What is Talk and Die Syndrome?

After actress Natasha Richardson's sudden and shocking death after a slip on a Canadian ski slope, many are asking what shock and die syndrome means.

Talk and die syndrome gets its names from the uncanny ability of its victims to appear lucid and talkative after a seemingly harmless injury. This leads others, as well as the victim, to believe they're fine or suffered only minor injuries. But in reality, a simple bump on the head can result in massive internal bleeding and uncontrolled swelling. An epidural hemorrhage. This leads to a rapid collection of blood between the skull and brain and can eventually cause rapid deterioration, multiple strokes, brain damage and eventual death.

However, talk and die syndrome is actually a very rare occurrence, even in serious head trauma cases. A 2007 review in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience discovered that approximately 2.6 percent of those who died from head injuries suffered from the syndrome. And in some cases, there are no symptoms at all until it's too late to do anything about it. In other cases, headache, nausea, vomiting, seizures, forgetfulness, disorientation, or dizziness can be a sign of serious head injury. Anyone displaying such symptoms should receive immediate medical attention and a CT scan to look for signs of bleeding or other damage.

Wearing a protective helmet during potentially hazardous activities and always being checked by a doctor after a head injury of any kind is probably the best preventive measures. It's also important to remember that even if you feel completely fine, you may be suffering from unforeseen bleeds, tears, and potential brain swelling and other damage.

It's also possible that Richardson suffered from an arterial dissection, or a small tear along the inner lining of the arteries of the neck and can cause severe trauma. That tearing can cause excessive clotting and a deadly stroke.

Reports suggest Richardson was active and talking for about an hour after her injury. It was then she complained of head pain and was taken to an area hospital. Local paramedics claim they never saw the actress on the slopes and were turned away from the resort after she declined additional treatment. Had she been treated and received a scan, doctors may have been able to combat additional swelling, bleeding, and perhaps her death.

The New York City medical examiner's autopsy officially determined Richardson's cause of death as blunt trauma to the head.