UNDIAGNOSED BRAIN INJURY- THE HIDDEN LEGACY OF IRAK

Link: www.guardian.uk.com

Irak and Afghanistan wars had resulted in an extremely worrying legacy, thousands of US and UK troops have suffered mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) as a consequence of the exposure to high-velocity explosions.
The number of soldiers and marines affected by this condition are estimated in more than 20% of the US army, 15% of those never recovering, and as many as 20,000 UK troops could be at risk.
This injury can be made when a soldier gets a blow on the head or is in close proximity to an explosion and even the most advanced helmets cannot protect the brain from the shock waves. The condition can lead to memory loss, depression and anxiety. Advances in brain scanning have revealed that soldiers can sustain bruising and blood clots on the brain, even if there is no visible injury.
Although the British Ministry of Defence had drawn up a list of measures to help deal with mTBI, the US troops seem to be getting better care.
I think that in the same way that the government encourages young people to join in the military forces and to “defend their country with their lives during war time”, it is a governmental obligation and a social duty, to them and their families, to provide the best treatments possible to all the troops affected by war.



Name: Cristina Soledad Guzmán- review nº 3

Source: http://www.guardian.uk.com/