Many folks are surprised to find out that the military is one of the professions that bring the highest risk to your hearing health. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers, the most commonly reported health issue among veterans is tinnitus, with hearing loss coming in at a close second.
Why the military carries high risks to hearing
When someone finds their hearing has been damaged by exposure to excessive noise, we call this noise-induced hearing loss. It can happen all at once in a violent incident or slowly and over time with repeated exposure. People working within the military are more likely to exposed to both of these scenarios at a higher frequency than other occupations.
During service, a person might work with loud machines like jets, tanks and other high grade military vehicles. They might perform those duties over an eight hour shift or longer, daily and over decades. If proper hearing protection is not employed at all times, this will eventually lead to noise-induced hearing loss.
When soldiers are on the ground, they can be expected to routinely be put into scenarios where they will encounter gunfire (140-175 decibels), improved explosive devices or I.E.D.s (170+ decibels), bombs (180+ decibels) and heavy artiliery (170+ decibels). These can all bring about sudden and violently noisy incidents where noise-induced hearing happens in an instant.
How noise-induced hearing loss works
When noises exceed volumes of 85 decibels, they begin to damage the sensitive inner ear cells. These cells are integral in our hearing process because they receive noise from the world and turn it into sound information that is sent to the brain. In our brain’s processing centers, we turn sound information into meaningful sounds like music, language and environmental information.
A large number of veterans have a hearing condition in which their hearing will test normally, but they encounter significant difficulty understanding speech. In these instances, the harm occurs in the connections to the brain’s processing centers. In most cases it is attributed to blast exposure.
The effects of hearing loss on veterans
While depression and a sense of isolation often accompany cases of hearing loss, these emotional and mental health challenges are exacerbated in veterans. A recent study revealed that nearly three-fourths of veterans who suffer from tinnitus also displayed an anxiety condition. Around 60 percent of those veterans with tinnitus also had depression, while a whopping 58 percent had tinnitus and both conditions.
Noise intervention for military personnel
On a federal level, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) sets and enforces standards of safety within workplaces. In noisy settings exceeding 85 decibels in an eight hour shift, OSHA requires noise interventions in order to lower the hearing risks for employees.
Within the military, many such noise interventions are used. However, many soldiers report that wearing hearing protection while in the field can safeguard their ears but leave them open to greater danger. Within units during this type of work, communicating with your leader and team might make the difference between making it home from the mission alive.
For this reason, the military is investing in comprehensive hearing protection that also allows for open communication. Unfortunately, one such product from 3M that promised this result was actually found to be potentially faulty and the company is now being sued by more than 2,000 veterans. As we prioritize the health and well being of our service people, the tools and support that we provide them must improve.
On a brighter note, the US Marines began using suppressors in 2017 on their service weapons, which is a strategy that adds both health and tactical value.
Treatment of tinnitus and hearing loss in veterans
As recent as 2010, one in five hearing aids sold in the United States each year is paid for by the Veterans Affairs. Our country’s military service people are more than 30 percent more likely to experience hearing loss than other populations.
If you are a veteran who is experiencing hearing loss or other hearing issues, help is available through your VA center’s audiology office. You are eligible for both disability payments per the tinnitus or hearing loss conditions as well as medical support. These benefits start at hearing examinations, through diagnostics and will even cover the cost of hearing aids.