Iran war renews concerns about the lasting toll of traumatic brain injuries to US troops
- Joe Shearer, a Marine, was diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries from blasts experienced in Iraq.
- Nearly 700 U.S. service members have been wounded by drone and missile attacks in the Middle East, with many suffering from traumatic brain injuries.
- Doctors are still learning how explosive blasts injure the brain differently than physical blows.
- Democratic lawmakers are calling for an investigation into the care of troops injured in an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait.
- Experts say that while the military has made strides in screening for TBIs, injuries may still be undercounted due to overlapping symptoms with other conditions.
When Joe Shearer was a Marine fighting in Iraq, a blast from an enemy mortar round knocked him down and made him vomit. He got up and kept going despite a searing headache. Shearer, who was recently diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries from fighting in Iraq, links both events in 2005 to his condition, which has left him with symptoms such as dizziness and migraines.
The lasting effects of traumatic brain injuries are raising concerns about the toll of the Iran war on American troops. Nearly 700 U.S. service members have been wounded by drone and missile attacks on bases in the Middle East, with many experiencing traumatic brain injuries and returning to duty.
Doctors are still learning how explosive blasts injure the brain versus a physical blow. The Pentagon has stated that most injuries over a recent two-week period were classified as “minor concussions.” Democratic lawmakers are now calling for investigations into the care provided to wounded troops following specific attacks.
Experts note that while the military has made strides in screening and treating TBIs, the injuries could still be undercounted due to overlapping symptoms with post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions. A TBI diagnosis can sometimes emerge years after the initial injury, complicating the understanding of its long-term effects.
伊朗战争重燃对美国军人创伤性脑损伤长期影响的担忧
乔·希尔（Joe Shearer）在伊拉克作战时，敌方迫击炮的爆炸将他击倒并使他呕吐。他尽管头痛难忍，仍然继续前进。希尔最近被诊断为因在伊拉克作战而导致的创伤性脑损伤，他将2005年发生的两次事件与他的病情联系在一起，这使他出现了头晕和偏头痛等症状。
创伤性脑损伤的长期影响引发了人们对伊朗战争对美国军人造成影响的担忧。近700名美国军人在中东的基地遭到无人机和导弹袭击受伤，其中许多人经历了创伤性脑损伤并返回了岗位。
医生们仍在学习爆炸波如何与物理撞击不同地损伤大脑。五角大楼表示，最近两周内大多数伤害被归类为“轻微脑震荡”。民主党立法者现在呼吁对特定攻击后提供给受伤军人的护理进行调查。
专家指出，尽管军方在筛查和治疗创伤性脑损伤方面取得了进展，但由于症状与创伤后应激障碍和其他疾病重叠，这些伤害可能仍被低估。创伤性脑损伤的诊断有时可能在初次受伤多年后才出现，这使得理解其长期影响变得复杂。