Troops risk undetected brain injury
Updated 6/7/2006 11:30 PM ET
Army Specialist Allan Beck is treated at Balad Air Force Theater Hospital, the busiest military hospital in Iraq. Researchers found that about 20% of troops in front-line infantry units suffer from brain injuries during combat.

Army Specialist Allan Beck is treated at Balad Air Force Theater Hospital, the busiest military hospital in Iraq. Researchers found that about 20% of troops in front-line infantry units suffer from brain injuries during combat.

WHAT IS A CONCUSSION?

Concussions occur when a blow to the head jars the brain, triggering disorientation and sometimes more severe effects. Although often written-off as minor nuisances, the injuries can have serious, long-term consequences.

Symptoms after a blow to the head: Possible loss of consciousness, trouble remembering things before and after the injury, confusion, dizziness, vertigo, lightheadedness, blurred or double vision and ringing in the ears.

Different levels of severity: Physicians determine a concussion's severity by reviewing the length of time a person is disoriented, length of unconsciousness and amount of memory loss.

â?¢ Mild: Characterized by confusion and no loss of consciousness. Symptoms disappear in less than 15 minutes.
â?¢ Moderate: Confusion that lasts more than 15 minutes and loss of consciousness for less than five minutes.
â?¢ Severe: Loss of consciousness for more than five minutes. Symptoms, including amnesia, persist for more than 24 hours.

Research by Shawn Brouwer, USA TODAY
By Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY
Thousands of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan may be risking permanent brain damage by returning to combat with relatively minor but undiagnosed concussions, often caused by bomb blasts, military researchers say.

Doctors say they are only now understanding the scope of the problem. Researchers screening returning soldiers and Marines at four military bases found that about 10% suffered at least a minor brain injury during combat. About 20% of troops in front-line infantry units suffered such injuries.

The injuries frequently go undiagnosed because troops have no visible wounds or may not know they suffered a concussion, doctors say. Medics and field doctors often aren't aware of what happened during fighting.
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