{"id":76664,"date":"2018-10-29T10:00:26","date_gmt":"2018-10-29T09:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/naar-hjernen-bliver-rystet\/"},"modified":"2018-10-29T11:20:01","modified_gmt":"2018-10-29T10:20:01","slug":"a-cruel-but-not-so-unusual-injury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/a-cruel-but-not-so-unusual-injury\/","title":{"rendered":"A cruel but not so unusual injury"},"content":{"rendered":"

F<\/span>or Maya Plum, the concussion she suffered in 2012 had a profound impact that extended far beyond the involuntary break it required her to take from her studies. \u201cIt was a complete and total loss of identity,\u201d Plum, currently a PhD student and a part-time reader in Education with the Department of Media, Cognition and Communication, says.<\/p>\n

Plum, in fact, wound up with two concussions in the span of three years. After the first, which she suffered after she banged her head into a metal post, she went on sick leave for 11 months. At that time, her two children were 4 and 6. Plum, though, was so poorly off that she needed to move in with her father for six weeks. When she wasn\u2019t lying down with her eyes closed, she was lying down with them open, staring at the ceiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had this feeling like there was blank band running from one end of my brain to another,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

They can\u2019t tell you whether you will be better tomorrow or in three weeks or a year.<\/p>\n

PhD student Maya Plum<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

She got better. But, having a concussion had left its mark. She didn\u2019t dare cycle, or wear high-heels. She got nervous around balls. Then, the first time she went to the swimming pool with her kids after she was back on her feet, she got hit in the head by a child\u2019s bucket. For most people, it would have been just a bump in the head. But, for Plum, her brain still not fully healed, it resulted in another concussion. That was 2015. Her second concussion in two years sidelined her for another eight months.<\/p>\n

Psychological impact<\/h2>\n

Today, Plum is fine. But she remembers what it was like: hopelessness as far as she could see.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey can\u2019t tell you whether you will be better tomorrow or in three weeks or a year. That\u2019s the worst part of having a concussion, all the uncertainty associated with it,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Another way that concussions keep you guessing is that even though you are getting better, you don\u2019t notice it. It\u2019s a slow process. So slow sometimes that you get the feeling you\u2019re never going to get better.<\/p>\n

For academics and university students, the problems associated with a concussion are compound. That, at least, was how Plum and others in her situation say they\u2019ve felt. At uni, we\u2019re used to working our brains overtime from time to time, like when we\u2019ve got an exam or need to finish a paper or when a deadline to submit a grant application is fast approaching.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou live your life under the assumption that your body was something that you were in control of. You willed it do something. But, all of sudden, you brain shuts down and you can\u2019t even do the simplest things.\u201d<\/p>\n

An academic challenge<\/h2>\n

If you ever suffer a concussion, you\u2019ll be told not to do a lot of the things that are synonymous with uni life: write, read, sit in front of the flickering light of a screen. Even if you can manage do any of that, doing it will just make your symptoms worse.<\/p>\n

About 25,000 people in Denmark suffer from a concussion each year. Many of them are back at it after a few weeks, but for about 15% the effects linger. The university doesn\u2019t keep statistics for how many students go on sick leave after suffering a concussion; HR only records work-related injuries, and, by law, they aren\u2019t allowed to record why people call in sick.
\n
\nWhen it comes to the science of concussions, doctors are almost just as uninformed, for the simple reason that there is little way to tell just what happens when you hit your head. We know the effects: sadness, in some cases bordering on depression, and, occasionally, even suicidal tendencies. And, unlike most medical conditions, the worst prognosis is for people who are young, healthy and well-off.<\/p>\n

For people like Plum, being a member of a university faculty becomes a part of who you are. Her concussions took that part of her identity away from her, but they also prevented her from being a mum, a spouse or a friend. She wasn\u2019t anyone.<\/p>\n

You need help<\/h2>\n

Now that she\u2019s back on her feet, Plum considers herself lucky. She had the support of her employers and the people around her.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt no time did I feel that I was being rushed back to work. That makes a huge difference when you have a concussion. Because, if you go back, you will overdo it. People at universities are known for that,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Plum\u2019s best advice to someone with a concussion reflects that fact. Talk about it. When Plum started back at work, her boss suggested she send an e-mail to her co-workers to tell them how she was doing. It helped. As an instructor, she herself finds it helpful when students tell her if they are dealing with the effects of a concussion.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou get over it if you have someone help you get over it,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s probably the most important piece of advice I can give: ask for help right away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Plum\u2019s concussion is a part of her past. Even though she can think clearly and act normally today, she\u2019s now aware of the need to take care of herself. She\u2019s able to work 12 hours at a stretch if she has to submit an article, but she doesn\u2019t repeat the effort the next day.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy actions are no longer the embodiment of my will. I need to listen to what my body tells me.\u201d
\n<\/p>\n

Mental relaxation<\/h2>\n

The Centre for Rehabilitation of Brain Injury treats people suffering from the long-term effects of concussion, what doctors call \u2018post-concussion syndrome\u2019.<\/p>\n

No-one knows exactly what happens when you get a concussion. Neuroscientists suspect that when you hit your head, the neurons in your brain either get stretched out or they break. Another effect, according to the centre\u2019s Linda Marschner, a neuropsychologist, is that the brain\u2019s chemical balance is upset.<\/p>\n

\n

Centre for Rehabilitation of Brain Injury<\/p>\n

The Centre for Rehabilitation of Brain Injury was established in 1985 and provides information to the university\u2019s students and employees about concussions.<\/a><\/p>\n

On November 8-9, the centre will host an international conference focusing on concussions<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThe membranes that coat neurons are affected, but over a broad area. That could cause them to be stretched in all different directions, with the result that brain\u2019s ion channels don\u2019t function properly. But, because it happens over a broad area, we can\u2019t really identify where the brain is damaged,\u201d Marschner says.<\/p>\n

In order for the brain\u2019s neurons to repair themselves, and for its chemical balance to be restored, it needs to rest. Studies, however, suggest that it takes longer for people to recover from concussions than it used to. The reason may be linked to our modern lifestyle. Young people, in particular, live more spontaneously, and that makes it hard for the brain to get the rest it needs, according to Henriette Henriksen, a physiotherapist with the Centre for Rehabilitation of Brain Injury.<\/p>\n

\u201cYoung people live very spontaneously,\u201d she says. \u201cThe don\u2019t plan ahead to meet someone on Friday, 7 November, for example. They say, you up for doing something now? You up for doing something tomorrow? But if your brain is recovering from a concussion, you need to be able to tell others that I can\u2019t do anything today, because I need to do something tomorrow. If I do something today, then I\u2019ll be out of it tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

And, if you are used to being kept busy by your studies or your career, then the last thing you want to hear is a doctor tell you that you need to slow down. Then there are the unanswered questions: when I can get back to my former life? Will I ever be able to go back to my former life?
\n<\/p>\n

One step forward, ten steps back<\/h2>\n

Tue Scheel Nielsen knows what that\u2019s like. He was on his way home from a party to welcome new students when he fell off his bike \u2013 three days before he was to begin studying for his masters in Information Science and Cultural Communication. He remembers making sure his fresher got home safe and then the next thing he can recall is lying in a hospital bed.<\/p>\n

That was three years ago. Nielsen missed six months of school, but the time back has been one long roller-coaster ride.<\/p>\n

No-one could have predicted that it would have turned out the way it did. Nielsen himself reckoned he\u2019d be back on his feet after a couple of weeks. That was how long it took most people to get over a concussion. Not him though. His concussion was one of those that just won\u2019t let go.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember one of my classmates coming to visit me not long after I fell. I told her I\u2019d be back next week or something else that today sounds totally na\u00efve.\u201d
\n
\nUnlike most people who suffer a concussion, Nielsen did take the rest his doctors recommended. For six weeks, all he did was listen to audiobooks and go for walks. He started back at uni after that, but he was allowed to take just one class, and his study group was understanding enough that they let him take it easy while he was recovering.<\/p>\n

After six months, he figured he was over his concussion. But, as the semester wore on, his symptoms got worse. It got so bad that he wasn\u2019t able to sit the exam for the class he was taking. The next semester was no better. In the autumn of 2017, he got accepted for an internship and got hired at a good part-time job. But it was all too much. His brain couldn\u2019t handle it.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy December things were total chaos. When it came time for me to write a summary of what I had done during my internship I couldn\u2019t read my notes or write up my observations. That was when my headaches were at their worst and when I was most tired. It\u2019s still that way from time to time.\u201d
\n<\/p>\n

Up against the administration<\/h2>\n

Nielsen has had a tough year so far. He\u2019s spent most of his time applying for waivers for all the things he was unable to complete, disenrol from classes, and then ask to be permitted not remain in his master\u2019s programme, even though he\u2019d already taken too much time. Eventually he had to ask for a leave of absence and then apply to the council for cash assistance.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used the entire summer writing applications of one form or another instead of getting better. It wasn\u2019t until last week that things came together. So now, I can start thinking about taking care of myself,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

I used the entire summer writing applications of one form or another instead of getting better.<\/p>\n

Tue Scheel Nielsen<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Nielsen is fortunate. His time in student government taught him how the administration works, and he knew people who could help him with his applications. Writing an application for a waiver, he says, is every bit as hard as writing a paper \u2013 just a lot less satisfying.<\/p>\n

\u201cI completely understand why so many people have to give up filling out applications. It\u2019s also understandable that they put up some requirements, but, without the people I know, and what I know, I would probably have had to give up, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019ll get better. Really<\/h2>\n

In a way, Nielsen considers himself lucky that his concussion was as bad as it was. Since it was so bad, he\u2019s got plenty of documentation from the hospital and his doctor to prove that there\u2019s something wrong with him. Even so, suffering from an invisible illness is hard, especially when the symptoms come and go.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I was better,\u201d he says. \u201cI had a job. I had an internship. Life was good. But when things got bad again, I felt terribly alone. I stopped believing in myself and in my future. That took a lot out of me. It certainly hasn\u2019t been easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though it can be exhausting, Nielsen makes sure he does something social a couple of times each week. If he doesn\u2019t, he risks slipping into the depression that can accompany post-concussion syndrome.<\/p>\n

His next goal is to return to his studies in six months and finish up his master\u2019s. \u201cThings will get better,\u201d he says, mostly to himself.
\n<\/p>\n

Tidal wave of fatigue<\/h2>\n

Henriksen, the physiotherapist, says Nielsen\u2019s and Plum\u2019s stories are familiar ones.<\/p>\n

People who are dealing with the effects of a concussion need to learn what to use their energy on, and what not to. Tiredness, she says, is typically the worst symptom of a concussion, though it might take a few days to kick in.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like a tidal wave of fatigue washing over you,\u201d she says. \u201cPeople say their body just shuts down. It\u2019s like they don\u2019t even have the energy to stand up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aside from tiredness, the list of symptoms is long. Dizziness and headaches are two of the physical effects. Mentally, people have trouble thinking, remembering and planning. Some experience problems sleeping. Still others have emotional problems.<\/p>\n

The Centre for Rehabilitation of Brain Injury can help. People with concussions need to be told how to avoid provoking their symptoms so they can gradually disappear. Some, though, never quite get over their concussions.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir symptoms won\u2019t go away,\u201d Henriksen says. \u201cFor them, the only thing they can do is learn how to live in a way that allows them not to be affected by their concussion all time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Similar. But very different<\/h2>\n

There is no evidence of a direct connection between concussions and mental illness, but both have similar symptoms. And having an injury like a concussion that no-one can see evokes the same sort of reactions that mental illness does.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of the students we treat have been told things like, \u2018Oh, you\u2019re just a little depressed, that\u2019s all,\u2019 or \u2018Maybe it\u2019s stress.\u2019 It\u2019s understandable; the symptoms are similar. But, no, a concussion is neither depression, not stress,\u201d Henriksen says.<\/p>\n

Because of the nature of the injury, and the way that people respond to it, the Centre for Rehabilitation of Brain Injury instead tries to explain to people with concussions why they feel the way they do and to talk to others who feel the same as they do.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey all know someone who got over their concussion after a few days,\u201d Henriksen says. \u201cSo they feel like something is wrong if it takes them four months to be able to do things they were able to do just last week. That\u2019s difficult for them \u2013 and those around them \u2013 to accept.\u201d\"\"<\/picture>
\n<\/p>\n

1. Take the time you need to get better<\/h3>\n

In most instances, you\u2019ll be better off taking time off now, even if it means missing an exam, and focusing on recovering than you will if you rush back before you\u2019re ready and risking a relapse. Taking a little time off now will save you a lot of grief later.<\/p>\n

2. Ask permission not to sit your exams<\/h3>\n

If you suffer a concussion close to an examination period, ask for permission not to sit them. Don\u2019t just skip them. If you miss an exam without permission, you can only sit the make-up. If you\u2019ve been given permission not to sit it, you still have your first try and you\u2019ll also have an easier time of it if you need to apply for a waiver later.<\/p>\n

3. Talk to your student counsellor \u2013 and bring a friend<\/h3>\n

Your student counsellor can help you come up with a plan. Take a friend with you if you think you will need someone to take notes for you and to help you remember what you wanted to ask about.<\/p>\n

4. Have someone check your KUmail for you<\/h3>\n

The university normally sends information about exams, activity requirements and waivers to your KUmail address. If you can\u2019t use a screen, then ask a friend or a family member to check your account for you.<\/p>\n

5. Contact Special Education Support<\/h3>\n

If your concussion winds up being a long-term injury, Special Education Support can set you up with any help you might need. Special Education Support can help you get back to your studies sooner and help you get more out of your classes once you do.<\/p>\n

Source: Malthe Grindsted Ulrik, student counsellor, Department of Media, Cognition and Communication, Centre for Rehabilitation of Brain Injury<\/em>
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An estimated 25,000 people suffer a concussion each year in Denmark. The effects can extend far beyond the immediate symptoms, and no-one can say for sure how long it will take to get better. At uni, our brain is our most important asset. 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The effects can extend far beyond the immediate symptoms, and no-one can say for sure how long it will take to get better. At uni, our brain is our most important asset. What do we do, then, when we can\u2019t rely on it?","use_post_excerpt":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"Byline","is_author":true,"contributors":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p><span class=\"dropcap\">F<\/span>or Maya Plum, the concussion she suffered in 2012 had a profound impact that extended far beyond the involuntary break it required her to take from her studies. \u201cIt was a complete and total loss of identity,\u201d Plum, currently a PhD student and a part-time reader in Education with the Department of Media, Cognition and Communication, says.<\/p>\n<p>Plum, in fact, wound up with two concussions in the span of three years. After the first, which she suffered after she banged her head into a metal post, she went on sick leave for 11 months. At that time, her two children were 4 and 6. Plum, though, was so poorly off that she needed to move in with her father for six weeks. When she wasn\u2019t lying down with her eyes closed, she was lying down with them open, staring at the ceiling.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI had this feeling like there was blank band running from one end of my brain to another,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>They can\u2019t tell you whether you will be better tomorrow or in three weeks or a year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"quotee\">PhD student Maya Plum<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>She got better. But, having a concussion had left its mark. She didn\u2019t dare cycle, or wear high-heels. She got nervous around balls. Then, the first time she went to the swimming pool with her kids after she was back on her feet, she got hit in the head by a child\u2019s bucket. For most people, it would have been just a bump in the head. But, for Plum, her brain still not fully healed, it resulted in another concussion. That was 2015. Her second concussion in two years sidelined her for another eight months.<\/p>\n<h2>Psychological impact<\/h2>\n<p>Today, Plum is fine. But she remembers what it was like: hopelessness as far as she could see.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey can\u2019t tell you whether you will be better tomorrow or in three weeks or a year. That\u2019s the worst part of having a concussion, all the uncertainty associated with it,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>Another way that concussions keep you guessing is that even though you are getting better, you don\u2019t notice it. It\u2019s a slow process. So slow sometimes that you get the feeling you\u2019re never going to get better.<\/p>\n<p>For academics and university students, the problems associated with a concussion are compound. That, at least, was how Plum and others in her situation say they\u2019ve felt. At uni, we\u2019re used to working our brains overtime from time to time, like when we\u2019ve got an exam or need to finish a paper or when a deadline to submit a grant application is fast approaching.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou live your life under the assumption that your body was something that you were in control of. You willed it do something. But, all of sudden, you brain shuts down and you can\u2019t even do the simplest things.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>An academic challenge<\/h2>\n<p>If you ever suffer a concussion, you\u2019ll be told not to do a lot of the things that are synonymous with uni life: write, read, sit in front of the flickering light of a screen. Even if you can manage do any of that, doing it will just make your symptoms worse.<\/p>\n<p>About 25,000 people in Denmark suffer from a concussion each year. Many of them are back at it after a few weeks, but for about 15% the effects linger. The university doesn\u2019t keep statistics for how many students go on sick leave after suffering a concussion; HR only records work-related injuries, and, by law, they aren\u2019t allowed to record why people call in sick.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Quote","quote":"I had this feeling like there was a blank band running from one end of my brain to another","quotee":"PhD student Maja Plum","style":"extended"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>When it comes to the science of concussions, doctors are almost just as uninformed, for the simple reason that there is little way to tell just what happens when you hit your head. We know the effects: sadness, in some cases bordering on depression, and, occasionally, even suicidal tendencies. And, unlike most medical conditions, the worst prognosis is for people who are young, healthy and well-off.<\/p>\n<p>For people like Plum, being a member of a university faculty becomes a part of who you are. Her concussions took that part of her identity away from her, but they also prevented her from being a mum, a spouse or a friend. She wasn\u2019t anyone.<\/p>\n<h2>You need help<\/h2>\n<p>Now that she\u2019s back on her feet, Plum considers herself lucky. She had the support of her employers and the people around her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt no time did I feel that I was being rushed back to work. That makes a huge difference when you have a concussion. Because, if you go back, you will overdo it. People at universities are known for that,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>Plum\u2019s best advice to someone with a concussion reflects that fact. Talk about it. When Plum started back at work, her boss suggested she send an e-mail to her co-workers to tell them how she was doing. It helped. As an instructor, she herself finds it helpful when students tell her if they are dealing with the effects of a concussion.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou get over it if you have someone help you get over it,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s probably the most important piece of advice I can give: ask for help right away.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Plum\u2019s concussion is a part of her past. Even though she can think clearly and act normally today, she\u2019s now aware of the need to take care of herself. She\u2019s able to work 12 hours at a stretch if she has to submit an article, but she doesn\u2019t repeat the effort the next day.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy actions are no longer the embodiment of my will. I need to listen to what my body tells me.\u201d<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Image","image":{"ID":75857,"id":75857,"title":"Hjernerystet_pige_lille","filename":"hjernerystetpigelille.jpg","filesize":99903,"url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetpigelille.jpg","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/naar-hjernen-bliver-rystet\/hjernerystet_pige_lille\/","alt":"Hjernerystelser rammer 25.000 danskere om \u00e5ret - stort problem for studrende og ansatte p\u00e5 universiteterne","author":"68","description":"Hjernerystelser rammer 25.000 danskere om \u00e5ret - stort problem for studrende og ansatte p\u00e5 universiteterne","caption":"","name":"hjernerystet_pige_lille","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":75829,"date":"2018-10-09 11:46:09","modified":"2018-10-09 11:46:45","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1469,"height":1360,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetpigelille-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetpigelille-480x444.jpg","medium-width":480,"medium-height":444,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetpigelille-768x711.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":711,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetpigelille-1280x1185.jpg","large-width":1280,"large-height":1185,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetpigelille.jpg","1536x1536-width":1469,"1536x1536-height":1360,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetpigelille.jpg","2048x2048-width":1469,"2048x2048-height":1360,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetpigelille-290x268.jpg","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":268,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetpigelille-290x180.jpg","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetpigelille-700x648.jpg","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":648,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetpigelille-990x917.jpg","extended-width":990,"extended-height":917}},"style":"extended","text_placement":"metadata-below","image_link_url":"","image_link_title":"","caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":false,"alternative_caption":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<h2>Mental relaxation<\/h2>\n<p>The Centre for Rehabilitation of Brain Injury treats people suffering from the long-term effects of concussion, what doctors call \u2018post-concussion syndrome\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>No-one knows exactly what happens when you get a concussion. Neuroscientists suspect that when you hit your head, the neurons in your brain either get stretched out or they break. Another effect, according to the centre\u2019s Linda Marschner, a neuropsychologist, is that the brain\u2019s chemical balance is upset.<\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\">\n<p class=\"factbox-header feature-color\">Centre for Rehabilitation of Brain Injury<\/p>\n<p>The Centre for Rehabilitation of Brain Injury was established in 1985 and provides information to the <a href=\"https:\/\/cfh.ku.dk\/dokumenter\/N_r_hovedet_bliver_rystet_WEBudgave_4.9.2017.pdf\">university\u2019s students and employees about concussions.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>On November 8-9, the centre will host an international <a href=\"https:\/\/cfh.ku.dk\/dokumenter\/2018_CCC.pdf\/\">conference focusing on concussions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cThe membranes that coat neurons are affected, but over a broad area. That could cause them to be stretched in all different directions, with the result that brain\u2019s ion channels don\u2019t function properly. But, because it happens over a broad area, we can\u2019t really identify where the brain is damaged,\u201d Marschner says.<\/p>\n<p>In order for the brain\u2019s neurons to repair themselves, and for its chemical balance to be restored, it needs to rest. Studies, however, suggest that it takes longer for people to recover from concussions than it used to. The reason may be linked to our modern lifestyle. Young people, in particular, live more spontaneously, and that makes it hard for the brain to get the rest it needs, according to Henriette Henriksen, a physiotherapist with the Centre for Rehabilitation of Brain Injury.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYoung people live very spontaneously,\u201d she says. \u201cThe don\u2019t plan ahead to meet someone on Friday, 7 November, for example. They say, you up for doing something now? You up for doing something tomorrow? But if your brain is recovering from a concussion, you need to be able to tell others that I can\u2019t do anything today, because I need to do something tomorrow. If I do something today, then I\u2019ll be out of it tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And, if you are used to being kept busy by your studies or your career, then the last thing you want to hear is a doctor tell you that you need to slow down. Then there are the unanswered questions: when I can get back to my former life? Will I ever be able to go back to my former life?<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Image","image":{"ID":75856,"id":75856,"title":"Hjernerystet_hjerne","filename":"hjernerystethjerne.png","filesize":242837,"url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystethjerne.png","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/naar-hjernen-bliver-rystet\/hjernerystet_hjerne\/","alt":"Hjernerystelse rammer studerende og akademikere h\u00e5rdt","author":"68","description":"Hjernerystelse rammer studerende og akademikere h\u00e5rdt","caption":"","name":"hjernerystet_hjerne","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":75829,"date":"2018-10-09 11:46:07","modified":"2018-10-09 12:03:16","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":736,"height":564,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystethjerne-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystethjerne-480x368.png","medium-width":480,"medium-height":368,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystethjerne.png","medium_large-width":736,"medium_large-height":564,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystethjerne.png","large-width":736,"large-height":564,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystethjerne.png","1536x1536-width":736,"1536x1536-height":564,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystethjerne.png","2048x2048-width":736,"2048x2048-height":564,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystethjerne-290x222.png","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":222,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystethjerne-290x180.png","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystethjerne-700x536.png","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":536,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystethjerne.png","extended-width":736,"extended-height":564}},"style":"narrow","text_placement":"metadata-below","image_link_url":"","image_link_title":"","caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":false,"alternative_caption":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<h2>One step forward, ten steps back<\/h2>\n<p>Tue Scheel Nielsen knows what that\u2019s like. He was on his way home from a party to welcome new students when he fell off his bike \u2013 three days before he was to begin studying for his masters in Information Science and Cultural Communication. He remembers making sure his fresher got home safe and then the next thing he can recall is lying in a hospital bed.<\/p>\n<p>That was three years ago. Nielsen missed six months of school, but the time back has been one long roller-coaster ride.<\/p>\n<p>No-one could have predicted that it would have turned out the way it did. Nielsen himself reckoned he\u2019d be back on his feet after a couple of weeks. That was how long it took most people to get over a concussion. Not him though. His concussion was one of those that just won\u2019t let go.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI remember one of my classmates coming to visit me not long after I fell. I told her I\u2019d be back next week or something else that today sounds totally na\u00efve.\u201d<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Quote","quote":"I stopped believing in myself and in my future.\r\n","quotee":"Student Tue Scheel Nielsen","style":"extended"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>Unlike most people who suffer a concussion, Nielsen did take the rest his doctors recommended. For six weeks, all he did was listen to audiobooks and go for walks. He started back at uni after that, but he was allowed to take just one class, and his study group was understanding enough that they let him take it easy while he was recovering.<\/p>\n<p>After six months, he figured he was over his concussion. But, as the semester wore on, his symptoms got worse. It got so bad that he wasn\u2019t able to sit the exam for the class he was taking. The next semester was no better. In the autumn of 2017, he got accepted for an internship and got hired at a good part-time job. But it was all too much. His brain couldn\u2019t handle it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBy December things were total chaos. When it came time for me to write a summary of what I had done during my internship I couldn\u2019t read my notes or write up my observations. That was when my headaches were at their worst and when I was most tired. It\u2019s still that way from time to time.\u201d<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<h2>Up against the administration<\/h2>\n<p>Nielsen has had a tough year so far. He\u2019s spent most of his time applying for waivers for all the things he was unable to complete, disenrol from classes, and then ask to be permitted not remain in his master\u2019s programme, even though he\u2019d already taken too much time. Eventually he had to ask for a leave of absence and then apply to the council for cash assistance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI used the entire summer writing applications of one form or another instead of getting better. It wasn\u2019t until last week that things came together. So now, I can start thinking about taking care of myself,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>I used the entire summer writing applications of one form or another instead of getting better.<\/p>\n<p class=\"quotee\">Tue Scheel Nielsen<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Nielsen is fortunate. His time in student government taught him how the administration works, and he knew people who could help him with his applications. Writing an application for a waiver, he says, is every bit as hard as writing a paper \u2013 just a lot less satisfying.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI completely understand why so many people have to give up filling out applications. It\u2019s also understandable that they put up some requirements, but, without the people I know, and what I know, I would probably have had to give up, too.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>It\u2019ll get better. Really<\/h2>\n<p>In a way, Nielsen considers himself lucky that his concussion was as bad as it was. Since it was so bad, he\u2019s got plenty of documentation from the hospital and his doctor to prove that there\u2019s something wrong with him. Even so, suffering from an invisible illness is hard, especially when the symptoms come and go.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI thought I was better,\u201d he says. \u201cI had a job. I had an internship. Life was good. But when things got bad again, I felt terribly alone. I stopped believing in myself and in my future. That took a lot out of me. It certainly hasn\u2019t been easy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even though it can be exhausting, Nielsen makes sure he does something social a couple of times each week. If he doesn\u2019t, he risks slipping into the depression that can accompany post-concussion syndrome.<\/p>\n<p>His next goal is to return to his studies in six months and finish up his master\u2019s. \u201cThings will get better,\u201d he says, mostly to himself.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Image","image":{"ID":75855,"id":75855,"title":"Hjernerystet_dreng","filename":"hjernerystetdreng.png","filesize":567692,"url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetdreng.png","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/naar-hjernen-bliver-rystet\/hjernerystet_dreng\/","alt":"Hjernerystelse \/\/ Hjernerystelser rammer 25.000 danskere om \u00e5ret og g\u00e5r h\u00e5rd tud over studerende og ansatte p\u00e5 KU","author":"68","description":"Hjernerystelse \/\/ Hjernerystelser rammer 25.000 danskere om \u00e5ret og g\u00e5r h\u00e5rdt ud over studerende og ansatte p\u00e5 KU","caption":"","name":"hjernerystet_dreng","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":75829,"date":"2018-10-09 11:46:04","modified":"2018-11-13 12:49:28","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1181,"height":1219,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetdreng-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetdreng-480x495.png","medium-width":480,"medium-height":495,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetdreng-768x793.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":793,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetdreng.png","large-width":1181,"large-height":1219,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetdreng.png","1536x1536-width":1181,"1536x1536-height":1219,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetdreng.png","2048x2048-width":1181,"2048x2048-height":1219,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetdreng-290x299.png","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":299,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetdreng-290x180.png","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetdreng-700x723.png","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":723,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernerystetdreng-990x1022.png","extended-width":990,"extended-height":1022}},"style":"extended","text_placement":"metadata-below","image_link_url":"","image_link_title":"","caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":false,"alternative_caption":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<h2>Tidal wave of fatigue<\/h2>\n<p>Henriksen, the physiotherapist, says Nielsen\u2019s and Plum\u2019s stories are familiar ones.<\/p>\n<p>People who are dealing with the effects of a concussion need to learn what to use their energy on, and what not to. Tiredness, she says, is typically the worst symptom of a concussion, though it might take a few days to kick in.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s like a tidal wave of fatigue washing over you,\u201d she says. \u201cPeople say their body just shuts down. It\u2019s like they don\u2019t even have the energy to stand up.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Aside from tiredness, the list of symptoms is long. Dizziness and headaches are two of the physical effects. Mentally, people have trouble thinking, remembering and planning. Some experience problems sleeping. Still others have emotional problems.<\/p>\n<p>The Centre for Rehabilitation of Brain Injury can help. People with concussions need to be told how to avoid provoking their symptoms so they can gradually disappear. Some, though, never quite get over their concussions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTheir symptoms won\u2019t go away,\u201d Henriksen says. \u201cFor them, the only thing they can do is learn how to live in a way that allows them not to be affected by their concussion all time.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Similar. But very different<\/h2>\n<p>There is no evidence of a direct connection between concussions and mental illness, but both have similar symptoms. And having an injury like a concussion that no-one can see evokes the same sort of reactions that mental illness does.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA lot of the students we treat have been told things like, \u2018Oh, you\u2019re just a little depressed, that\u2019s all,\u2019 or \u2018Maybe it\u2019s stress.\u2019 It\u2019s understandable; the symptoms are similar. But, no, a concussion is neither depression, not stress,\u201d Henriksen says.<\/p>\n<p>Because of the nature of the injury, and the way that people respond to it, the Centre for Rehabilitation of Brain Injury instead tries to explain to people with concussions why they feel the way they do and to talk to others who feel the same as they do.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey all know someone who got over their concussion after a few days,\u201d Henriksen says. \u201cSo they feel like something is wrong if it takes them four months to be able to do things they were able to do just last week. That\u2019s difficult for them \u2013 and those around them \u2013 to accept.\u201d<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"492\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-75884\" src=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernersytetstoej-480x492.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernersytetstoej-480x492.png 480w, https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernersytetstoej-290x297.png 290w, https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjernersytetstoej.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Headline","use_post_title":false,"headline":"Good advice for students after a concussion","style":"slim","highlighted_words":"r\u00e5d","text_size":"small"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<h3>1. Take the time you need to get better<\/h3>\n<p>In most instances, you\u2019ll be better off taking time off now, even if it means missing an exam, and focusing on recovering than you will if you rush back before you\u2019re ready and risking a relapse. Taking a little time off now will save you a lot of grief later.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Ask permission not to sit your exams<\/h3>\n<p>If you suffer a concussion close to an examination period, ask for permission not to sit them. Don\u2019t just skip them. If you miss an exam without permission, you can only sit the make-up. If you\u2019ve been given permission not to sit it, you still have your first try and you\u2019ll also have an easier time of it if you need to apply for a waiver later.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Talk to your student counsellor \u2013 and bring a friend<\/h3>\n<p>Your student counsellor can help you come up with a plan. Take a friend with you if you think you will need someone to take notes for you and to help you remember what you wanted to ask about.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Have someone check your KUmail for you<\/h3>\n<p>The university normally sends information about exams, activity requirements and waivers to your KUmail address. If you can\u2019t use a screen, then ask a friend or a family member to check your account for you.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Contact Special Education Support<\/h3>\n<p>If your concussion winds up being a long-term injury, Special Education Support can set you up with any help you might need. Special Education Support can help you get back to your studies sooner and help you get more out of your classes once you do.<\/p>\n<p><em>Source: Malthe Grindsted Ulrik, student counsellor, Department of Media, Cognition and Communication, Centre for Rehabilitation of Brain Injury<\/em><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"ArticleEnd"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Newsletter","lang_select":"Dansk","identifier":"Newsletter","headline":"Receive a weekly newsletter in your inbox","button_text":"Tilmeld nu","class":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"OtherStories","headline":"","hand_picked_posts":false,"references":false,"category":false,"theme":false,"number_of_posts":"4","style":"default"}]},"taxonomyData":{"category":[{"term_id":110,"name":"Other","slug":"other","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":110,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":13,"filter":"raw"}],"post_tag":[{"term_id":248,"name":"illness","slug":"illness","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":248,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":2,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":752,"name":"Stress","slug":"stress-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":752,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":16,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":1524,"name":"student","slug":"student","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1524,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":2,"filter":"raw"}],"post_format":[],"expression":[{"term_id":14,"name":"Portrait Article","slug":"portrait_article","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":14,"taxonomy":"expression","description":"","parent":0,"count":796,"filter":"raw"}],"translation_priority":[]},"featured_media_url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hjerne2.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76664","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76664"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76664\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76682,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76664\/revisions\/76682"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76664"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76664"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}