Personal Injury Law

Mild Head Injuries Tied to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

By Michael Phelan

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine represents the military's first large-scale effort to gauge the effect of mild head injuries -concussions (many from roadside blasts)- that some experts worry may cause a host of undiagnosed neurological problems. My last blog reported on a study concluding that undiagnosed head trauma is the cause of a host of later cognitive and behavioral problems. This military study found that soldiers who had concussions were more likely than those with other injuries to report a variety of physical and mental symptoms in their first months home from active duty, including headaches, poor sleep, and balance problems. Significantly, they were also at higher risk for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Symptoms of PTSD include irritability, sleep problems, and flashbacks.

Full post as published by Richmond Virginia Personal Injury Lawyer on February 02, 2008 (boomark / email).