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Symptom Reporting and Management of Chronic Post-Concussive Symptoms in Military Service Members and Veterans

  • Brain Injury Medicine and Rehabilitation (A Wagner, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)/concussion is a significant health concern for military service members and veterans; however, these are distinct populations that warrant certain considerations related to clinical care and rehabilitation. This review elucidates these key aspects of military mTBI that differ from civilians.

Recent Findings

Several contextual variables pertaining to military culture, mechanism and frequency of mTBI in military settings, symptom attribution and over-reporting, potential secondary gain, and elevated mental health comorbidities, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sleep disturbance, and chronic pain, are key moderating factors that often influence symptom presentation.

Summary

Characteristics of military mTBI differentially affect chronic post-concussive symptom reporting and recovery and are essential to understand to provide effective clinical management with this population. Evidence-based treatments (i.e., psychoeducation, cognitive rehabilitation, cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy) have been developed, though maximally effective mTBI diagnosis/evaluation, clinical management, recovery, and research are best facilitated by interdisciplinary collaboration.

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Acknowledgements

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report, and none have any financial interest with the subject matter discussed in the manuscript. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or the official policy of the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, or US Government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA

    Jason R. Soble

  2. Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC), San Antonio, TX, USA

    Douglas B. Cooper, Lisa H. Lu & Jan E. Kennedy

  3. Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Douglas B. Cooper & Blessen C. Eapen

  4. Department of Psychiatry, UT- Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Douglas B. Cooper

  5. Department of the Army, Neurology Clinic (DVBIC), Brooke Army Medical Center, 3551 Roger Brooke Drive Ft Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX, 78234-4504, USA

    Lisa H. Lu & Jan E. Kennedy

  6. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, UT- Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Blessen C. Eapen

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  2. Douglas B. Cooper
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  5. Jan E. Kennedy
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Correspondence to Jan E. Kennedy.

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Soble, J.R., Cooper, D.B., Lu, L.H. et al. Symptom Reporting and Management of Chronic Post-Concussive Symptoms in Military Service Members and Veterans. Curr Phys Med Rehabil Rep 6, 62–73 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40141-018-0173-1

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