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Tinnitus

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usmc0331

Question

I had a Tinnitus C & P Exam. I was a 0331 USMC machinegunner. I recieved the CAR, PUC, and NAM for service in Iraq. The letter sent to the VA Audiologist stated that excessive noise exposure was conceded due to military occupational specialty. I also had my private audiologist letter that stated "My impression is mild slightly asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss bilaterally with bilateral tinnitus. It is my opinion that his condition is at least as likely as not a result of noise exposure while in the military."

The VA audiologist stated that "It is in my opinion that the veterans tinnitus is less likely as not caused by military noise exposure.

Rationale: Hearing is withing normal limits for both ears. An unknown dated Post-Deployment Health Assessment indicated the veteran answered "yes during" to ringing in the ears while in Iraq.

Is this a joke? What should me next step be?

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I was diagnosed with Tinnitus & hearing loss in 1980 and rated 10%. In 2003 the VA felt that my hearing loss was such that in the ear hearing aids were necessary. No one counselled me about my compensation level. Early this fall the VA issued two new Phonak in the ear hearing aids and I decided to file for and increase in my compensation rate.

The VA scheduled a hearing exam by an outside firm, which was completed on January 5th. Should I have, at my cost, another outside doctor perform an examination?

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0311,

Twice, the VA conceded hearing loss based on physicals at entrance and exit of service. Nothing awarded on hearing loss, but tinnitus granted at 10%. No 0% nada for hearing loss-denied twice.

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  • Content Curator/HadIt.com Elder

T-Bird posted this today:

"There's been a lot of attempts to come up with treatments, but nothing has been very successful."

http://www.vawatchdog.org/10/nf10/nfjan10/nf011210-5.htm

Kind of interesting to see research on this being performed at my VAMC.

Also, how much exposure to loud noise would constitute a basis for Tinnitus? Does it require periodic exposure or does it have to be daily for an extended duration?

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  • Content Curator/HadIt.com Elder

I found some additional information online:

Causes of Tinnitus:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tinnitus/...DSECTION=causes

"You have post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Tinnitus is especially aggravated by loud noises in people with PTSD"

and

http://www.medicinenet.com/tinnitus/article.htm

In the list of causes, it also includes antibiotics. I am just curious because the VA loves to prescribe augmentin every time my rhinitis kicks in and develops into a full blown sinus infection. There have been a few times that they had to give me back to back rounds of them to get the infection to go away.

Also see: http://www.medicinenet.com/noise_induced_h...ion/article.htm

"Acoustic trauma occurs when any excessive sound energy strikes the inner ear."

"For example, the music at a concert and the pounding of a jackhammer on the street can be equally damaging to the inner ear. The reason for this is that any sounds (acoustic energies) delivered with equal intensity, regardless of their source, are equally dangerous."

"This trauma can result in hearing loss, ringing in the ears (tinnitus)"

Also see: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/temporomand...me/page3_em.htm

"TMJ syndrome may cause ear pain, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and hearing loss. Sometimes people mistake TMJ pain for an ear problem, such as an ear infection, when the ear is not the problem at all."

Regarging my experiences:

I ask about this because when it is quiet, and often when it is not quiet, I hear a constant high pitched ringing. It sounds like someone just turned on an old television and you hear that loud sound. I don't know if it is tinnitus, but it is quite frustrating when I need to concentrate at work or even merely try to go to sleep. It has been there since I was in the Army, especially since they caused my TMJ problem. There has been a noticeable increase since I was in the ER last month for my TMJ and asthma.

Based on this and that last web link regarding the TMJ connection, should I follow up with an audiologist?

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I ask about this because when it is quiet, and often when it is not quiet, I hear a constant high pitched ringing.

That's tinnitus..."Yes"

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