US veterans work in the toughest of conditions with exposure to some severe health hazards. These can include mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, musculoskeletal injuries, or other related diseases. In addition, navy veterans also face PTSD, depression, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse, TBI, amputations, deployment, and reintegration issues.
Understanding such health concerns is essential to tackle and deal with them effectively. Most veterans seek help from Veterans Health Administration, a military treatment facility, or a family physician. The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) helps identify specific health issues common in veterans. Once in care, the Veterans Benefits Administration outlines their discharge conditions and classifications. These vary according to the type of disease.
Let us look at some common health issues veterans face in the US.
Asbestos-Related Diseases
Asbestos is a fibrous silicate mineral found in the atmosphere near shipyards built by US Navy in the ’70s and ’80s. The ship’s boiler rooms and engines contained asbestos for safety purposes. However, its exposure and inhalation lead to mesothelioma, when these minerals stick inside the lung’s lining. It can lead to lung cancer and other serious diseases later in life if left untreated.
Consult your health professional to learn more about these and other related disorders. In addition, some resources can help you get proper medical care, a way to cover treatment costs and file for US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) benefits.
TBI
Traumatic Brain Injury is prevalent among veterans due to blast injuries or complex explosive devices. The direct effects of blast waves, especially in an enclosed area, can lead to a traumatic brain injury since it can lead to temporary hearing loss, blurred vision, and disorientation. Veterans who sustained minor blast injuries also reported constant back, head, and neck pain, which later led to migraine.
Chronic pain is a subsequent component of TBI where veterans experience post-deployment TBI, with persistent chronic pain for over five years. Some latent cures include physical therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and regular exercise, followed by anti-inflammatory drugs, tricyclic antidepressants, and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. These treatments have the potential to treat depression associated with migraine.
Returning veterans with chronic pain combined with TBI have a threefold chance of having PTSD. Therefore, physicians must consider using serotonin reuptake inhibitors, mirtazapine, nefazodone, prazosin, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Medical professionals initially give these in small doses, later allowing for longer treatment medications.
PTSD
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder results from witnessing or experiencing an extremely traumatic event. Only 8% of non-military men have PTSD against 36% of military men in the US. The individual may lose sleep and have a recurrent and involuntary recollection of the event. Similar psychological or physiological events can be triggering in this case. PTSD can affect a veteran’s life in terms of employment, relationship issues, social issues, unpredictable behavior, and low quality of life.
The criteria for PTSD diagnosis depends on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. It includes the level of acute risk of harm to self or others. For the diagnosis to be positive, symptoms must be apparent for at least one month with the basis for clinical signs of distress and impaired relationships.
Amputations
With medical advancements and cutting-edge technology, the survival rate of amputated veterans is higher than it was in the ’50s or ’60s. However, amputation’s psychological trauma leads to body image insecurity and employment and social barriers. It becomes hard to transition to everyday life with extreme or multiple bodily disfigurements.
Therefore, health care professionals have to be mindful of the psychological impact of amputations. They must also address the patient’s emotional health and physical safety. In several veteran amputation cases, the emotional and psychological burden is more than the physical.
Musculoskeletal Injuries
Musculoskeletal injuries occur due to extreme physical activities with minimal rest. These can include heavy activities such as parachuting, marching, and traumatic and stress-bearing events leading to constant body pains despite exercise. When deployed in a rough area, those suffering from extreme musculoskeletal pain have to wear body armor for long periods.
Female military personnel suffered from osteoarthritis due to continuous heavy activities and traumatic injuries, 20% more than males. It can even lead to medical discharge from military service.
Musculoskeletal injuries link with chronic pain and psychiatric conditions. Those with chronic pain often receive a diagnosis of TBI (traumatic brain injury), PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), a high body mass index, anxiety and mood disorder, and substance abuse.
Hazardous Exposure
Exposure to hazardous chemicals during the war can have a long-lasting impact on a veteran’s health. Radiation, occupational hazards, warfare agents, excessive exposure to noise, and vibrations can lead to significant health problems later in life.
However, air pollution, petrochemicals, and depleted uranium in Iraq and Afghanistan are the most common forms of exposure. Veterans in Gulf experienced exposure to chemical-biological agents and asbestos. Deployed veterans reported hypertension, PTSD, musculoskeletal injuries, and periodontal disease. Veterans exposed to airborne hazards complained about breathing difficulties and decreased forced vital capacity.
According to Veteran Affairs (VA), Agent Orange was the primary cause of B-cell leukemia, lung and prostate cancer, Hodgkin’s disease, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Depression
Veterans face the most common health issue of depression. Those who experience TBI, PTSD, and chronic pain also suffer from anxiety and depression. Amputated veterans also face it more often. It can disrupt a veteran’s life and make it difficult to transition to civil life.
According to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), individuals with depression are more likely to commit suicide than those with PTSD. However, chronic depression is treatable with medications, psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive therapy.
Conclusion
Military and navy veterans spend years of their professional lives in unsafe environments that can have long-lasting health consequences. Therefore, they must take help from counseling and rehabilitation. For a healthy return to society, veterans get vocational, physical, social, mental, and emotional therapy to help regain balance in life.
Navy veterans also get a financial settlement from filing for a mesothelioma lawsuit. They then use this claim to take care of their medical expenses. The payout depends on the severity of exposure and the veteran’s health condition.
Moreover, the health concerns mentioned, along with their proper treatment, should be able to get you the help you need.
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