tinnitus Audiological Evaluation Should Be Mandatory Upon Separation From The Military.

[allan 10]

INSIST ON A FULL AUDIOLOGIVAL/HEARING EVALUATION BEFORE DISCHARGE

get and keep a copy of all medical tests, exams, treatments..pass this on to the Troops

Part of Budget recommendations for FY 2009.. see full report at PDF below

audiological evaluation should be mandatory upon separation from the military.

The Veterans Independent Budget is the only budget created by veterans, for veterans. This abstract from the FY 2009 Veterans Independent Budget includes information on how veterans are affected by tinnitus and recommendations to Congress to begin to remedy the problem.This is the second year tinnitus has been included in the Veterans Independent Budget and it was a result of ATA’s advocacy and partnership with veterans organizations.

http://www.ata.org/action_alliance/pdf/vets_independent_budget09.pdf

Many service members returning from war are physically

disabled. Those types of injuries are immediately

visible to a physician and are often easily diagnosed

and treated. Many soldiers exposed to blasts from

roadside bombs suffer internal injuries that are not as

easy to detect and treat. One of the most prevalent disabilities

from exposure to improvised explosive devices

(IEDs) is an injury that is one of the hardest to detect—

and even harder to treat. It is called tinnitus.

Tinnitus is defined as the perception of sound in the

ears where no external source is present. Some with

tinnitus describe it as “ringing in the ears,” but people

report hearing all kinds of sounds, such as crickets,

whooshing, pulsing, ocean waves, or buzzing. For millions

of Americans, tinnitus becomes more than an annoyance.

Chronic tinnitus can leave an individual

feeling isolated and impaired in their ability to communicate

with others. This isolation can cause anxiety,

depression, and feelings of despair. Tinnitus affects an

estimated 50 million, or more, people in the United

States to some degree. Ten to 12 million are chronically

affected and 1 million to 2 million are incapacitated

by their tinnitus.62 It is estimated that 250 million

people worldwide experience tinnitus.63 ************<H3 id=problem name="problem">How does tinnitus affect our military personnel</H3>Tinnitus is a potentially devastating condition; its relentless noise is often an unwelcome reminder of war for many vets. The facts are disturbing:

• Tinnitus and hearing loss top the list of war-related health costs.
  
• Since 2000, the number of veterans receiving service-connected disability for tinnitus has increased by at least 18 percent each year.
  
• The total number of vets awarded disability compensation for tinnitus as of fiscal year 2006 surpassed 390,933.
  
• At this alarming rate, 2011 will see 818,811 vets receiving military compensation for tinnitus, at a cost to American taxpayers of over $1.1 billion.
  

Tinnitus is a growing problem for America's military personnel. It threatens their futures with potential long-term sleep disruption, changes in cognitive ability, stress in relationships and employability challenges. These changes can be a blow to a vet's self-worth.

How do military personnel develop tinnitus?

The most common answer is exposure to very loud noise. Military personnel are exposed to excessive noise levels during combat, training simulations and on aircraft carriers that rattle like tin cans during takeoffs and landings.

"Keep on, Keepin' on"

Dan Cedusky, Champaign IL "Colonel Dan"

See my web site at:

http://www.angelfire.com/il2/VeteranIssues/