Filed under: Brain Health, Telemedicine | Tags: accurate concussion diagnosis, AcuteCare Telemedicine, boston university, boxers, brain, brain damage, BU, BU medical, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, communications, concerns, concussion, concussion screening, consequences, costs, CTE, CTE research, degenerative brain disorder, diagnosis, doctors, equipment, football, football CTE, head injury, head trauma, helmet, hockey, logistics, mandatory screening, medical evaluation, neurologist, NFL, nfl players, NHL, nhl concussion epidemic, parents, pop warner football, prevent concussion, pro athlete death, quiet room, recovery, repeated injury, research, sidelines, soccer, sports, sports injury, study, symptoms, Technology, telehealth, telemedicine, telepresence, treatment, youth leagues
In the wake of countless notable events including the deaths of several professional athletes in the past 5 years, new light has been shed on an epidemic which we are beginning to learn may be far more widespread than initially thought.
Researchers at Boston University recently published the largest study of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) to date. CTE, a progressive degenerative brain disease thought to stem from concussive trauma to the head, has been known to affect boxers since the 1920s, but only recently has gained notoriety as a serious concern for athletes of all ages across many sports. In these latest findings, 68 of 85 donated brains from deceased veterans and athletes with histories of head trauma showed visible evidence of the disease, including a staggering 34 of the 35 brains from former professional football players.
The greatest concerns sparked by our growing understanding of CTE’s causes and pathology are without a doubt related to the protection of younger children participating in sports and other activities where risk of injury to the brain is involved. The work of the BU researchers has led to drastically improved protective equipment and restructuring of rules and regulations to minimize the number and force of hits to the head, but it is nearly impossible to remove the potential for these injuries from sports at any level.
Thus, the best possible measures that can be taken are to prevent any repeat injury of the brain. Taking the lead, the NFL has instituted mandatory on-field concussion screening following hard hits. The NHL has also ordered that players with potential head injuries spend time in a ‘quiet room’ off the ice. Youth leagues are particularly concerned with preventing any participant who may have sustained an injury from getting back into the game and facing further danger.
Telemedicine offers the potential for significant further contribution to these efforts. With the help of technology, expert neurologists can always be on hand to examine potential head injuries, and monitor patients in the aftermath of an injury, aiding the recovery process. Thanks to telemedicine’s advances, logistics and associated costs are no longer obstacles to immediate and accurate concussion diagnosis and treatment.
The fight against CTE and other trauma-induced brain disease starts long before the first injury happens, but when it cannot be entirely prevented, telemedicine could play a role in ensuring fewer players incur more severe consequences later in life.
AcuteCare Telemedicine Blog 