Top Story: The impacts of repeated concussions

Concussions can be the result of sports collisions, car accidents and everyday falls, but what happens if you get more than one? Drs. Michael Kasprzak in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Jacqueline Palmer in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health spoke with MPR News about concussion treatment and the effects of sustaining repeated concussions.

Common symptoms of concussions include headache, nausea, dizziness, lethargy and poor memory. According to Dr. Palmer, people who have suffered a head trauma and are experiencing symptoms of a concussion shouldn’t wait to go to the doctor. “Recognizing symptoms early and seeking early intervention is a really critical component to concussion recovery that we’re coming to understand,” said Dr. Palmer.

While one concussion is unlikely to cause permanent injury, each additional concussion causes more trauma to your brain, which can increase permanent brain damage over time. “You are at risk as you get these multiple repetitive concussions...the threshold to get the concussion is less and less, and maybe that time to recover is longer and longer,” said Dr. Kasprzak.

Recent research also indicates that repeated head injuries are associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia. “It’s the repeated manner of reinjuring the brain that appears to put people at risk for these types of diseases,” said Dr. Palmer.

Listen to the full interview with Drs. Kasprzak and Palmer on MPR News.