Sports Related Traumatic Brain Injuries: An Overview

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when the head strikes
or is stuck by an object. The head does not have to
experience an external blow for the brain to be injured.
Brain damage can occur when the head is pushed strongly
against the skull, such as with whiplash.

Concussion is a mild form of TBI from which recovery often
occurs without long term effects unless a person
experiences multiple concussions. Repeated brain injuries
have a cumulative effect resulting in more severe and more
prolonged post-concussion symptoms. A very serious and
dangerous condition or even death can occur if a second
concussion is suffered while symptoms from a previous
concussion still persist. This condition is called
second-impact syndrome (SIS). Sports-Related Concussions –
Causes and Frequency

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), about 300,000 people experience concussions each
year from sports injuries. Most sports-related concussions
come from contact sports, especially football, boxing,
hockey, and martial arts. Other major causes of a large
number of sports-related concussions are falls or
collisions in sports such as skiing, bicycling, horseback
riding, basketball, and soccer. In soccer an additional
risk for concussions is "heading" the ball.

The most likely population to suffer concussions due to
sports activities are males between the ages of 16 and 25.
Within this group, the risk is highest at the high school
level. About 25 percent of the 300,000 sports-related
concussions reported each year are suffered by high school
students playing contact sports. At the college level, over
one third of football players has suffered a concussion and
about 20 percent have had multiple concussions. Dangers of
Multiple Concussions

Second-impact syndrome (SIS), which is a concussion that
occurs while the victim is still recovering from and
earlier concussion, has resulted in at least 26 deaths in
the past 20 years since this condition was first
characterized. Most of these victims were in high school.

While most cases of SIS and multiple concussions do not
cause death, the neuropsychological brain damage they cause
is significant. Many studies have shown that athletes who
have suffered multiple concussions are more likely to have
prolonged learning difficulties and perform more poorly on
neuropsychological tests compared to people who have had
one concussion or no concussions. Some the well-documented
neuropsychological impairments in athletes who have had
multiple concussions are:

- Reduced speed in processing new information

- Problem solving and planning difficulties Increased
number of headaches

- Concentration difficulties

- Memory impairments

- Behavioral problems

Why Athletes Suffer Multiple Concussions

Factors that contribute to why athletes suffer multiple
concussions are related to the ability to accurately assess
severity and recovery from symptoms. For example, there are
several different scales for rating severity at the time of
the concussion but there is general lack of agreement on
which to use. There is also lack of agreement on what
amount of time should pass before athletes can safely
return to sports. This is because there are not any widely
accepted guidelines for assessing whether the athlete has
recovered. Preventing Traumatic Brain Injury

Using proper protective equipment can prevent many cases of
concussion. Helmets or other appropriate headgear should be
used in contact sports, and in sports for which falling or
colliding are risks (skiing, horseback riding, bicycling).
Custom fitted mouth pieces may also help prevent
concussions in contact sports. To be effective, all
protective equipment should be properly fitted and used for
the purpose in which is was designed.

Although the risk of concussion is inherent in sports
participation, decisions as to what sport to participate in
can help mitigate the risk of concussion. If you are
concerned about a traumatic brain injury sustained while
playing a sport, you may wish to contact an experienced TBI
lawyer. Your traumatic brain injury attorney can help you
assess your potential TBI claim and help you get the
compensation you deserve for the devastation incurred in
traumatic brain injuries.

----------------------------------------------------
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When Tooth Loses Its Blood Supply, The Pulp Tissue Dies Off for Lack of Nourishment.

Note how small the diameter of the root canal is at the end
of the root of the tooth and then visualize an artery, vein
and nerve all entering the tooth at that point. You can
readily see how a blow to the mouth or teeth could cause
blood vessels to be severed. When that happens, the severed
artery cannot heal together fast enough to maintain blood
circulation within the tooth.

When tooth loses its blood supply, the pulp tissue within
the root canal dies off for lack of nourishment and
gradually rots and putrefies. Eventually it can become
infected with bacteria present in the blood, and this
eventually will cause the eating away of the bone at the
end of the tooth's root. In this particular case, the
through the bone at the floor of the nasal cavity.

This young man was a navy pilot flying off a carrier during
the Korean war. he wrote to me about having an infected
tooth and asked my advice. I suggested he have the ship's
navy dentist give him relief and not to permit any
extractions. On his return to the san Diego naval base, he
traveled to see me and I performed the apicoectomy surgery
and root canal fillings. The two follow-up x-ray pictures
were taken at six months and 12 months. You can see the
healing was almost complete after one year. After that time
the patient moved from the area, so I do not have any
further follow-ups.

The public should be aware of how difficult it is for a
dentist to understand Dr. Price's findings that seemingly
healthy teeth are still carrying infection when infected
holes in jaw bones heal up and stay that way for many
years. The thought of bacteria remaining alive in the
dentin tubules, mutating and becoming more virulent and
toxic is difficult to comprehend in the face of apparent
healing.

Our doubts can be erased only by carefully considering Dr.
Price's data regarding the severe illnesses which occurred
to thousands of rabbits when diseases were transferred to
them from root filled and apicoectomy treated teeth
extracted from sick patients. The reality will become
evident when each dentist and each patient tests these
findings and experiences their truths. We will then gain an
understanding of the mutation versatility of these families
of bacteria and their ability to create such havoc for
humans and animals.

A new truth is a new sense, for with it comes the ability
to see things we could not see before - and things which
cannot be seen by those who do not have that new truth. An
apicoectomy is an oral surgery root canal treatment
procedure that is carried out to save a tooth which might
otherwise need to be extracted.

Even when a large amount of bone has been lost, most of
these cases heal uneventfully and new bone is seen to fill
in about the end of the root completely in six to 12
months. A couple of case histories of apicoectomy surgery
from my personal practice are discussed, and before and
after x-ray pictures are shown.

The first, of a woman patient, is of interest because of
large, almost identical granuloma infections showing
lateral canals which came from the upper teeth on either
side of her two front teeth. Though her severe
gastronintestinal involvement improved dramatically with
root canal treatment of these teeth and nutritional
counselling, results were not completely satisfactory. With
our current knowledge of Dr. Price's research discoveries -
and in spite of the long history of service of these two
teeth - with hindsight it appears she would have been
better served by removal of these teeth.

The second case involved the largest cyst surgically
operated upon, which was caused not by tooth decay but by a
football injury. the filling in of new bone at the
infection site around the two teeth after six and 12 months
proved gratifying to me and the patient. Because he moved
away, I am unaware of his subsequent health history.

The successful healing in these two cases emphasizes how
difficult it is for dentists and patients alike to believe
these teeth could still be carrying infections. For those
suffering severe degenerative disease problems, it will be
only by having seemingly healthy root filled teeth removed
that judgement of Price's work will be possible. While the
percentage of apparent recoveries in such cases is high, it
must be kept in mind other factors can be involved which
preclude success.

----------------------------------------------------
Dr. George Meinig, D.D.S., F.A.C.D. is a Founder of the
Association of Root Canal Specialists Discovers Evidence
That Root Canals Damage Your Health Learn What to Do. Learn
how Dr. George Meinig discovered that a meticulous 25 year
research program. To subscribe to the newsletter:
Visit:http://www.1stultimategumsolution.com
Edited and prepared by Sung Lee, alternate author

What is a Symptom of Aspergers Syndrome?

In this article I will explore the symptoms of Aspergers
Syndrome.

There are a number of symptoms associated with both
children and adults with Aspergers Syndrome. These symptoms
include:

1. Difficulty with social relationships - Many people with
Aspergers syndrome have problems in understanding how other
people think and feel.They find it difficult to understand
facial expressions and all the non-verbal signals people
use to communicate in everyday life. This can lead to
socially inappropriate behavior. Some people with Aspergers
want to be sociable and enjoy the company of other people
whilst others are happy with their own company.

2. Difficulty with communication - People with Aspergers
syndrome do not usually have the speech problems
experienced by people with classic autism, they can be good
talkers. The problems with communication lie in their
inability to take notice of the reaction of the people they
are talking to; they may continue to talk about one topic
even though the other person has become (or never was)
interested. Their tone of voice may seem flat and they fail
to use appropriate facial expression or make eye contact.

3. Lack of imagination - People with Aspergers syndrome
often excel at factual work, the kind of work that deals
with facts and statistics but they can find it hard to use
their imagination. They may have narrow areas of interest
that they can become fanatical about and they can become
attached to specific routines, for example always doing
things in the same order when getting ready to go out in
the morning. If for some reason they cannot follow their
routine they can become upset and agitated or even angry.

4. Other - Many people with Aspergers also have
difficulties dealing with change and may lack what is
considered to be basic common sense. However people with
the condition are not 'backward' in any way and usually
have average, if not higher than average levels of
intelligence. In fact it is said that many of the so-called
"techno-nerds" that work at the cutting edge internet and
computer companies in Silicon Valley, near San Francisco,
may well have Aspergers. And those guys have some serious
brain matter!

To give some background; Aspergers syndrome is a form of
autism that was defined by an Austrian pediatrician over 50
years ago. Autistic Spectrum Disorder (autism) is a
life-long developmental disability that affects social and
communication skills. Each person with autism displays
different symptoms and behavior; some people with autism
remain non-verbal and will need life-long care. Other
people with the condition live independent lives, hold down
careers, go to university, get married and have children.

People with Aspergers syndrome are usually at this more
'able' end of the spectrum. Like autism, Aspergers
syndrome, seems to be caused by a biological difference in
the brain's development. In many cases there appears to be
a genetic cause; there are many cases of autism and
Aspergers syndrome running in the same family. One study
has estimated that 3 to 7 in 1,000 people have Aspergers
Syndrome. People with Aspergers Syndrome share many of the
same characteristics as people with autism but they usually
do not have any accompanying learning disabilities.

Those with Aspergers syndrome are different and unique
people in their own right. However social problems, unusual
verbal and non-verbal expressions and specific interests do
seem to be common features of Aspergers. Sensory problems
can be an area of difficulty for people with Aspergers.
This means that certain sights, noises, tastes and textures
can bother the person more than they would a person without
Aspergers. Problems with food and eating are common.

Many people mistakenly believe that children with Aspergers
are simply naughty and that they can be dealt with in the
same way as children without the condition. Often, what
appears to be 'bad' behavior on the part of the child has
been triggered by something that has upset them. That is
not to say that all of the child's behavior can be excused
because of the Aspergers or that you shouldn't try to
explain why certain behaviors are unacceptable. Separating
what is Aspergers and what is deliberately poor behavior is
difficult, with many parents claiming to never be entirely
sure if they have got it right. However a 50-50 approach is
advisable. A person with Aspergers should try to learn the
necessary social skills to function in regular, everyday
life but if we are living or working closely with someone
with the condition we too should try to enter into their
world at times in order to understand them better.

----------------------------------------------------
Dave Angel is a social worker with families who have
children on the Autistic Spectrum and is the author of a
new e-book that answers the 46 most asked questions by
parents of children with Asperger's. To claim your free 7
day Mini-Course for parents of children with Asperger's
Syndrome visit:
http://www.parentingaspergers.com today.

What is ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) Doing About Shoulder Dystocia?

A shoulder dystocia emergency during birth can have
disastrous consequences for the baby if not handled
properly. Since the baby's head is already delivered but
its shoulders are stuck behind the mother's pelvis, there
is a strong possibility of the baby dying from suffocation
if too much time elapses and the shoulder dystocia is not
resolved.

In fact, even when the dystocia is resolved using one of
the many maneuvers for handling shoulder dystocia, very too
often the baby suffers from brachial plexus injuries. Such
injuries affect the movement of the arm and hands and may
even leave the baby's arm paralyzed for life. Although
statistics suggest that this happens in only 2-5 babies in
a 1000 live births, it is still 2-5 babies too many as far
as we are concerned. Fortunately, ACOG (American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists) has recognized the
seriousness of this birthing emergency and is taking many
steps to ensure that brachial plexus injuries from shoulder
dystocia can be reduced. Here's a look at what ACOG is
doing about shoulder dystocia. Training For Doctors For
Prevention Of Brachial Plexus Injuries

ACOG has many different training and educational programs
for doctors and health care practitioners to help prevent
brachial plexus injuries. They routinely conduct clinical
seminars on the subject of 'Managing Shoulder Dystocia',
which help to educate doctors on the following topics:

- Is it possible to predict shoulder dystocia?

- Is it possible to prevent shoulder dystocia?

- When the emergency does occur, is it possible to resolve
shoulder dystocia without causing any fetal injury or
brachial plexus injuries?

- Is excess traction, applied by the doctor, the reason for
all brachial plexus injuries?

By taking part in such seminars and completing the training
courses, obstetricians and other health care givers are
then able to:

- Identify the various risk factors for shoulder dystocia
and take measures to prevent it if there is an increased
risk of dystocia.

- Resolve shoulder dystocia (if it occurs) in the best
possible manner using the various maneuvers for handling
dystocia.

- Understand why brachial plexus injuries occur, especially
due to the application of excessive traction. With better
understanding of these reasons there is higher chance of
resolving shoulder dystocia without brachial plexus
injuries.

ACOG also has videos on shoulder dystocia that show doctors
how to recognize the emergency in the labor room and how
they can help reposition mothers so as to widen their birth
canal to the maximum and help the baby to be delivered
without brachial plexus injuries such as Erb's palsy.

Thus, ACOG is doing its best to educate doctors about
shoulder dystocia, its prediction, and prevention. But
since shoulder dystocia and resultant brachial plexus
injuries are very difficult to predict, ACOG training for
doctors also aims to teach doctors how best to resolve
shoulder dystocia and prevent fetal injuries.

In addition to the above, ACOG seminars also aim to make
doctors aware about the many medico-legal aspects regarding
shoulder dystocia and brachial plexus injuries. Shoulder
dystocia lawsuits are discussed as well as the various
claims that can be made against doctors if fetal injuries
do occur. Since doctors are made aware of the huge
potential for expensive litigation in the form of brachial
plexus injury lawsuit, it does make them try that much
harder to prevent shoulder dystocia and conditions such as
Erb's palsy.

Information For Parents For Prevention Of Brachial Plexus
Injuries

Apart from training doctors and conducting clinical
seminars, ACOG is also involved in educating parents about
everything related to shoulder dystocia and brachial plexus
injuries. By providing relevant information to parents,
ACOG is trying to make them more aware of such birthing
emergencies and what parents can do to prevent fetal or
birth injuries to their babies.

ACOG routinely publishes practice bulletins with the latest
shoulder dystocia information for parents. The information
contained in these bulletins helps mothers to recognize
whether or not they are at an increased risk for shoulder
dystocia. If the risk of dystocia and brachial plexus
injuries is high, parents are advised as to the best way to
reduce such risk and ensure the birth of a healthy baby.

Two main risk factors for shoulder dystocia are maternal
diabetes and fetal macrosomia. ACOG has issued practice
bulletins on these two topics so that parents can manage
gestational diabetes properly and also perhaps opt for a
cesarean delivery if the fetus is macrosomic (excessively
large). Here are the ACOG guidelines on these two topics:

1. ACOG Guidelines For Fetal Macrosomia: The
recommendations are:

- Cesarean delivery is indicated when the weight of the
fetus is more than 4500 grams.

- Women who are not diabetic should consider cesarean
deliveries if the weight of their fetus is more than 5000
grams. For diabetic women the fetal weight for cesarean
consideration is 4500 grams.

2. ACOG Guidelines For Management Of Gestational Diabetes:
The recommendations are:

- Mothers should take the laboratory-screening test for
gestational diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.

- If gestational diabetes is present, ask the obstetrician
about the best manner in which to manage this condition
during pregnancy.

ACOG also recommends that women who have gestational
diabetes and whose fetus weighs more than 4500 grams should
seriously consider a cesarean delivery as this reduces the
risk of brachial plexus injuries greatly.

The training programs, clinical seminars, and practice
bulletins issued by ACOG for parents and doctors thus go a
long way towards reducing the number of brachial plexus
injuries from shoulder dystocia.

----------------------------------------------------
Peter Kent maintains LegalView.com, your source for
everything legal. Anapol Schwartz, a member of
LegalView.com, has significant experience in aggressively
litigating birth injury and medical malpractice cases.
Their lawyers have won millions for clients injured by
their doctors' mistakes, including an $800,000 settlement
won by partner Alan Schwartz, Esq. the lawyer in this
shoulder dystocia case. For more information, go to
http://www.anapolschwartz.com/