Did the Browns misdiagnose Manziel with concussion to cover his drunkenness?

Johnny Manziel and the Cleveland Browns found themselves at the center of concussion news this week. Allegations were made that the team diagnosed Manziel with a concussion in order to cover up the fact that he came to work drunk.

 

Manziel came to a team meeting the Wednesday before the Browns’ season finale (Dec. 30) complaining of light sensitivity, headache, and vomiting. He was subsequently diagnosed with a concussion by an independent neurologist and ruled out of the game.

 

But recent reports have suggested that he was either drunk or hung over and that the Browns misreported a concussion to cover up that fact. Manziel proceeded to go to Vegas and then miss his next assessment. Eventually he was released from the concussion protocol on Jan. 12.

 

The Browns have been severely lambasted for the assumed cover-up, and if there was in fact a deliberate misdiagnosis, especially given how difficult it’s been to motivate professional teams and players to take concussions seriously, then they deserve it. Taking advantage of the public’s sensitivity to concussions to cover up bad behavior is not okay in any way.

 

But by the same token, concussion diagnoses are heavily dependent on patient feedback. Hangovers and concussions have many symptoms in common, so when Manziel displayed those symptoms, the Browns were absolutely right to send him for an examination. In fact, they would have been equally criticized if they had failed to take Manziel’s symptoms seriously and ignored them.

 

If he was misdiagnosed thereafter, it’s possible that it was simply because Manziel’s symptoms and feedback matched those of a concussion victim. Again, if the doctors and team knew he didn’t have a concussion and reported one anyway, that is unacceptable. But if there was a real possibility that what he was experiencing was in fact a head injury, they did the right thing. When it comes to head safety, it’s much better to err on the side of caution.

 

*Scientists have no conclusive evidence as to whether or how the reduction of g-forces during impacts reduces the number or degree of concussions and head injuries. GelDefender products provide supplemental padding as well as cooling and comfort benefits when used with helmets and caps. Participants in activities in which head impacts can occur should always use tested and approved helmets for protection. However, no helmet or supplemental padding can protect the user from all serious head or neck injuries that can result from impacts.

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