Thursday, April 8, 2010

Traumatic Brain Injuries and the Military


Military men and women are continually involved situations where risk of injury is high. One silent war wound that can often go unnoticed is a traumatic brain injury (TBI) . A TBI damages the brain that can often cause life-altering wounds, which can result in changes in personality, behavior, and even the brain functions of the victim. Some of these conditions are not just life-altering, but can be life threatening and are often partnered with rehabilitation from special care facilities like CareMeridian Las Vegas nursing home.


According to the Veterans Health Initiative, active male members of the military were hospitalized due to TBI related injuries at a rate of 231 per 100,000. The rate for female members of the military was 150 per 100,000. Based on these statistics over 4,000 military personnel are hospitalized on average each year for traumatic brain injuries. Some are as mild as a concussion, while others can be severe and have life altering effects.


The best way to prevent TBI is through awareness. Recognizing and responding to the symptoms of a TBI can often aid in the preventing further damage caused by the injury. Dizziness, headaches, changes in personality or sleep patterns, and memory loss are clear signs of TBI. Unfortunately these symptoms can sometimes be ignored or discarded as minor pains during times of conflict and even once the solider returns home. This sets up a dangerous precedent for a war wound that may never heal, so it is vital that serviceman and their families are aware of TBI, so that they can recognize and help treat it if symptoms are present.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Capn,

I think you are the one with a brain injury.

Anonymous said...

Captain Lambert,

The medical people from Doctors, and Nurses to Navy Corpsman and Army Medics do an outstanding job and presently save a lot of Warriors, where in conflicts of the past many died from battle field wounds. Those with TBI should be monitored closely and treated with the best care possible. They are some of the ones who have given so much in order that we can enjoy the freedom they enabled us to have.

Very Respectfully,
Navyman834

Unknown said...

Brain Injury has become very severe issue from the couple of years. Your report about the brain injury in military men is very informative and helpful to fight against this severe disease. Thank you so much for such great work. traumatic brain injury