In the course of my practice I have worked with countless veterans with Traumatic Brain Injuries (“TBI”) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”) and have become aware of the many ways in which the two ailments can disrupt a veteran’s life, livelihood, and relationships. Therefore, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ (“VA”) announcement that it has begun utilizing alternative PTSD and TBI treatments is fantastic news for me and many of my clients.
LED Therapy at the VA Boston Massachusetts Healthcare System's Jamaica Plain Campus
The first alternative therapy that the VA has newly started offering is Transcranial Light-Emitting Diode (“LED”) therapy. This type of therapy is meant to improve memory, attention, sleep, and emotional stability. The therapy is painless and relatively simple, requiring only that the veteran wear an LED light-lined helmet over the course of multiple sessions.
While LED therapy is currently only available at the VA Boston Healthcare System’s Jamaica Plain Campus, it can also be utilized by veterans from home.
Stellate Ganglion Block Therapy at the Long Beach California VA Medical Center
The second alternative therapy now offered by the VA is Stellate Ganglion Block (“SGB”). This treatment may improve PTSD symptoms by reducing the nerve growth factor and the sprouting of sympathetic nerves in the stellate ganglion – a collection of nerves located in front of the cervical vertebrae that may grow hyperactively in veterans with PTSD. The procedure involves the injection of medication into the neck.
This therapy is currently available at the Long Beach VA Medical Center.
Pairing Treatment with Benefits
We applaud the VA’s efforts to expand their PTSD treatment programs and encourage all veterans affected by PTSD to seek out the therapy program that works best for them. Additionally, we encourage veterans to pair their treatment with VA benefits. In doing so, veterans can create the financial stability they need to focus on their health.
VA disability benefits are available for veterans with service-connected TBI and PTSD, however the VA assigns unacceptable disability ratings and incorrectly denies claims far too often. If you are a veteran with TBI or PTSD and you have yet to apply for benefits, we encourage you to do so immediately. If you have received a denial or an inadequate disability rating, please contact us online or by phone at (877) 629-1712 right away. With decades of combined experience overturning VA denials and appealing rating decisions, we are confident we can win you the benefits you deserve so that you can focus on what matters most.