What is Gulf War Syndrome?

FINAL-FOR THE VETERAN OF THE VETERAN SHARE OF THE DAY

If you’ve ever wondered “What is Gulf War Syndrome” stay tuned because this high-value blog post is for YOU!

Gulf War Syndrome impacts thousands of veterans who deployed to the Persian Gulf during their service. Also known as Gulf War Illness, the term refers to unexplained chronic symptoms that are usually lifelong.

If you are experiencing health concerns that may be associated with Gulf War Syndrome, you aren’t alone. An estimated one-third of all Gulf War Veterans experience symptoms.

Unfortunately, each person experiences the symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome differently. This makes it very difficult for health care providers to recognize and treat Gulf War Syndrome effectively from person to person.

The symptoms of this syndrome are also often confused with other conditions. Many healthcare providers are not familiar with Gulf War Syndrome, and the illness can easily be mistaken for other conditions. This contributes to the fact that 80% of VA claims for Gulf War-related disabilities are denied.

Further complicating the issue, until recently, VA training on this illness was optional for medical providers.

You must document your symptoms and understand the VA Claims process to stay informed about what you are legally entitled to as a veteran.

If you know someone who has been diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome and experiences different symptoms than you, don’t rely on their symptoms for self-diagnosis.

Get your butt to the doctor!!!

This health issue is so wide-spread that Gulf War Syndrome receives national-level attention. Congress created a federal advisory committee in 1998 to make recommendations to the Secretary of Veteran Affairs on how military service during the Gulf War impacts veterans’ health.

With this federally mandated research, reports have confirmed that there is a link between chronic illness and Gulf War service; however, the exact cause is still unknown.