What is Gulf War Syndrome?

Gulf War Syndrome is a medical condition of unknown causes characterized by statistically improbable similar symptoms which appear primarily in veterans of the First Gulf War, and sometimes their families as well. Numerous theories for the causes of Gulf War Syndrome have been posited, and the condition has been extensively studied by the United States Government as well as other nations. The syndrome is also a topic of controversy, since some authorities believe that it does not actually exist. Actively deployed American and British soldiers appear to suffer most extensively from Gulf War Syndrome, although other allied troops have reported symptoms as well.

The symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome are myriad, and they do not always appear together. Veterans have reported fatigue, joint pain, nausea, headaches, unexplained skin rashes, respiratory disorders, sexual dysfunction, dizziness, and nervous system syndromes. Several specific conditions including brain cancer, fibromyalgia, and Lou Gehrig's disease have also been linked specifically with service in the Gulf War. The wide range of symptoms makes Gulf War Syndrome very difficult to classify and diagnose accurately.

Post traumatic stress also often accompanies Gulf War Syndrome, and some authorities have argued that the syndrome is stress induced. It may also be linked with exposure to pesticides, burning oil, prophylactic drugs, vaccines, depleted uranium, and chemical exposure. All of these substances were demonstrably present during the Gulf War. The United States and Britain both used prophylactic drugs and pesticides extensively during the conflict, explaining why the syndrome has a higher incidence among soldiers from these nations. Other theorists suggest that the syndrome may be related to bacteria, illnesses endemic to the Middle East, or chemical and biological weapons stockpiled in Iraq.

The United States alone deployed 697,000 men and women to the Middle East during the First Gulf War. As many as one in 10 of these individuals had reported symptoms by the mid 1990s. Some of the symptoms have also expanded to the families of these soldiers, many of whom brought back mementos from Iraq which may have been contaminated, in addition to their soiled gear.

The controversy over the cause of Gulf War Syndrome has led to public debate in the United States and in other nations as well. Some veterans feel that they have been mistreated by the Veteran's Administration, which often denies benefits to soldiers, arguing that the cause of their symptoms may not have been their service. Among the civilian community, Gulf War Syndrome has also fallen under scrutiny, especially after features by major magazines such as Time on the issue. Veterans of the 2003 Iraq war began reporting similar symptoms as well, bringing renewed scrutiny to Gulf War Syndrome, along with an attempt to pin down the cause and possible treatments.