Washington, D.C.- In the past the issues that the US Military and the Veterans Administration are dealing with involving traumatic brain injuries was simply not an issue. This is simply because in the past, people did not survive bombing or terror attacks, they were killed in the blast or not able to be saved in the medical emergency room.
Now, due to increased medical technology, and better armor and protection, US Servicemembers are returning from the battlefield having had a traumatic battlefield experience, and it is being found that many of these Servicemembers suffer from traumatic brain injuries.
The soldiers or troops that are in an explosion or serious battle suffer a great deal of stress and heavy blast forces. These forces cause the brain to literally bounce around in their head, resulting in trauma and brain injuries.
As the war on Terror and Operation Iraqi Freedom has progressed, so has the number of traumatic brain and head type injuries. The medical experts are learning volumes about these type of injuries, and how to best combat both the initial injuries, and how to best treat the Servicemembers that suffer from this type of injury.
Now, there is a lot better screening that is being done for soldiers in the field, and the incidence of traumatic brain injury, while alarming, is much better when it is diagnosed earlier rather than after the soldier has returned home. Treatment can begin earlier, and the long term effects of such trauma can in many cases be lessened or reduced considerably.
Washington, D.C.- In the past the issues that the US Military and the Veterans Administration are dealing with involving traumatic brain injuries was simply not an issue. This is simply because in the past, people did not survive bombing or terror attacks, they were killed in the blast or not able to be saved in the medical emergency room.
Now, due to increased medical technology, and better armor and protection, US Servicemembers are returning from the battlefield having had a traumatic battlefield experience, and it is being found that many of these Servicemembers suffer from traumatic brain injuries.
The soldiers or troops that are in an explosion or serious battle suffer a great deal of stress and heavy blast forces. These forces cause the brain to literally bounce around in their head, resulting in trauma and brain injuries.
As the war on Terror and Operation Iraqi Freedom has progressed, so has the number of traumatic brain and head type injuries. The medical experts are learning volumes about these type of injuries, and how to best combat both the initial injuries, and how to best treat the Servicemembers that suffer from this type of injury.
Now, there is a lot better screening that is being done for soldiers in the field, and the incidence of traumatic brain injury, while alarming, is much better when it is diagnosed earlier rather than after the soldier has returned home. Treatment can begin earlier, and the long term effects of such trauma can in many cases be lessened or reduced considerably. 
