Each year more research is done on the effect of football on the brains of those who play it. Each year the research becomes a little bit more frightening. Data suggests some high school players are subjected to as many as 1,600 hits during a season. Those hits can lead to some serious injuries down the line -- causing problems for players on and off of the field.

A Cincinnati-based study, conducted by several pediatric emergency medicine fellows at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, indicates that a number of high school football players say it’s OK to play with a concussion. The study, which surveyed 120 Cincinnati high school players, tested these students on their knowledge of concussions and their symptoms in addition to their attitudes toward participating after this type of head injury.

Players don’t want to report potential Sports Brain Injuries for fear of losing playing time or hurting their team’s chance for glory. Sometimes, players even feel pressure to “shake it off” and remain on the field.

It's no secret that concussions have a profound impact on the brain. But what exactly happens when someone sustains a concussion? Typical symptoms of concussion as reported by SportsMD.com include:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea/vomiting
• Delayed verbal/motor response
• Confusion/difficulty concentrating
• Disorientation
• Slurred or incoherent speech
• Incoordination
• Ringing in the ears
• Inability to remember recent or past events
• Loss of consciousness
• Sleep disturbances
• Photophobia (sensitivity to light)
• Sensitivity to loud noises
• Fogginess

One concussion is bad enough. Multiple concussions can be deadly.

"Despite their knowledge, many athletes in our sample reported that they would not tell their coach about symptoms and would continue to play," Anderson said. "A small percentage even responded that athletes have a responsibility to play in important games with a concussion.”

Concussion in athletes is not becoming an epidemic. It already is one.