Tinnitus Help

[mooose]

Been reading the forums for over a year now.. Great information out there!

Been back from deployment for just over a year now. I am currently rated at 10% for a back injury.

Ringing in my ears started while overseas and I filed as soon as I got back. Because of the optempo overseas I never got around to seeing a medic.

I was denied my claim for tinnitus. The reason was because they said I had no hearing loss and that if I didn't have hearing loss I could not have tinnitus. After I was denied my primary care VA doc sent me to an audiologist who found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus, next my doc set me up with a neurologist and after lots of testing the neuro doc came up with nothing. In my last appointment with the neuro doc, he said he would set me up with an ENT. A few weeks have passed and today I called the VA to check on the ENT appointment and they told me they would not see me because the ENT doc reviewed my chart and said it would not be a justified exam? So...I want to file a NOD and have been trying to figure out why I have the ringing through the VA, I am coming upon my year mark, can anyone tell me what to do to get some evidence to file with the NOD?

[sharon]

You can file the NOD, however, you will at some point have to have evidence that you have tinnitus. Were you exposed to loud noise? You may have to go to a doctor outside of the VA.

[carlie]

You can file the NOD, however, you will at some point have to have evidence that you have tinnitus. Were you exposed to loud noise? You may have to go to a doctor outside of the VA.

Ditto.

Get an IMO from a Audiologist outside VA that reviews your SMR's and will opine

in writing a finding of Tinnitus with a nexus to something on active duty, if that is

what they actually determine.

[tanker2]

are you a member of d.a.v, or am-vets..etc..? ..they work for free and may help you especially with your filing issue..seems once i joined up the v.a. started to listen to me. also on tinnitus several factors may be involved. exposure to loud noises?..medicines give to you?..your m.o.s. can also come into play to prove loud noises job related. tinnitus doesnt mean loss of hearing..that is another issue. get an independant medical opinion (imo) they dont cost that much. they can gauge the loundness of the ringing ..in fact they can even match it and make it seem like its gone. temp relief.hehe

meanwhile keep a radio turned low in background as a masker. take the faucet test. go wash your hands notice how the water over powers the tinnitus . good luck and stay with it.

[carlie]

Just for clarification purposes,

One does not need nor have to be a member of a Service Organization,

inorder to receive help with their VBA claims.

[mooose]

The ringing started when I was overseas. I am a pilot, so yes I was exposed to alot of loud noise. However they say that I don't have any hearing loss and therefore not have the ringing because of noise. I did start on a antidepressant while deployed..

Just for clarification purposes,

One does not need nor have to be a member of a Service Organization,

inorder to receive help with their VBA claims.

[Interested]

Although tinnitus is pretty much a subjective condition, there are round about ways to determine if it's there. Based on your statement

After I was denied my primary care VA doc sent me to an audiologist who found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus, next my doc set me up with a neurologist and after lots of testing the neuro doc came up with nothing. In my last appointment with the neuro doc, he said he would set me up with an ENT. A few weeks have passed and today I called the VA to check on the ENT appointment and they told me they would not see me because the ENT doc reviewed my chart and said it would not be a justified exam?

it appears that a moderate-to-great deal of work up has been done. You will have to overcome or at least match the above findings to prevail.

You can certainly proceed with your NOD with the evidence as if, but I wouldn't recommend it. I suggest that you get your own Independent Medical Opinion (IMO) from a paid gun that counter values the audiologist and neurologist. I think this would be difficult.

FWIW, some antidepressants have tinnitus as a temporary side effect, that goes away when the medication is discontinued.

The ringing started when I was overseas. I am a pilot, so yes I was exposed to alot of loud noise. However they say that I don't have any hearing loss and therefore not have the ringing because of noise. I did start on a antidepressant while deployed..