Traumatic Brain Injury in Military - Essay Example

?Traumatic Brain Injury in Military Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is an important health-related challenge affecting military service personnel both during war and when at peace (DVBIC, 2009). The rates of injury are however high during combat operations and this directly and indirectly affects not only the individual combater, but also the retention of the troops and readiness of the units. Infact, it will not be exaggerated if one goes to the extent of saying that TBI affects every aspect of the service of the Department of Defence and also the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVBIC, 2009). TBI can have severe impact on the individuals and can affect them all through their life. According to DHCC (2010), "TBI is often associated with severe multiple trauma, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or undiagnosed concussions and screening patients who are at risk for a TBI is important in order to ensure that TBIs are identified and appropriately treated." In this essay, TBI among military personnel will be discussed briefly. Any insult to the brain due to some form of external force is known as traumatic brain injury. According to DHCC (2010), "A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the function of the brain." The injury can lead to any sequelae like altered consciousness, impaired cognition, delirium and impaired physical functioning. These changes can lead to various problems with thinking, language, movement, concentration and even sensation. TBI can also lead to other emotional and personality changes, tiredness, depression, violence, irritability, disinhibited behavior and lack of ability to carry out day-to-day activities. Among the military personnel, those who are on active duty are at more risk of suffering TBI when compared to their civilian peers. In general, statistics show that men between 18- 24 years of age are at increased risk of TBI when compared to other age groups (DVBIC, 2009). It is also important to note than TBI can occur even during daily activities, especially when they are unusual. Military personnel frequently enjoy certain non-service activities like climbing mountains, parachuting, riding motor cycles and car racing. These activities may be a part of their daily physical training. These services are basically intended to increase their quality of life, however; they are also fraught with increased risk of TBI (DVBIC, 2009). Spinal cord injuries and TBI account for about 25 percent of casualities related to combat (DVBIC, 2009). The most common type of combat-related injury is concussion and mild traumatic brain injury. In current scenario, use of protective devices like Kelvar helmets and various types of advanced body armours have infact, minimized the incidence of TBI and have saved the lives of many military personnel. But these gadgets do not protect the frontal aspects of the head, the facial parts and also the spinal cord. Thus, though advanced medical care helps in improving survival rates, the long terms effects of the injuries continue to haunt the personnel (DVBIC, 2009). TBIs in military operations are often complex and can be of multiple types. A blast can cause sudden both external and internal injuries. It can cause contusions and concussions in the brain. Flying fragments of the blast can cause tear of various structures and lead to various sequelae. The various signs and symptoms related to TBI depend on the extent and area of injury. In war, poly trauma can occur and due to other organ damage and injury to other parts of the body, it is often difficult to predict the extent of brain injury. While most symptoms are obvious immediately after the injury, some may manifest a few days or even a few weeks after injury. Some patients may present with simple problems like confabulation wherein the individual cooks up stories in gaps of memory (Kennard, 2006). In mild TBI, there may be no obvious changes on CT or MRI scan. However, the patient may present with few symptoms like blurring of vision, tired eyes, ligh theadedness, dizziness, confusion, headache, change in sleep patterns, lethargy, fatigue, memory problems, decrease in attention and concentration, mood changes, behavioural changes, altered taste in mouth and even head aches. In severe TBI, the head aches may last for more than 30 minutes and amnesia may be there. headaches are common and they either worsen or do not improve. the patient may also develop nausea and vomiting, seizures, inability to awaken from sleep, slurring of speech, increased confusion, poor or loss of coordination, agitation, restlessness, weakness in the limbs, etc (Adams, 2009). The effect touches emotional, psychological, social, cultural and even economical angles of not only the inflicted individual but also his family members. Each and every member can get affected. As Gill (1999), describes "within one brief moment, a person’s world will be changed forever and like a ripple on the water, one injured family member affects the entire family system." Along with the patient, the life style of the family members too changes (Adams, 2009). The recovery time is variable. In most of the cases, the injury is a mild concussion or mild TBI and the recovery time is usually a few weeks or even months. A few percentage of the individuals may have persistent symptoms even after that period. However, those with moderate or even severe injury may not recover completely and this can lead to drastic change in their lives and also of their loved ones. Many of them will need support services, especially that of health all through their life (Kennard, 2006). According to the a lead trauma surgeon, Commander James Dunne (cited in Adams, 2009), "those servicemen and women with an undiagnosed brain injury can lose all-too-important treatment time, which can prolong recovery time and possibly cause serious personal complications and setbacks." The family members suffer from anxiety and stress. They may have to adjust to the role of caregiver. Some may need to start working to help with family finances. The family members may develop certain irrational beliefs which make them more difficult to adjust to the lifestyle. The expenses of the injured person will add to the household expenses, creating a financial deficit in the family. Some of the incurred expenses of the survivor include nursing care, physiotherapy, respiratory therapy, transportation, specialized equipment like air mattress, wheel chair, adaptive clothing, bed bags, etc (Gill, 1999). Financial management is one of the crucial area of concern for the families of survivors of spinal injury, especially when the injured person is the only earning member of the family. Finances are needed to meet the family needs and also for the ongoing treatment and rehabilitation process of the patient. Non-government organizations, mainly non-profit organizations play an important role in the adjustment to the new lifestyle of both the survivor and the family members. Many family members, especially spouses suffer from psychosocial stress and burn-out. Social workers from these organizations can counsel and advise proper stress relieving therapy and behavioral therapy and offer emotional support. The organizations also can provide funds through donations or identify financial programs which are suitable for the survivor and his family and assist them in getting the benefits of the program. Thus, TBI in military is common and the most common type is mild TBI. TBI can lead to several consequences both physical and other, both for the individual and family members and warrants intervention from both government and non-government fronts. References Adams, G. (2009). Traumatic Brain Injury in the Military. Retrieved from http://www.disabled-world.com/health/neurology/tbi/military-tbi.php DHCC. (2010). Traumatic Brain Injury. Retrieved from http://www.pdhealth.mil/TBI.asp Gill, M. (1999). Psychosocial Implications of Spinal Cord Injury. Critical Care Nursing Quaterly, 22(2), 1-2. Kennard, J. (2006). Traumatic Brain Injury in Combat Troops. Retrieved from http://menshealth.about.com/od/conditions/a/TBI_Comat_Troop.htm DVBIC. (2009). Traumatic Brain Injury and the Military. Retrieved from http://www.dvbic.org/TBI---The-Military.aspx Read More