Why does a blow to the jaw cause head injury?
While the symptom threshold has improved over the four years (i.e., I can do more activity before symptoms appear), it is still a problem and a normal level of physical activity is beyond me (i.e., sailing for 30 minutes in moderate winds results in a return of symptoms). I would like to know if this is a common problem, why this might be happening, and if there is anything I can be doing to improve my exercise tolerance.
The blow to the jaw might move the skull with enough force that the brain “bounces” off the walls inside the skull. This creates injuries on the outer surface of the brains where the brain has hit against the skull, but also injuries deeper in the brain tissue because of “pulling and pushing” of the long nerves inside the brain.
About the author: Elliot Roth, MD
Elliot Roth, MD is the Paul B. Magnuson Professor and chairman of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and chairman of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Comments (9)
Please remember, we are not able to give medical or legal advice. If you have medical concerns, please consult your doctor. All posted comments are the views and opinions of the poster only.
AprilKopecky replied on Permalink
I was long term abused by husband. Average open hand strong slap by large strongright handed male is 1456 same slaps(enough to knock me off my feet each one) over 28 years. I also suffered a basal skull fracture at age 13 when a horse crushed my head. It fell on me. 2 types brain injuries. I can function but cannot follow directions, verbal conversations longer than 3minutess.Unable to control aggression. Can't stop attacking unless knocked out. Never feel pain when attacked. Unable to just attack. Overwhelming desire + actions to eliminate physical attacks by directly proceeding to attempting to kill. I have flashbacks but am able to not attack (always with intent to kill) my offspring.I know love from non abusing family only.Never attack them but attempted to kill my husband 8 times plus others.what have these 2 injuries done to my brain(basal skull fracture changed taste, smell, I am almost blind but compensate by memory cues for sight. I am 65 years old female. As a child IQ of 163. I remember verbatim everything I ever saw or heard.incredibly fast reader. Unable to play games or be team member.I have much trouble completing tasks.cannot plan anything at all. Have to "wing" every action.cannot pay attention or do activities 2 days in a row. Accused of being unstable especially by family they don't see how hard I try just to act "right"
Wendy Cabrera replied on Permalink
I am in a abusive marriage and had 2 head injuries already in the last month I’m scared but can’t figure out what makes me stay, any advice?
Bat replied on Permalink
Get some help. An abusive marriage is something you should never be in.
pete simpkin replied on Permalink
A heavy blow to the Jaw can cause a Concussion/being "Knocked Out". I experienced this, when in a collision with a car, I was Knocked off my motorbike and landed in such an awkward way and with such force my helmet was completely knocked off my
head, the resulting force being transferred to my Jaw/lower base of my skull. The force of this caused immediate Brain Trauma and i was Knocked Out for around 40 minutes so this was a serious head injury requiring immediate hospitalisation.
My friend on the back of my bike, who was also injured in the accident but remained conscious, told me later on after i had regained consciousness in hospital, what had happened.
The large concussion force transmitted to my brain in this instance definitely caused brain injury (TBI).
Cool guy replied on Permalink
Hopefully you are able to recover my grandpa was unconscious for a few seconds and was completely ok almost immediately so hopefully you are able to heal quick.
jad replied on Permalink
what had happend?
Anonymous replied on Permalink
Jad, i was Knocked Out in the accident and have absolutly no re-collection
what so-ever of my helmet being knocked off my head in the accident.
i was lucky that my friend on the back of my bike was conscious after the
accident and he told me after i regained consciousness that at the accident
scene i was lying on the road with my helmet completly removed off my head
and lying on the road a short distance away.
My friend kept the helmet and took it the hospital where i was admiited
unconscious. i got it back 2 weeks later when i was better and at home recovering
i think the chinstrap was ripped off/open by the sheer force on impact.
Because i was Knocked Out i know absolutly completly nothing at all ,not a thing,
about what happened at the accident scene and relied totally on my friend and the police to fill me in over the days/weeks following the accident with the details.
Thankfully ive made a good recovery apart from a life-long leg injury from the accident
Thats all i can tell you
All the best .... pete
K H replied on Permalink
I fell on my buttocks 3 days ago from missing a seat when I tried to sit on it, there goes my behind on a concrete floor - but as I fall, I felt a pain that hot up to my neck, the base of my skull, the occiput then all to my head !! I was fine the rest of the night but when I got up the next morning I have this excruciating pains from the base of my skull all to my head !!! what could have happened !!! Flexeril isn'r helping , Fioricet do but I am scadred to be dependent on medicines !!!
Help replied on Permalink
It might have been some blood rushing upwards. the fall made it faster for that blood to go up to the brain so the arteries had a lot of pressure in them. If they weren't arteries then the blood in those veins was going downwards in your body until the body's sudden acceleration which was faster than the speed of the blood being transported meaning the blood went the wrong way for a little, but don't worry the valves took care of that otherwise you'd be dead! If all this is not the case, then I don't know what might have caused such pain in that certain area. If it was your brain that had an issue, you'll most probably feel things in the rest of your consciously controlled body.
-Note: I am not a doctor or biologist, don't take what I said as absolutely true information.