NeuroHealth Services Indianapolis
  • Conditions We See
    • Concussion and Post-Concussion Syndrome
    • Vestibular Dysfunction
    • Neurobehavioral Disorders
    • Migraines
    • Dystonia
    • Long Haul COVID
    • Dysautonomia
    • Other Conditions
  • Our Approach
    • Free Consultation
    • Discovery Day
    • NeuroReset Program
    • Services
    • Diagnostics
    • Treatment Tools
    • Our Doctors
    • NeuroHealth FAQs
    • Become A Patient
    • Referring Providers
  • Client Speak
  • Resources
    • About Us
    • NeuroHealth Blog
    • New Patient Paperwork
  • Schedule an Appointment

Women Have More and Worse Concussions Than Men

4/27/2020

 
Picture
When we think of concussions and brain injuries we tend to associate those with men, after all, they’re the ones playing football and predominantly in combat. But studies show both female athletes and women in general suffer a higher rate of concussions than men. Female brain injuries also tend to be more severe and require longer recovery. In fact, a recent study revealed that when it comes to high school athletes, female soccer players outrank male football players in incidences of traumatic brain injury. Almost 30 percent of injuries sustained by female players are brain injuries, whereas male football players have a much lower rate of brain injury at 24 percent. High school female athletes with concussions also reported more problems with sound and light sensitivity, nausea, dizziness, and drowsiness and took longer to recover. Professional female athletes also have significantly more brain injuries than their male counterparts in every sport except swimming and diving. 

Why do women have more concussions?
Although researchers don’t have definitive answers, looking at the structure of the female neck and head compared to the male can give us insight.
The male neck is much stronger, bigger, and better able to handle acceleration than the female neck. When it comes to bone and neck strength, women are at a disadvantage when it comes to impacts, blows, and falls that affect the head and neck.

Female hormones and brain injury
Scientists have also found that female hormones appear to play a large role in brain injury risk. Female concussion risk and consequences are largely similar to male before puberty and after menopause. However, during the reproductive years, a woman’s menstrual cycle can affect how badly she is affected by a brain injury. For instance, women injured during the last two weeks of their cycle fare worse from a concussion than those injured during the first two weeks.
​

Severity risk also appears to be tied to fluctuations in hormone levels throughout the cycle. The drops in estrogen during ovulation and menstruation trigger migraines in some women and may be periods of increased risk. Misconceptions around gender and concussions compound the problem. Many people still assume girls and women are at less risk for concussion and their symptoms go unreported simply due to lack of awareness. Pink Concussions is an organization dedicated to raising awareness and promoting research on concussions in women and girls.

Functional medicine helps you recover from brain injury and concussion more quickly
Functional Neurology excels in the field of brain recovery from concussions.
In functional neurology we go beyond telling you to rest. A thorough functional neurology exam can pinpoint specific areas of injury to both the brain and the vestibular (inner ear) system. Different areas of the brain and the vestibular system require different rehabilitation strategies — customizing rehab to your areas of compromise will help you recover and improve faster. Plus, we look at functional medicine mechanisms in supporting your brain health. How is your hormone balance, your diet, and your gut health? Do you have chronic inflammation, food sensitivities, autoimmunity, or other unidentified stressors that could be making it harder for your brain to recover? These are important factors to address.

You can call us at 317-848-6000 or contact Dr. Ralston directly as drralston@neurohealthservices.com. We offer a 10min consultation to discuss you condition and options to help.


Comments are closed.

    NeuroHealth Services
    ​​​

    ​Get back to feeling like yourself naturally. Natural treatment for neural and chronic pain.

    video Testimonials

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    August 2020
    April 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017

    Categories

    All
    Brain Health Awareness
    Brain Injury
    Concussion
    Dizziness
    IBS Treatment
    Men’s Health Month

    RSS Feed

Picture

Our Doctors

​Dr. Ralston
Dr. Gafken

Learn More

FAQ
Blog
​Contact Us
9302 N. Meridian Street, Suite 299
Indianapolis, IN 46260

​​
(317) 848-6000
Map | Directions

    SignUp FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe to Newsletter
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Conditions We See
    • Concussion and Post-Concussion Syndrome
    • Vestibular Dysfunction
    • Neurobehavioral Disorders
    • Migraines
    • Dystonia
    • Long Haul COVID
    • Dysautonomia
    • Other Conditions
  • Our Approach
    • Free Consultation
    • Discovery Day
    • NeuroReset Program
    • Services
    • Diagnostics
    • Treatment Tools
    • Our Doctors
    • NeuroHealth FAQs
    • Become A Patient
    • Referring Providers
  • Client Speak
  • Resources
    • About Us
    • NeuroHealth Blog
    • New Patient Paperwork
  • Schedule an Appointment