Gulf war syndrome finally recognized as a ‘real’ disease
It’s a little late for Veteran’s Day, but I wanted to pass on this bit of good news for some of the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines that served in the first Gulf War back in 1991:A recently released congressionally mandated report has concluded – finally – that Gulf War Syndrome (GWS) is a legitimate medical condition.
As many as 175,000 veterans of the Gulf War reported suffering from this GWS, a hard- to-pin-down ailment that’s been associated with a wide range of maladies, from neurological issues, to birth defects, brain cancer, and even multiple sclerosis.
Because of the various and indeterminate source of these issues, many veterans had difficulty getting treatment for their issues, and their claims of illness were called into question by doctors and insurance companies. The new study is the first to rule that GWS is a real disorder.
The Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses determined that the ailment derives from exposure to chemical toxins during the war. The exact source of these toxins, however, is still in question. Possible causes include the anti-nerve gas drugs administered to troops, smoke from oil well fires started by Saddam Hussein’s retreating troops, and exposure to destroyed stocks of Sarin nerve gas.
This news is a belated “welcome home” to the brave men and women who served in that conflict, and will hopefully redress the wrongs and shortcomings these vets received from the government and the healthcare system after their return.
