Bruins player tells scary story of severe symptoms after a hit to the head

Repeated hits to the head causing concussions is one of the biggest problems with the future of the NHL at the moment. With more and more data becoming available on CTE, a chronic brain injury sustained by repeated concussions, all people in hockey need to be making more of an effort to prevent these injuries. Instead, hockey players and hockey culture are arguably making the problem worse, like this example from Bruins' defender Brendan Carlo.

Carlo missed the last 5 games after taking an elbow to the head against the Colorado Avalanche. The contact initially looked innocuous, but knocked out Carlo with his sixth concussion of his career. With such repeated head injuries, Carlo's putting himself at serious risk of CTE in the future. Returning to the lineup today, Carlo spoke about the feeling of sustaining that third concussion, saying he had to leave the game in Colorado to throw up in the dressing room.


While telling the story of throwing up in the locker room, Carlo admitted recognizance of this being his sixth concussion and the effects that will have on him later in life if he isn't able to monitor the symptoms with extreme precaution for the rest of his career.



Hearing these stories of players who understand the danger they're putting themselves in with repeated concussions, especially those with a history of them already, is extremely worrisome for their long term health. Hopefully the NHL and the players find ways to curb dangerous contact to the head, or find new ways to treat and prevent the dangers of repeated concussions.