Long-Term Effects of Brain Injuries  Concussions Are Never Just Part of the Game

Brain injuries and hockey have always been connected. The game is faster than ever, the athletes are bigger and stronger than ever, and thankfully the understanding of head injuries has also come a long way. It had to.

I know that reality better than most.

In December of 1995, I was involved in a car accident that changed my life. It affected nearly everything. The way I think. The way I speak. The way I see the world around me. Even simple tasks that most people take for granted became challenges.

Then, in February of 2025, another accident added to a long list of documented traumatic brain injuries. Number twelve, to be exact.

The effects are impossible to ignore.

There are days when I know exactly what I want to say but cannot get the words out. Sometimes I stammer. Sometimes the word simply disappears. Headaches have become a regular part of life. I can often feel one building for a day before it fully arrives, and when it does, it can leave me feeling like I'm moving through a fog. The mood swings that accompany those headaches are something my family has learned to live with, although I still don't know how they manage it.

Balance has also been a problem for years. Climbing a ladder or standing on a stool can trigger nausea almost immediately. I've failed field sobriety tests despite not having touched alcohol in weeks. That is simply the reality of living with the damage.

The concussions did not start with the car accident.

As a kid, I took a baseball bat to the head courtesy of a cousin's bad timing. I was hit by a car while riding a bicycle. During a lunchtime football game, an overenthusiastic defensive back sent me headfirst into a flagpole while I was sprinting down the sideline. Then there were the hockey concussions, many of which were treated in an era when smelling salts and jokes were considered acceptable medical care.

The last four concussions I suffered knocked me unconscious. I woke up in hospitals wondering what had happened.

After the 1995 accident, I woke up unable to feel the entire right side of my body from the neck down. Every attempt to stand ended with me collapsing back to the floor. As the swelling in my brain subsided, some of those symptoms improved, but not all of them disappeared.

Years later, a doctor gave me the most honest assessment I've ever received.

"You are lucky to be alive, but some things will never be the same again."

He was right.

Only in recent years have we truly started to understand the long-term consequences of concussions and traumatic brain injuries. Research continues to reveal what many former athletes and accident victims have known for decades: the effects can last a lifetime.

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by a blow to the head or a sudden movement of the brain inside the skull. For some people, recovery happens relatively quickly. For others, symptoms can linger for months, years, or indefinitely.

Post-concussion syndrome, commonly referred to as PCS, can affect nearly every aspect of a person's life. Headaches, dizziness, memory problems, sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, irritability, and difficulty concentrating are all common symptoms. Some people also experience sensitivity to light, blurred vision, changes in taste and smell, and personality changes that can be difficult for both the patient and their loved ones to understand.

The long-term risks are even more concerning. Studies continue to examine links between repeated brain trauma and conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.

The physical symptoms are only part of the story.

The emotional and psychological effects can be just as challenging. Mood swings, frustration, impulsive behavior, anxiety, depression, and an inability to handle stress are common among people dealing with post-concussion complications. Those symptoms often affect entire families, not just the person who suffered the injury.

Another issue that deserves more attention is the use of over-the-counter pain medication.

For years, ibuprofen was my solution for managing headaches and chronic pain. I never paid much attention to the warnings on the bottle. Looking back, I should have.

I eventually found myself in a battle with kidney cancer. The cancer is gone today, but the fight left its mark. Whether people are dealing with concussion-related headaches or other chronic pain, it is important to understand the potential risks of long-term medication use and discuss those risks with their doctors.

During a recent hospital stay, I spent several hours speaking with a neurosurgeon about concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and post-concussion syndrome. We agreed on one thing almost immediately: education is the most important tool we have.

Sports carry risks. So does everyday life. The benefits of athletics still outweigh those risks in my view. Hockey teaches discipline, teamwork, perseverance, and countless other lessons that last a lifetime.

That does not mean we should ignore preventable injuries.

The advances in equipment, medical protocols, and concussion awareness have made the game safer than it was when I played. Players today are far more likely to receive proper evaluation and treatment than previous generations were.

Still, there is room for improvement.

The neurosurgeon I spoke with praised many of the changes hockey has made over the years, but he admitted he still struggles with the sport's acceptance of fighting. It is difficult to argue against that perspective when you have spent as much time dealing with the consequences of brain injuries as I have.

The game also needs to do a better job of enforcing the rules already in place. Charging and elbowing penalties exist for a reason. Consistent enforcement would likely do more to reduce dangerous hits than another round of rule changes.

At the end of the day, this comes down to common sense.

There is no such thing as "just getting your bell rung."

Every head injury deserves to be taken seriously. Every concussion deserves proper treatment. No game, no season, and no championship is worth gambling with your future health.

Trust me.

The consequences can follow you for the rest of your life.

Mine certainly have.