TBI

That seems to be the new injury for this was. This happens when a soldier is exposed to an improvised explosive devices or IEDs. The soldier may get traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and not even no he has it. There may be no outside physical injuries in which to diagnose this problem. And a problem it is. There are 1,800 soldiers so far suffering from this. But it is thought that as much as 30% of the forces serving in Iraq may suffer from this. This is the article about that appeared in the Washington Post on Sunday. There was also a follow up on-line discussion today.

As the article points out:

Iraq has brought back one of the worst afflictions of World War I trench warfare: shell shock. The brain of a soldier exposed to a roadside bomb is shocked, truly.

And this point:

"TBIs from Iraq are different," said P. Steven Macedo, a neurologist and former doctor at the Veterans Administration. Concussions from motorcycle accidents injure the brain by stretching or tearing it, he noted. But in Iraq, something else is going on. "When the sound wave moves through the brain, it seems to cause little gas bubbles to form," he said. "When they pop, it leaves a cavity. So you are littering people's brains with these little holes."

And the medical system for soldiers mostly the Verteran's Administration is woefully unprepared for this. Another off-shoot of the poor planning of this administation in regards to the war.

I hope that this gets the attention it deserves and action is taken to make sure anyone who needs treatment gets it.