How hard do you have to shake your head to get brain damage?

Question

I was just wondering if it's possible to damage your brain by shaking your head (not planning to do this). Is it possible at all, and if it is then how hard do you need to shake your head?

Answer 1

This type of brain injury would be called diffuse axonal injury. It occurs with very strong shaking movements, such as in car accidents, falls, or Shaken Baby Syndrome. Therefore if someone shook you hard enough, or you shook yourself hard enough, fell, etc. it would be possible to cause this damage to yourself. I don't need to say how important it is to try to avoid this.

More info:

Diffuse axonal injury occurs in about half of all severe head traumas, making it one of the most common traumatic brain injuries. It can also occur in moderate and mild brain injury. A diffuse axonal injury falls under the category of a diffuse brain injury. This means that instead of occurring in a specific area, like a focal brain injury, it occurs over a more widespread area. In addition to being one of the most common types of brain injuries, it’s also one of the most devastating.

Causes of Diffuse Axonal Injury

Diffuse axonal injury isn’t the result of a blow to the head. Instead, it results from the brain moving back and forth in the skull as a result of acceleration or deceleration. Automobile accidents, falls, and child abuse such as Shaken Baby Syndrome are common causes of diffuse axonal injury.

When acceleration or deceleration causes the brain to move within the skull, axons, the process that allows neurons to send messages between them, are disrupted. As tissue slides over tissue, a shearing injury occurs. This causes the lesions that are responsible for unconsciousness, as well as the vegetative state that occurs after a severe head injury.

Prognosis of Diffuse Axonal Injury

It is thought that diffuse axonal injury can occur in just about every level of severity, with concussion thought to be one of the milder forms. About 90 percent of survivors with severe diffuse axonal injury remain unconscious. The 10 percent that regain consciousness are often severely impaired.

Answer 2

Probably banging your head against a concrete wall. At at least 20mph. if you shake your head continuously, at maximum speed then you can.

Answer 3

you cannot cause brain damage by shaking your own head. I can say that with 100% confidence.

Answer 4

Very hard

Answer 5

Not likely.

Brain damage usually occurs at a level so hig that you would be knocked unconscious.  In most case a skull fracture is required in an adult.

BABIES are a different story . . .  Their head and brains ar not fully developed, so merely shaking them can cause brain damage.  but it is usually indicated by unconsciousness.

And of cource, there is alwasy the possibility that you have some as-yet-undiagnosed malformation or disease, in which case just a violent shaking of your head could do the damage.  but this would be rare.