#i-fixed-it Memes and Concussion Symptoms (Re)Surfacing Over Time

My wife Shera and I have a particular fondness for the ifixedit memes.

Not just the memes themselves, but identifying ifixedit exemplars in everyday life. There are lots of photos exchanged in the family chat.

And I have to admit that I've had quite a few ifixedit projects of my own.

What epitomizes them is the that they work in the moment but the solution is only temporary. It's only a matter of time until the situation gets worse.

And the same thing is true in a lot of cases involving concussion.

Everyone uses the word "healing" to describe what happens as symptoms dissipate over time. But healing suggests that things will go back to the way they were before the injury and that symptoms will not reappear.

In most cases people get better from concussion. Symptoms either resolve or recede into the background. But they don't necessarily stay better.

There are specific ways aging can interact with an old concussion and make certain issues more noticeable or more disabling later in life.

Cognitive Reserve and the Ebbing Tide

Even after an mTBI has “healed,” the brain may operate with slightly reduced cognitive reserve. Cognitive reserve describes the brain's capacity to handle things like stress and multitasking.

As people age their cognitive reserves decline and old deficits can become unmasked. ("Until the tide goes out you don't know who's swimming naked.")

Age removes some of the compensatory cushion that "hides" residual deficits after a brain injury.

Sleep Changes With Age Can Exacerbate Old Symptoms

Aging brings more fragmented sleep and reduced deep sleep.

Sleep is also critical for regulating:

• Headaches

• Emotional control

• Concentration

If the concussion left any subtle vulnerability in these domains, aging-related sleep disruption can magnify them.

Declining Balance Highlights Vestibular Losses

If the concussion involved even mild vestibular disturbance, the aging inner ear and proprioceptive systems may make balance issues more apparent.

Who Is Most Likely to Experience Re-Emerging or Worsening Symptoms With Age?

Some people don't have anything to worry about.

But there's a reason for concern that apparent improvements won't last/the duct tape won't hold if you:

• Had symptoms lasting >3 months after the injury

• Had multiple concussions

• Have sleep disorders

• Have anxiety, depression, PTSD, or chronic pain

• Are over 60 and experiencing vascular risk factors

Bottom Line

Some people have complete recoveries after a concussion. But aging has a tendency to reveal deficits that didn't really go away after the concussion but were really lingering in the background.