Second to noise, head and neck trauma is the next leading cause of tinnitus. Roadside bombs, commonly known as IED’s (improvised explosive devices), can cause traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) accompanied by hearing loss and tinnitus. Consequently, many victims of traumatic brain injuries are soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
According to the Congressional Research Service, The Military Health System recorded 43,779 patients who were diagnosed with TBIs from 2003 to 2007.
The Brain:
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when an object suddenly hits the head, and the force of the impact causes trauma to the brain. The degree of damage can be mild, moderate or severe. Symptoms of a TBI can include temporary or prolonged loss of consciousness, headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, ringing of the ears, loss of balance, impaired memory and concentration. Someone with a severe TBI may experience convulsions, seizures or death.
Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death for people younger than 45 years old.
Treatment for a TBI can involve surgery to remove hematomas (blood clots), surgery to repair broken bones, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and possibly treatment by a psychologist and/or psychiatrist.
There is ongoing research about the mechanism of TBIs, and how to help speed up recovery among its victims.
What is the connection between traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and tinnitus?
In an article by Marsha Johnson, M.S., CCC-A, Marsha cites Dr. Dennis Fitzgerald, who states that head trauma causes bleeding on the surface of the brain and brain stem. This bleeding, in turn, causes damage to the cochlea, the inner ear. The cochlea is a delicate maze that contains membranes and sacs filled with different fluids. It is theorized that a leakage of fluids in any of these sacs can cause hearing loss and tinnitus.
The Ear:
It is also possible that the force of the impact from the trauma can cause leakage of fluids from different sacs in the cochlea.
In his article (The Washington Post; 3/10/2009), Tom Wilkinson tells the story of Captain Nathan Green, who was the victim of a roadside bomb/IED. Captain Green suffered a traumatic brain injury, and as a result, “hears the high-pitched whine and static buzz of an AM radio. All the time.”
The sound that Nathan Green does not exist outside of his head. It is generated by his brain. This is tinnitus.
Other sounds created by the brain are ringing, hissing, chirping or buzzing.
Tinnitus can interrupt a person’s sleep, ability to concentrate and participate in social situations.
The connection between traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and tinnitus is still not completely clear. It has been recommended by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that more research be conducted in this area, in light of the fact that the nature of the current war and the high incidence of IEDs translates into an increasing number of soldiers experiencing TBIs. Of these, a substantial number will subsequently suffer from tinnitus.
For those servicemen suffering from tinnitus, there is Tinnitus Dx, a homeopathic remedy for tinnitus.
In the United Kingdom, they know how to treat their soldiers. According to an article in The Times (United Kingdom; 8/11/2009), Charles Bradlaugh was awarded the equivalent of $538,300 from the Ministry of Defence. While a soldier, he lost all hearing in one ear following a firing exercise in 2004. The Ministry of Defense had failed to provide hearing protection.
The soldier also suffers from tinnitus in the left ear as a result.
Imagine if the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs had to pay out amounts similar to this one for hearing loss and tinnitus. Surely, then, they would provide high-tech ear plugs to all its members and instruct them in their usage. Veterans of the armed forces would be able to lead better lives following their service in the armed forces, and would not be kept up at night by phantom whooshing or whistling sounds from tinnitus.
Until then, those who suffer from tinnitus would benefit from Tinnitus DX, a homeopathic remedy and dietary supplement for tinnitus.
In an article put out by the Deafness Research Foundation, (Winter, 2010), U.S. Army Specialist Opal Hood makes an interesting point. When going out to battle, no one would neglect to wear a helmet or body armor. Yet, little importance is given to hearing protection. As a result, most of the patients seen at Bagram Air Field, an ENT clinic, are for hearing-related problems.
Opal Hood quotes Air Force Col. Joseph A. Brennan, who has never met even one patient at his clinic who used hearing protection. He says that the troops feel that wearing any type of earplugs could prevent them from performing properly.
As mentioned in previous blogs, there are so many types of earpieces that don’t interfere with communication. From this article it would seem that the Air Force is not doing enough for its members.
While in Iraq, Brennan noted that the biggest problem is hearing loss and tinnitus caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs). IEDs have noise levels that approach 170 decibels, well above the 85 decibel limit recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
There are two types of hearing loss: conductive and sensorineural. Conductive hearing loss is physical damage to the ear, such as broken ear bones. Surgery is the best option for this type of damage.
With regard to sensorineural hearing loss, the nerve in the inner ear is damaged. Unfortunately, the only solution is a hearing aid.
Tinnitus is yet another result of nerve damage to the ear. This is a phantom noise that a person hears even when no auditory stimulus is present.
There are two types of tinnitus: objective and subjective. The advantage of objective tinnitus is that it can be measured by an ENT. With subjective tinnitus, however, the severity is based solely on the claim made by the patient.
Additionally, “blown-out” eardrums are another effect of the high noise levels from IEDs. However, these holes can heal by themselves or can be corrected by surgery.
Perforated ear drum:
Brennan told a story of a soldier who could not hear as a result of ruptured eardrums, and nearly died because he could not hear his fellow soldiers telling him how to avoid the shower of bullets.
Furthermore, Brennan points out that even a hearing loss in one ear can impair a soldier’s ability to tell which direction a gun is being fired, and subsequently endanger his life.
Once again, this is totally unnecessary with the presence of so many high-tech earpieces on the market that are specifically made for such situations. It’s a travesty. Ironically, after a hearing-impaired service member leaves the military, the Veteran’s Administration provides him with hearing aids.
For those retired service members who suffer from tinnitus, they will benefit from Tinnitus DX, a homeopathic remedy for tinnitus.
Sara Graves (www.ameriforce.net, 2007) laments about rising trend of tinnitus and hearing loss among service personnel. She quotes David Fagerlie, the CEO of the American Tinnitus Association (ATA), who says that regarding veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, there will be more spending on disability compensation for suffering related to tinnitus and hearing loss than for any other medical injuries.
According to this article, the ATA reports that 49 percent of all soldiers exposed to explosive blasts in Iraq and Afghanistan had tinnitus.
It is predicted that if nothing is done, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs will be paying out nearly one billion dollars in disability compensation by 2010.
Sara Graves interviewed Theresa Schulz, PhD, President of the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA), who notes that an effective way to prevent hearing loss among service members is by educating them about different methods of hearing protection. She cites Communication Ear Plugs and Combat Arms Plugs as examples.
The problem is that people like to make excuses for not using them. There are solutions for every excuse. If the earplugs don’t fit right, ask for different ones. If someone needs to hear the radio, specialized earplugs are made for this. Basically, there is no legitimate excuse.
Fortunately, specialized earplugs that enable communication are becoming increasingly popular. It’s only a matter of time before the ATA, the NHCA and other such organizations succeed at combating this hearing loss and tinnitus trend.
Until then, those who suffer from tinnitus will want to use Tinnitus DX, a homeopathic remedy for tinnitus.
If more people knew that loud music can cause hearing loss and tinnitus, would they lower the volume?
About a year ago, I was invited to my friend’s son’s wedding. At the wedding, I asked my friend to tell the band to lower the volume, because I didn’t want to suffer hearing loss or tinnitus as a result. She answered, “No.” I gave her the benefit of the doubt. After all, who wants to risk putting 200 people in jeopardy of hearing loss and tinnitus? I assumed she didn’t hear me, so I shouted my request. This time, she asked me to leave.
Once again, I gave her the benefit of the doubt. I assumed that the bank just notified her that she was turned down for a home equity loan, and had no way to cover the cost of the wedding.
Since then, I do the “Debbie Downer” of Saturday Night Live. I just don’t go to weddings. If the hosts don’t care enough about my hearing and want to put me at risk for tinnitus, why should I even bother?
I thought the music and hearing loss connection is common knowledge. Even so, many people just don’t care. Like when it comes to teeth, every person knows that candy can cause tooth decay. Yet, I know some highly educated parents who choose to pay for their seven-year-old to have a root canal rather than deprive him of candy. I hope they have money saved up, because by the time this kid hits eighteen, he is going to need his first set of dentures.
Perhaps we should have “noise reduction classes” alongside in schools, and distribute earplugs in public schools in order to prevent the next generation from developing hearing loss and tinnitus. Will it work? We’ve been educating teenagers for years about the dangers of smoking, and cigarette sales are still going strong. We have to convince our teenagers that wearing earplugs is the coolest thing at concerts, and very macho.
Until then, at least there is TinnitusDX, a homeopathic remedy for tinnitus.
Tinnitus, which means “to ring like a bell” in Latin, is the medical term for ringing of the ears. It has also been described as buzzing, hissing or other noises.
The most common cause of tinnitus is exposure to loud noises. People in the armed forces must deal with noise levels well above those recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which was set at 85 decibels. NIOSH had stated that noises above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss.
In contrast, a single gun shot usually falls in the 140 decibel range. It should come as no surprise, then, that the American Tinnitus Association (ATA) recently reported a study that shows that 49% of all soldiers exposed to explosive blasts in Iraq and Afghanistan had tinnitus.
Why should this be? Aren’t employees of the armed forces entitled to the same hearing protection as employees of private industries?
An article in New Yorker by Jerome Groopman (2/9/2009) highlights this problem. Mr. Groopman interviewed Perry Jefferies, a forty-eight-year-old retired Army first sergeant.
In the interview, Jefferies described how during basic training, he was only able to wear one earplug, so he could still hear the instructor. Worse, when he was learning how to fire a .50-calibre gun from an armored personnel carrier, he did not wear any hearing protection.
The same holds true for his deployment. Although required to carry earplugs, he could not wear them, because he had to listen to radios in the Humvee and respond.
Now, Jefferies suffers from hearing loss, and he is receiving disability compensation for tinnitus, as do 619,825 other veterans receiving disability compensation for service-connected tinnitus (National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research).
A study from the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine (2004) stated that the army failed to adequately educate its troops about hearing loss prevention, to supply them with hearing protection devices, and that soldiers with blast injuries were not properly referred for evaluation and treatment.
Since publication of this study, the U.S. Military is attempting to take corrective measures by supplying its soldiers in combat with high-tech earplugs that either reduce the decibel levels of loud noises or filter them out completely. In addition, the military is mandated to instruct soldiers in their usage.
For those who are suffering from tinnitus, Princeton Sciences has developed a dietary supplement, known as TinnitusDX, that is recommended by doctors across the United States.
