tinnitus Tinnitus C & P

[Cavman]

I have my tinnitus c & p tomorrow. I have the combat mos etc. Is there anything I shouldn`t say during questioning? Also, why do I take a hearing test regarding the tinnitus claim?

Cavman

[vaf]

You said you have hearing loss, tested and verified, but has it been rated? If you have your service medical records, there should be copies of the results of all the hearing tests you took while active duty. A lot can be learned from looking at the very first one and the very last one, to see the difference in your scores. If you have them, and there's a big numerical difference in the scores, you might want to bring them to the C & P and make sure the examiner sees them. Also, determine if the examiner is a Board-certified audiologist. I've read earlier on this Board where the VA refused to accept an independent medical opinion because the person offering it wasn't a Board certified audiologist. So what's good for them is good for you, as well. This is the rating criteria for diseases of the ear:

Diseases of the Ear

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rating

------------------------------------------------------------------------

6200 Chronic suppurative otitis media, mastoiditis, or

cholesteatoma (or any combination):

During suppuration, or with aural polyps...................... 10

Note: Evaluate hearing impairment, and complications such as

labyrinthitis, tinnitus, facial nerve paralysis, or bone loss

of skull, separately.

6201 Chronic nonsuppurative otitis media with effusion (serous

otitis media):

Rate hearing impairment

6202 Otosclerosis:

Rate hearing impairment

6204 Peripheral vestibular disorders:

Dizziness and occasional staggering........................... 30

Occasional dizziness.......................................... 10

Note: Objective findings supporting the diagnosis of

vestibular disequilibrium are required before a compensable

evaluation can be assigned under this code. Hearing

impairment or suppuration shall be separately rated and

combined.

6205 Meniere's syndrome (endolymphatic hydrops):

Hearing impairment with attacks of vertigo and cerebellar gait 100

occurring more than once weekly, with or without tinnitus....

Hearing impairment with attacks of vertigo and cerebellar gait 60

occurring from one to four times a month, with or without

tinnitus.....................................................

Hearing impairment with vertigo less than once a month, with 30

or without tinnitus..........................................

Note: Evaluate Meniere's syndrome either under these criteria

or by separately evaluating vertigo (as a peripheral

vestibular disorder), hearing impairment, and tinnitus,

whichever method results in a higher overall evaluation. But

do not combine an evaluation for hearing impairment,

tinnitus, or vertigo with an evaluation under diagnostic code

6205.

6207 Loss of auricle:

Complete loss of both......................................... 50

Complete loss of one.......................................... 30

Deformity of one, with loss of one-third or more of the 10

substance....................................................

6208 Malignant neoplasm of the ear (other than skin only)....... 100

Note: A rating of 100 percent shall continue beyond the

cessation of any surgical, radiation treatment,

antineoplastic chemotherapy or other therapeutic procedure.

Six months after discontinuance of such treatment, the

appropriate disability rating shall be determined by

mandatory VA examination. Any change in evaluation based on

that or any subsequent examination shall be subject to the

provisions of § 3.105(e) of this chapter. If there has

been no local recurrence or metastasis, rate on residuals.

6209 Benign neoplasms of the ear (other than skin only):

Rate on impairment of function.

6210 Chronic otitis externa:

Swelling, dry and scaly or serous discharge, and itching 10

requiring frequent and prolonged treatment...................

6211 Tympanic membrane, perforation of.......................... 0

6260 Tinnitus, recurrent........................................ 10

Note (1): A separate evaluation for tinnitus may be combined

with an evaluation under diagnostic codes 6100, 6200, 6204,

or other diagnostic code, except when tinnitus supports an

evaluation under one of those diagnostic codes.

Note (2): Assign only a single evaluation for recurrent

tinnitus, whether the sound is perceived in one ear, both

ears, or in the head.

Note (3): Do not evaluate objective tinnitus (in which the

sound is audible to other people and has a definable cause

that may or may not be pathologic) under this diagnostic

code, but evaluate it as part of any underlying condition

causing it.

[Jim MAC]

Caveman,

I don't know why they have you taking a hearing test for tinnitus, perhaps to find out if you have any hearing loss that might have caued the tinnitus.

Once my doctors diagnosed me with hearing loss, and tinnitus I had them review my active duty medical records and write me a statement. The VA did not schedule me a C/P exam and awarded me with service connection base on these statements and the medical records. Both of my doctors told me there is no valid test for tinnitus. One was a civillian Army Doctor, one was a va doctor.

Just be sure to tell the examiner that you have the tinnitus all the time, I do not think thay grant service connection for intermint tinnitus.

Best of Luck...

Rick

I di not know what tinnitus was. I did clam High frequencey hearing loss and the VARO set me up for a C+P exam. While talking with the C+P dr she asked me if I had rininging in my ears and I answerd truthfully yes. She asked how often I told her the truth 3 to 5 times a week for about 5 mins at a time. Remember I never claimned tinnitus. The Dr asked me if I know what it meant I said "yhea it means someone is talking aboout you." Well when I got my claim back turned down for hearing loss (not bad enough) but 10 percent for tinnitus

So It does not have to be every day but at least a few times per week, well that was my experinc anyway

V/R

Jim

[vaf]

Some information on hearing measurement criteria (if you have your service medical records, take a look at your hearing test results throughout your enlistment and see where you stand).

What do the different degrees of hearing loss mean in ‘real life’ terms?

The following classifications show the approximate relationship between the decibel hearing loss and the degree of difficulty it may cause.

0–20 dB: Range of normal hearing

If hearing thresholds fall within this range, hearing is said to be within normal limits.

21–45 dB: Mild hearing loss

A person with a mild loss would have some difficulty hearing soft speech and conversations, but can often manage in quiet with clear voices. Voices will often sound muffled and unclear. Speech and language usually develop normally if a child is fitted with hearing aids early. Hearing aids will assist most hearing problems.

46–60 dB: Moderate hearing loss

A person with this degree of loss would have difficulty understanding conversational speech, particularly in the presence of background noise. TV and radio would have to be turned up to be heard. Speech and language development are generally affected if a hearing aid is not provided early to a child born with this degree of loss. Hearing aids usually assist most hearing difficulties if speech discrimination (that is, how clearly speech is heard) is good and the listening environment is not too noisy.

61–75 dB: Moderately severe hearing loss

Without a hearing aid, only a raised voice at a close distance can be understood by people with a moderately severe hearing loss. Without amplification, a child’s speech and language would generally not develop spontaneously and speech quality would be poor. However, hearing aids should allow conversational speech to be heard in quiet listening conditions, and with appropriate training most speech sounds should be correctly recognised and reflected in a child’s own speech. Visual cues are a definite advantage. Voices may sound quite distorted, even when loud enough, and this can restrict the benefit of hearing aids.

76–90 dB: Severe hearing loss

For severely hearing impaired people, normal conversational speech cannot be heard. Speech and language do not develop spontaneously in a child born with this degree of impairment. Hearing aids will amplify many speech sounds and will greatly assist a child to develop speech, but speech quality is likely to be affected. Visual cues will usually assist in understanding speech.

91+ dB: Profound hearing loss

Profoundly deaf people have similar difficulties as people with a severe hearing loss but there is greater inconsistency in the benefit from hearing aids (particularly with 105+ dB hearing losses). Learning to speak is difficult for children born with a profound hearing loss, but it depends on the degree of the loss as to how difficult it will be. Some profoundly deaf people can understand clear speech via listening alone in good auditory conditions with a hearing aid, while others find it impossible.

[JohnM]

John has had a hearing loss since military and went for a C&P exam Oct 13th Here is what she wrote.

enlistment examd dated 00/ 00/ 00 Normal hearing. Discharge exam dated 00/00/00 mild hearing loss.

there is no evidence in the c file indicating the presence of tinnitus or hearing loss at the time of discharge.

three othr hearing exam ere noted in the record for mild hearing loss. examiners medical opinion: Veterans bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is not caused by or a result of his military servce. then she goes on to say discharge exam indicate norma hearing sensitivity at all frequencies except for a mild hearing loss. the veteran did not report hearing loss or tinnitus upon discharge from the military and has filed some 34 yeras after his discharge. It was the military that told him he had a mild hearing loss.

It states mild hearing loss, she is counter dicting herself. He has also filed for menier's because of his vertigo and loss of balance. The regional office request for a C&P and instead she gave her opinion and said no hearing loss no menier's.

You can bet your sweet ? that he is filing for a NOD. We have it all written out and just waiting for a rating, plus he will be seeing an HMO Neurologist next month and we have the paper work witten out for him also to give us his opinion on if it is " at least likely or not"

This guy worked on helicopters, flew in helicopters, used all of these guns M 1,14,16 and so fourth and yet she said it is not military related. Plus its on discharge papers.

Oh can she say it is not? Plus he has lived with this tinnitus, both ears never new what it really was, just knew he had the constant ringing.

Plus he was never told about compensation, did not know about it till June of this year.

On the fact that he never reported it for 34 years what a bunch of BS plus she used the excuse of occupational and recreational.

[nlualum82]

Good luck!

The hearing test shows nothing and proves nothing as far as tinnitus to my understanding., but they do it anyway.

I was saved by the papertrail and a conscientious rater.

My C & P examiner was one of those who was sweet as sugar and conversational at the begining, then mean and rude as soon as it was over - I had her twice - can't believe she tried that ruse again the second time.

She went out of her way to torpedoe me. What saved me was a rater who note in the decision that I had no reports of tinnitus upon entering and had alsways reported tinnitus from late in my hitch and everytime it was asked for the over 25 years since.

I got the rating and retro back to the day after discharge.

The biggest factor I can see differing our sitiuations is that my hearing went south while still on active duty and I was scheduled to see the VA back home by medical personnel on my post, so the hearing link was never in doubt and I have never lacked a service connection for that.

Gary

[Nathan104]

I just got my rating decision back and I was denied for bilateral tinitus. I left service Dec 2005 and filed my claims right after getting out. I do not believe I have hearing loss but they did the hearing exam anyways. The ringing is constant for me and if Im ever somewhere quiet it will almost drive me insane. I was a helicopter pilot working around the whine of the jet engines. Guess Ill have to appeal. Not sure exactly what I can do to prove this to them if I have no hearing loss.