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The Shocking Truth About Hearing Problems and Military

Veterans

Missing appendages, post-traumatic

stress, and brain trauma: These are

what many people think of when they

think about post-combat injuries.

Hearing loss, though, may not often

come to mind. These 5 facts about

veterans and hearing loss may

surprise you.

The most common post-service malady happens to be hearing damage or

loss. – Hearing loss is even more common than PTSD (post-traumatic stress

disorder). Loud explosions from bombs aren’t the only threat to hearing –

general combat and everyday military noise can cause harm as well.

Improvised explosive devices, loud weapons, and other sounds such as the

engines of ships, planes, and tanks can cause tinnitus and temporary to

permanent loss of hearing. Veterans of the post-9/11 conflicts are the most

affected population in terms of hearing loss. In fact, 414,000 post 9/11

soldiers have come home with some form of tinnitus or hearing loss.

More veterans have hearing loss than non-veterans. – The CDC (Center

for Disease Control) estimates that soldiers are 30 percent more likely to

lose their hearing than civilians. Worse yet, those who served after 9/11

were found to be four times more likely to be afflicted with some sort of

hearing impairment than nonveterans.

Soldiers now may suffer more hearing damage than those who have

served in past decades. – Larger and louder weapons technology very likely

contributes to higher numbers of veterans with hearing loss. Intensely loud

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field generators, bombs such as “bunker busters,” and even modern

helicopters can cause hearing impairment if soldiers don’t take precautions.

Many veterans suffering from hearing impairment don’t seek medical help

right away. – Experts say that too few returning soldiers who suffer tinnitus

or hearing loss go to a hearing specialist or audiologist upon returning home

– they often live simply live with the problem. Astoundingly, it takes an

average of 7 years for a person to get help for hearing damage.

Neuroscience innovations may be a way to alleviate severe tinnitus. –

Some scientists assert that low serotonin levels may be linked to how severe

a person’s tinnitus can be. Low serotonin can cause insomnia, depression,

and anxiety. Tinnitus therapies combined with antidepressants have aided

some veterans who are chronic sufferers of tinnitus.