War Veterans’ Concussions Are Often Overlooked

War Veterans’ Concussions Are Often Overlooked

“They said it was because I didn’t report it in the field and seek medical attention at the time, and there was no proof” of any obvious injury, Mr. Owsley said. “I had guys write statements for me to prove it had happened. As a soldier with 23 years in the Army, them badges mean more than anything. When you get injured, you should be recognized, even if you don’t see it over there.”

These symptoms, which may be subtle and may not surface for weeks or months after their return, are often debilitating enough to hobble lives and livelihoods.

To this day, some veterans — it is impossible to know how many — remain unscreened, their symptoms undiagnosed. Mild brain injury was widely overlooked by the military and the veterans health system until recently

Given that he never lost consciousness, he figured the discomfort would work itself out and kept it to himself.

“You keep doing your job with your injuries veterans say.
These mild concussions, which do not necessarily lead to loss of consciousness, are easy to dismiss, simple to misdiagnose and difficult to detect. The injured soldiers can walk and talk. Their heads usually show no obvious signs of trauma. CT scans cannot see the injuries. And the symptoms often mirror those found in post-traumatic stress disorder, making it hard to distinguish between them. In fact, the two ailments often go hand in hand.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/26/us/26tbi.html?pagewanted=all