Social Problem Policies

Traumatic Brain Injuries in Veterans Name Institution of Affiliation Date Traumatic Brain Injuries in Veterans Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are severe public health problems with possibly devastating effects and far-reaching consequences (Tbiac, 2014). These harms occur following a jolt or blow to the head or a piercing head injury that upsets the normal functioning of the brain. TBIs can cause death or an enduring disability that can considerably affect victims, their families, their societies and the state (New York State, 2012). TBI is highly predictable and preventable, but most of the energies and resources to the disorder go into treatment and rehabilitation, not prevention. It affects individuals of all ages and is the leading cause of long-term disability among youngsters and young adults. Matched with other conditions, the frequency of TBIs happening in the U.S. is approximately eight times greater than the number of breast cancer diagnoses and thirty-four times the number of new cases of HIV/AIDS (Nacho, 2013). TBI, also branded as the silent epidemic, has lately received greater attention as it has become the signature wound of the Iraq conflict. It is projected that 60 percent of combatants recently injured in Operation Iraqi Freedom have sustained blast injuries and doctors approximate that 60% to 80% of the blast-injured soldiers acquired TBI. Because it may not be diagnosed immediately, the Department of Defense has screened American troops both before and after they are deployed to a battle to determine better whether they sustained brain injury in warfare (Bagalman, 2015). Causes The Brain Injury Association of America outlines TBI as an alteration in brain functioning, or other evidence of brain pathology, triggered by an external force (Tbiac, 2014). TBI results mostly from assaults, motor vehicle/traffic accidents, falls and other instances in which the head is hit by or strikes an object. In military service members, TBI may result from those kinds of happenings or bullets, improvised explosive devices, grenades, mortars, or mines. Symptoms Individuals with TBI may experience a range of difficulties, including variations in physical functioning, communication, sensory processing cognition, and behavior (Bagalman, 2015). In the days or weeks following a TBI, roughly 40% of patients develop an array of indicators jointly called post-concussion syndrome. They include vertigo, headaches, irritability, dizziness, memory problems, apathy, and concentration problems, sleeping problems, anxiety, restlessness and depression. For some, post-concussion syndrome and other complications associated with TBI may resolve over time. While for others, the difficulties may persevere for a lifetime. Symptoms and signs depend on the part on the severity of the TBI, which part of the brain was wounded, the person's age and self-fitness, for instance, whether there has been prior harm, and other factors. Treatment How TBI is cured varies with the severity of the wound, along with other factors. Most cases of mild TBI heal without medical attention; instruction about mild TBI care can effectively return to normal symptoms and provide t...