Abstract
Providing excellent medical care and support for returning Active Duty Service Members from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan remains a high priority for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Current literature reports a high frequency of multiple co-morbid conditions including traumatic brain injury (TBI), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and chronic pain. Symptoms from these three conditions can become barriers to successful return to work and school. Common symptoms will be reviewed with discussion on rehabilitative efforts to overcome these barriers. Ideal management of this re-integration is best handled in an interdisciplinary manner by an experienced rehabilitation team. This article reviews the presentation “TBI and Polytrauma : Challenges Associated with Community Reintegration” presented at the 34th Annual Congress of the Japan Higher Order Brain Dysfunction Society as part of the Japan-US Exchange.
