Veterans Health Guide: Service-Related Injuries

Veterans Health Guide: Service-Related Injuries

The military is a dangerous occupation that comes with a lot of hazards. Due to the nature of their job, military veterans suffer from many different health conditions that are not common in other people. The conditions may be physical or mental, depending on the cause. Some of the injuries they face during service are permanent and affect them even after leaving the service. Mental conditions, such as depression and substance disorders, are the most common. Physical issues, including hearing impairment and joint dislocations, also affect veterans’ lives. This article will point out the most common injuries veterans deal with as a result of working in the military. 

Tinnitus and Hearing Loss.

Hearing loss is a common health issue in the military due to the loud noise of guns and explosions. Studies show that most veterans suffer from hearing loss and other problems, such as tinnitus, after spending a long time on military bases and war grounds. Many veterans seek disability funds due to tinnitus. Their eardrums get damaged from blasts of sound waves. Some injuries heal on their own, some require treatment, while some permanently damage the hearing ability of a veteran. Luckily, hearing problems a retreated as a disability, and these veterans can get support from wounded veterans’ charity organizations to try and live a normal everyday life like other citizens. 

However, not all soldiers suffer from hearing problems, since they get 3M Combat Arms Earplugs, which help them prevent service-related hearing issues. The Department of Defense has been working tirelessly to ensure that soldiers’ hearing ability are protected by giving them these earplugs when on duty. 

Vision Loss.

Losing the ability to see has been one of the most common injuries experienced by veterans due to old age and service-related injuries. Some veterans face age-related diseases, including cataracts and stroke, which have the highest capability of affecting their sight. Additionally, some veterans, especially those who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, suffer from blurred reading problems and double vision due to blast-related brain injuries. 

Thousands of veterans are blind, and millions suffer from vision problems. This makes it hard for them to carry out their daily tasks, requiring aid from well-wishers. Wounded Warrior Family Support has been on the front line to help such veterans and their families get comfortable lives. The defense department also established centers for vision aid to enhance vision health and improve the quality of veterans’ lives and those in service. Veterans can also get disability benefits by filing for disability for visual impairment. 

Other physical injuries include: strain in ankles as a result of strenuous exercises and running, shoulder and back injuries caused by lifting and carrying heavy weights, head injuries, lost limbs, and gunshot wounds. 

Mental Health and PTSD.

Apart from physical injuries, which can easily be spotted from a distance, veterans also suffer from mental health injuries. Most of them suffer from anxiety and depression caused by brain damage. They also have sexual traumas after being molested during service. Although these injuries are invisible, they are serious and can lead to PTSD and suicidal thoughts. 

You will see that most veterans are depressed due to horrifying experiences during service. Some of them turn to drugs while seeking ways to deal with the effects of sexual trauma, deployment, and exposure to injuries. As a result, they develop substance use disorder and are unable to live or function properly without using drugs. They become heavy drinkers and smokers and neglect their families. This is where non-profit organizations aiming at helping wounded veterans and their families come in and offer mental health treatments and other kinds of support. 

In conclusion, society needs to understand that military members face terrifying experiences, and thus, they may face certain health issues that are not common to civilians. They are physically and mentally injured, making it hard for them to transition to the civilian world. The community should understand them and offer support to ensure they feel comfortable and as part of the whole. Other non-profit organizations should also put more effort into collaborating with the government to take care of these heroes who sacrificed their lives for the safety and peace of the nation. 

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