"How Can Concussions Effect Peoples Futures?" This is a question that I ask the citizens of the world. Many experts say that the effects of concussions can be catastrophic to ones future health. The question intrigues me, because I think it is a very serious matter that should not be taken lightly. A concussion is an injury that not only affects ones mental stability, but physical stability as well. Concussions  is a subject that means a lot to me personally. I have a friend who received two very bad concussions in high school. Not only can he never play sports again, but he has very bad brain damage due to the injuries. His memory is very poor, he looses his train of thought and on some occasions he blacks out.  

As a football player I have seen this injury up close and personal. Although I have been very fortunate to have never received a concussion, the dangers of this injury run hand in hand with my sport. I think that I am qualified to write about this topic because I have seen this injury and know the devastation it can bring to people. I have personal ties to it and I want to bring light to this issue.

One of the key issue that follow concussions is the lack of knowledge that the general public has on them. According to LiveStrong.Com a concussion is when, "a hit to the head causes your brain to slam against your skull (Nall, How Can Injuries Affect Athletes later in life?)." Once this happens the brain is then bruised and it begins to swell. In the article it explains that, "an athlete who experience two or more concussions in their playing career will start to see a decline in their mental and physical health 30 years earlier than those who never received one (Nall, How Can Injuries Affect Athletes later in life?)."  In a study done by LiveStrong.com, they took nineteen former athletes who suffered concussions and twenty-one who had not and found that the ones who had received concussions had more difficulty with memory and paying attention. This article is very creditable, because a credible writer that used no bias made it. I found that the information that was provided was very useful and informative. The writer of this piece also writes for a well known site, who is know for its work on helping people understand mental and physical health.

Another key point to note is that people do not always know when they have a concussion. According to the article by KidsHealth.org, " a concussion is unlike any other injury in that you can not see it. When you break a bone or get a scrape you can see it therefore, you can fix the injury. However, with concussions it is inside you so you can not see it (KidsHealth.org, signs of a concussion)." This is very true, which makes this injury pretty scary when you really think about it. In the article it explains that one of the major sign of a concussion is feeling "Dizzy" or "nauseous" after bumping or hitting your head. It stated that it is very important to notify or visit your doctor if you feel theses symptoms. One of the major concerns about this injury is that people can have them and not even realize it.  It is my belief that this article is very credible. A site created for the health of children provided it. Also this non-bias site provided very useful and insightful information.

In addition there are some very important steps that one must take when they have indeed found out that they have a concussion. According to the article by BrainSatisfy.com, "After a concussion, your brain needs time to heal. It is really important to wait until all symptoms have stopped to start your normal activities back (BrainSafety.Com, Your Brain and Concussions)."  If one does not wait the proper amount of time and tries to get back to normal activities too fast, they will end up hurting themselves worse. In the article it stresses the need to take an "Impact Test" once someone feels good enough to return to his or her normal activities. An Impact Test is a test that contains a variety of memory, timed and verbal tests.  Once taken, the system can tell you if you are fully healed. The writer of this article writes for a well-known site for brain safety. All the information that I obtained has helped me under stand the proper procedures needed to be take, if a concussion were to occur.  

There are many arguments that can be made about how concussions can affect someone over time. Through out these articles, I have found that not every site believes the exact same things, but they all are similar in many ways. Weather it is the correct procedures to take if a concussion arises or how long someone must wait to heal, these articles are all very accurate. I have found that for many of my co-players, who have had concussions, every person is different. For some it may take a week, for others it may take three. There is no exact time frame. The question, "How Can Concussions Effect Peoples Futures?" is one that is not very easy to answer considering the varying degree in which they can happen. That is why I think it is such a good question, because no one really knows yet how much it can affect us.

