Repeated minor head injuries are more dangerous that a singular major head injury.

Question

According to this Mayo Clinic article, repeated minor head traumas are the true cause of CTE and can be more dangerous than a singular major head trauma resulting in being knocked out.

This is most common with athletes playing contact sports, where they are repeatedly taking hits to the head that may not show much damage up front, so they are not given proper time to heal.

Answer 1

The claim that repeated minor head injuries are more dangerous than a single major injury is misleading. Although, yes repeated head injuries without enough time to heal have been proven to cause long-term damage, it is commonly on a case-by-case basis. Traumatic Brain Injuries, or TBI, are much more fatal than many smaller injuries, and up to 20% of survivors of TBIs have permanent disabilities. However, it has also been proven by a study conducted by the University of Oxford that 3 minor concussions can have similar consequences to one major concussion, although the fatality rate is much higher in cases of a major concussion.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chronic-traumatic-encephalopathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20370921

https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2023-01-31-three-or-more-concussions-linked-worse-brain-function-later-life

Answer 2

Claiming repeated minor head traumas are more dangerous than a single major head trauma that results in loss of consciousness is misleading. Additionally, I read the original Mayo Clinic article you linked and couldn't find the claim you listed.

According to the Mayo Clinic's page on Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs), any blow to the head that causes behavioral changes necessitates an immediate visit to the doctor. But if there are symptoms specific to TBIs like loss of consciousness, the Mayo Clinic advises seeking emergency medical care due to the dangers associated with a TBI.

While brains with CTE are found to have an atrophy-causing protein, this atrophy equates to the atrophy associated with Alzheimer's disease or dementia which people can live with for decades. 

Though some TBIs are referred to as a "mild TBI", the Mayo clinic says "The terms 'mild,' 'moderate' and 'severe' are used to describe the effect of the injury on brain function. A mild injury to the brain is still a serious injury that requires prompt attention and an accurate diagnosis." Every TBI carries the risk of potentially life-threatening symptoms like seizures, repeated vomiting, inability to wakeup from sleep, and more. All of these symptoms can immediately threaten the lives of TBI sufferers, whereas CTE's effects take place over a long period of time.

Answer 3

The idea that many small head injuries are more risky than one big one is not quite true. While it's correct that frequent head knocks, without time to heal, can lead to lasting harm, it usually depends on each case. Serious brain injuries, or TBI, are often more deadly than several small hits, and nearly 20% of TBI survivors end up with life-long issues. But, research from the University of Oxford shows that three mild concussions can lead to similar effects as one severe one, though the chance of death is higher with a major concussion.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chronic-traumatic-encephalopathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20370921