Very often, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes tinnitus among soldiers in the armed forces. Unfortunately, powerful roadside bombs, commonly known as IED’s (improvised explosive devices), have been known to cause traumatic brain injuries, which are often accompanied by hearing loss and tinnitus.
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when an object suddenly hits the head, and this in turn causes a trauma to the brain, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
The level of damage created by the TBI can be mild, moderate or severe. Symptoms of a TBI can include headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, temporary or prolonged loss of consciousness, ringing of the ears (tinnitus), impaired memory and concentration, and loss of balance. Someone with a severe TBI may have seizures, convulsions or even death.
Fortunately, victims of many TBIs can benefit from treatment. This may involve surgery to repair broken bones, surgery to remove hematomas (blood clots), occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and possibly treatment by a psychiatrist.
Even with all the treatment options, however, scientist still have much to learn about the mechanism of traumatic brain injuries, and are trying to determine how to help those affected to recover over a shorter duration of time.
Many soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan are victims of traumatic brain injuries. These include members of the armed forces suffering from tinnitus triggered by their head injuries.
Since our enemies are utilizing roadside bombs (a.k.a. IEDs) at increasing rates, more must be done to protect our soldiers from traumatic brain injuries and, in many cases, subsequent tinnitus.
Ear tinnitus has affected 619,826 veterans of the armed forces, according to the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research. This annoying phantom noise in the head can take on the form of a buzz, whoosh, high-pitched whistle, hissing, chirping or other sounds.
The primary cause of ear tinnitus is exposure to loud noises. Members of the armed forces must deal with noise levels well above those recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH had stated that noise levels higher than 85 decibels can cause hearing loss and tinnitus.
The source for ear tinnitus among veterans stems from the key tactic employed by the enemies, the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The resulting explosive blasts are as loud as 170 decibels, much higher than the 85 decibel threshold recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The implication is that veterans of the armed forces, who may be only in their 20s, are susceptible to a lifetime sentence of ear tinnitus.
The American Tinnitus Association (ATA) reports that 49 percent of all soldiers exposed to explosive blasts in Iraq and Afghanistan developed tinnitus. Furthermore, it speculates the Veterans Association will be paying out nearly one billion dollars in disability compensation by 2010.
More research is recommended to remedy this problem.
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.
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.
