WASHINGTON — Concussions may be among the most common and least understood military injuries, with identification of so-called “mild” traumatic brain damage a major challenge to combating the problem, health experts warned lawmakers on Wednesday.

But they also said the reasons for those shortfalls don’t fall solely on Defense Department and veterans researchers. Understanding and diagnosing the problem remains frustratingly elusive in the medical community, even as an ever-increasing amount of is compiled from sports injuries, workplace accidents and other non-military events.

“Among civilians, nearly 4 million concussions occur each year,” Dr. David Dodick, program director for the Mayo Clinic’s concussion program, told lawmakers on the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday.

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