I’ve said before that I have a high bar for linking to ESPN. This clears that bar, especially since I think the story is kind of buried.
“How fears over CTE and football outpaced what researchers know”.
Nut graph:
Beginning of a CTE backlash? Or ESPN positioning themselves for a possible partial buyout from the NFL?
I have investigated this subject slightly more in depth than the average person, simply because I am medically retired on Disability due to chronic near daily migraines. While I have a family history of migraines, none have them as severely as I do, and the major difference between myself and my relatives that suffer from migraines is that I suffered numerous concussions in high school football.
To add insult to injury, or maybe the other way around, I also suffered 2 medium concussions as an adult, within the past 8 years or so.
I see my neurologist at least every 2 months, to get a nerve block, which is lidocaine shots in the back of my head and neck, and my eyebrows. That process is much more painful than it sounds.
I have tried literally dozens, if not more, treatment plans over the past 40 some years, trying to find relief. I am currently on the 4th anti CGRP drug, the latest in the medical communities best guess of what causes migraines. Aimovig, Ajovy, and Vyepti were all no goes as far as working for me.
I was on them long enough to make sure that they were not going to work, being on the last, Vyepti, for at least 1.5 years.
The only thing that has ever helped me to break a severe migraine has been a narcotic of some type plus some kind of antiemetic, to stop nausea and vomiting. Of course that treatment plan is no longer used, both due to the danger of rebound headaches and the anti opioid movement. So when I get a migraine on the scale of 9 out of 10, I am left to just suffer until it subsides. I use things like ice packs, warm compresses, hot showers, and dark rooms, etc. I tend to get fever and chills with the worst migraines.
I do not get auras, so I am classified as having common migraines, instead of what they call classic migraines.
I never say that a migraine is a 10 pain level, since things can always get worse. I have had many kidney stones, and they hurt pretty awful as well, and at times they hurt more than a migraine, including having vomiting.
The biggest problem with CTE as I see it is that the NFL is a multi billion dollar a year business, and the league says it tries to make the game safer, while at the same time celebrating the horrendous hits that make the game much like a modern gladiator contest. Who has not seen the Youtube videos of the top 10 hardest hits, or the worst injuries, etc. These are approved by the NFL, no doubt to draw viewers to their games.
It is no surprise that the political and the scientific community differ in their opinions and research. The same thing could be said about just about any other condition. From the numerous cancer breakthroughs to Alzheimer’s cures, the media is always years ahead of the actual truth.
In my own case, I have found that migraines and also possible CTE, are much too difficult to figure out as being attributable to just one thing. For every migraine sufferer, or dementia case, there are likely just as many individual causes and thus treatments are going to be hard to come up with.
Even with cancer, there are so many variables that a single cure is likely to never happen. I myself am just happy that I have enough good days a month to keep myself going, and my attitude good.
Sorry for the again long post, and as always everyone have a great February.
I love it when you do these long and thoughtful posts. Please keep it up.
Stainles
I often fear that I become too wordy at times, taking over other people’s blogs. I am always willing for the blog owner to not post my comments, since I tend to ramble a lot.
Thank you for your words of encouragement. Your blog is on my must visit list, due to the many interesting things you post about. So thank you for your blog, and keep it going.