# "Knocking out" someone like in movies & TV

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knocking-out-someone-like-in-movies-tv/1016335>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Tags:** movies\
**Created:** [March 30, 2025, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knocking-out-someone-like-in-movies-tv/1016335 "2025-03-30T02:04:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2025, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knocking-out-someone-like-in-movies-tv/1016335/61 "2025-06-23T05:19:45Z")

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[quote=“Wesley\_Clark, post:60, topic:1016335”]  
The Russians used carfentanil as the gas, which isn’t a good choice due to the high risk of overdose.[/quote]

I believe that many more of the hostages may have survived if the Russian Authorities had identified the narcotic agent used to the First Responders - Naloxone is effective for carfentanil, although I believe that multiple doses may be required until the drug has cleared the patients system.

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2025, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knocking-out-someone-like-in-movies-tv/1016335/62 "2025-06-23T05:40:47Z")

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> [@DocCathode](#):
>
> AIUI A blow to the head severe enough to cause unconsciousness usually causes some memory loss as well.

IIRC, it’s probably because anything that stuns your brain to that extent will probably prevent your short term memory from transferring itself to your long term memory, and so by the time you recover consciousness the short term memory will have expired.

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**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2025, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knocking-out-someone-like-in-movies-tv/1016335/63 "2025-06-24T18:54:11Z")

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Let’s not exaggerate: a blow to the head resulting in unconsciousness is a form of concussion. There are about 3.8 million concussions in the US from sport alone. Yes, if you lose consciousness you should go to the emergency room for observation. The medical community takes head trauma much more seriously than it used to. But it’s not like permanent effects are guaranteed or even probable from a single impact.

> **[Concussion in Athletes | University of Michigan Health](https://www.uofmhealth.org/conditions-treatments/brain-neurological-conditions/concussion-athletes-neurosport)**
>
> The University of Michigan is one of only a handful of comprehensive programs in the country dedicated to the neurological concerns of athletes through its multidisciplinary NeuroSport outpatient clinic.

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**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2025, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knocking-out-someone-like-in-movies-tv/1016335/64 "2025-06-24T22:59:31Z")

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> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#):
>
> But it’s not like permanent effects are guaranteed or even probable from a single impact.

I agree, but the transient effects can be quite terrible. A coworker got a concussion from football. He saw everything purple for quite some time. When my wife got one, she was puking for days. You don’t get up, like Joe Mannix, and carry on like nothing happened, either.

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