth.

We’ve studied almost all of these different causes and can tie them all back to the brain. [The hormones and sleep apnea posts are coming soon.]

Concussion Causes: Impacts to the head

The only symptom that really needs explanation is nausea, and that is a factor of strokes that just seems to not be included in most lists. But then I found this:

A stroke that takes place in the cerebellum can cause coordination and balance problems, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. 

So if you can wrap your head around the prerequisites, I can neatly tie these together. A stroke literally happens when the pressure of your brain gets too high. What happens to the pressure inside a closed sphere if you impact it with something at high speed? Pressure goes up dramatically. The greater the force of the impact, the higher the pressure gets.

So what’s the major take away here? Mini-strokes resolve themselves and do not require any further medical attention. They do not cause any long-term damage. Meaning that concussive blows should resolve themselves within twenty-four hours, and if there are no symptoms, the brain is fine. 

Sources:

1. https://www.utdallas.edu/research/FAS/
2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stroke/symptoms-causes/syc-20350113
3. https://www.utdallas.edu/research/FAS/
4. https://www.webmd.com/stroke/news/20100415/can-you-recognize-symptoms-of-minor-stroke