Subconcussive injuries are brain injuries on top of unrecovered brain injuries.
With my history of concussions, the WWE wants to protect me, so I've had to take a lot of neurological testing.
When you get a typical injury, you're given a time frame; you're gradually working towards getting back. With concussions, there is not generally a time frame or a span where you're feeling better. You feel like you're getting better, and it can be one day and you're back to where you started.
I broke my nose and got a concussion when I was 13.
For me, concussion response is pure common sense. We can all probably handle a few mild concussions. I have had at least three, and despite my detractors' opinions, I am mentally and physically fine.
I had six or seven documented concussions, so I had a lot more than that. But I feel fine.
I have been very blessed in that I have been completely fine. No headaches, no depression... absolutely no signs of post-concussion syndrome.
When I read Mike Webster's file before I began his autopsy, I knew he was more than a 50-year-old heart attack victim. His file and the television reports of the death of the former Pittsburgh Steelers center described a long, steep fall into bizarre behavior. I suspected he suffered from some sort of brain disorder.
I've had cumulative concussions and realized that's something you carry with you.
Traditionally, the treatment for a concussion has been to stare at a wall and wait for your brain to heal itself. Don't watch TV, don't read a book, don't look at your phone, and definitely don't train. It's a torturous protocol for an athlete.
I'm learning how to prevent my brain from getting worse than it is after suffering a career worth of concussions playing football.
The relationship between concussions and the asserted clinical symptoms of C.T.E. remains unknown.
It's hard to describe what it's like to live with a concussion. You want to enjoy things like you used to, but you can't. You wake up in the morning and wonder how you're going to feel that day: What will my reactions be like? Will I have a headache? Will I have to triple check to see if I unplugged the flat iron?
It's simple to get a concussion, you know. I don't know how many I've had over my career, you know, but I've definitely had my fair share.
Concussions happen. If not on every play, then they happen like every other, every third play, you know.
Concussions are still kind of a mysterious thing.
Maybe I'm stupid or whatever, but to me if I got a concussion, if I could see straight and I could carry a football then I'm not telling anybody.
When you get hit in the head, you don't recover from that.
I think I had four concussions throughout my career that were diagnosed, and I guess that I've had seven more. But the fact that three of them came in a four month span when I was making a comeback in 2004 is a little bit scary.
All the NFL players I have examined pathologically, I have not seen one that did not have changes in their brain system with brain damage.
I've been dropped on my head multiple times.
I've had hundreds and hundreds of concussions, but I don't think that I have any permanent damage. A lot of my peers do.
You get a concussion. It could take 30, 40 days until that starts to come to life where you're in agony. Ask any doctor.
My lone concussion occurred in 2003 against Denver. I was spinning off block and right when I spun, I hit Clinton Portis with my head turned sideways. I hit him and I hit the ground. That was first big one where I was like 'Whoa.' Back then, it was no big deal.
I wish my memory weren't so bad. They tell me it's from all the football and boxing and the concussions that I got.
