Veterans Struggle with Tinnitus

As the holidays come around, we want to thank our veterans by donating $25 to our local Veterans Chapter for every hearing evaluation we perform during the month of December. We really appreciate our veterans and the service they’ve offered in keeping our country safe. This is one small way that we can give back to them and show our gratitude. In addition to our dollar donation, we will be donating a pair of brand new digital hearing aids to one special veteran in need. We thank you for your service to our country.

We see a lot of veterans  struggle with tinnitus unfortunately.Tinnitus is that ringing sound in your ears that is often caused by repeated exposure to loud noises. In fact, the number one service related disability is TINNITUS. In 2009, there were over 760,000 veterans receiving service-related tinnitus disability. In 2010 alone, there were over 90,000 tinnitus claims by returning vets, according to the U.S. Department of Defense Hearing Center of Excellence. The VA pays out about $2 billion annually just to cover veterans’ tinnitus treatment.

Our service personnel are exposed to deafening noises on a regular basis. Comparatively, normal speaking level is around 65 decibels whereas permanent damage can occur with exposure to recurring noises over 80-85 decibels. Noises on an aircraft carrier flight deck are over 130 decibels. Noises from helicopters ring in at around 100 decibels. M60 machine guns and hand grenades register 150 and 160 decibels respectively. Surprisingly, the army is the only branch of the military that issues earplugs as part of their uniform. But earplugs only reduce the sound level by 20-25 decibels. Sounds our service men and women are regularly exposed to can leave them with permanent hearing deficits when they return home.

At Hearing Associates of Las Vegas, we treat tinnitus. If you have ringing in your ears or experience bothersome sounds that nobody else does and don’t want to continue to live with it, we want to examine you and educate you about what can be done to provide true tinnitus relief. Call our office to schedule an appointment.