What you should know about brain disease
Brain disease is more common than a lot of people think and can be very deadly if you do not know the signs to detect it. According to recent news, BMX legend Dave Mirra suffered from brain disease before dying of self inflicted gunshot wound in February. Mirra’s family donated his brain to a neuropathologist shortly after his death and this is where it was discovered that Mirra’s brain showed signs of CTE. CTE is a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated head injuries, it also has been linked to dementia, depression and aggression. Many football players have suffered from having CTE, Mirra however is the first extreme sports athlete to be diagnosed with the disease. Could this disease be one of the reasons that lead him to his death?
Your brain is the control center to your body, so it is very important to know if there is something wrong. When your brain is damaged it can affect many different things, including your memory, your sensation, and even your personality. Some examples of brain injuries are hematoma, blood clots, contusions, or bruising of brain tissue, cerebral edema, or swelling inside of the skull, concussions and strokes. So how do you know if you are a victim of a brand disease? Some warning signs to look for are vomiting, nausea, speech difficulty, bleeding from the ear, numbness, paralysis, memory loss and problems with concentration. When a brain disease is detected early, you may be able to prevent worse results such as high blood pressure, low heart rates, pupil dilation and irregular breathing.
If any of the symptoms above occur and you’re not sure why, the best way to find out is by visiting your primary care physician or a neurological specialist. They will most likely perform a neurological exam to check your vision, hearing, and balance. The most common test people are familiar with are CT or MRI’s, these test scan images of your brain to get a closer look. Depending on the severity of the brain disease, there are treatments and medicine that can cure it. One disease that does not have a cure yet is neurodegenerative disease, however there are special treatments for people who suffer from this type of disease to help them learn to live with the illness and retain as much independence as possible. Brain disease should be taken serious at all times to prevent any future long term health issues.
The Kimmy Nicole
