Question on Tinnitus/Sleep Apena

[chieft 0]

I am service connected for Tinnitus and diagnosed with sleep apena and use a cpap but not service connected for it, diagnosed after service. 

I saw an article that stated that sleep apena can be secondary to tinnitus, is this true?  

[broncovet 4,251]

When you ask "can" it be, well yes, it can.  You are going to need a statement from a doctor that says your sleep apnea is "at least as likely as not" related to your tinnitus.  

If you have that, go for it.  Even if you dont have that, you can go for it anyway, and get the nexus statement later...."if" your C and P exam does not provide a favorable nexus.  

How long after service were you diagnosed with sleep apnea??  Did a doctor note that you had sleep issues in your exit exam?  

[brokensoldier244th 978]

It would be helpful to know where the article was from to know if it was credible. There is one study I saw that speculated that snowing due to apnea could contribute to hf hearing loss bit it was a really small sample. Tinnitus can be easily linked to insomnia though. 

[broncovet 4,251]

I agree with brokensoldier..of course, we dont know if the article was one in a Scientific Journal, or if it was an article for one of the tabloids.  But the real significant issue is not whether or not WE think the article was credible, it matters whether your doctor thinks its credible.  We are not competent to opine on whether a study is valid or not, your doctor may cite this article in his or her opinion on his medical rationale as to why he thinks your sleep apnea is at least as likely as not related to your tinnitus.  

The "study", even if conducted by Harvard Medical school, does not necessarily mean YOUR tinintus caused YOUR sleep apnea.  The VA doesnt care if 80 percent of the study participants revealed tinnitus causes sleep apnea, what matters is does your doctor think it cause YOUR sleep apnea.  

The people in the study are not applying for benefits, you are.  Interpreting the study and if it applies to you is your doctors job.  

Edited April 10, 2020 by broncovet

[brokensoldier244th 978]

Here is the study I mentioned before

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5019138/

[chieft 0]

Thanks guys for the swift replies.  The research was done by the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit I  saw the article and thought I would ask..  Like I  said earlier I am SC for tinnitus but not sleep apnea because I was diagnosed several years after military.  I am under going treatment now for sleep disturbance, will wait and see what they come up with at the VA

[brokensoldier244th 978]

Tinnitus is an auditory nerve issue, apnea is a respitory issue except for centralized which  is also brain related . I have obstructive apnea and insomnia. Mine is service connected, and I have tinnitus also though they aren't connected to each other. Tinnitus can cause/contribute to depression and insomnia but you might have issues finding info on it being related to apnea. Even the study I posted was more about insomnia and HF hearing loss than apnea. If it was this article it was more talking about insomnia/sleep disturbance than apnea. You can claim sleep disturbance/insomnia as its own issue, though. 

 

https://www.henryford.com/news/2012/04/study-insomnia-takes-toll-on-tinnitus-patients

[chieft 0]

Thanks.  Here is the situation, I was interviewed by phone by a VA psychologist who wrote a diagnosis of all things, nightmares but ruled out that it was PTSD.  On the 21st I have an appointment with another psychologist for sleep disturbances.  I have sleep apnea and use a cpap through civilian doctor in 2012, I did not file with VA on this because my VSO said that since I was not treated for this in the military it would not be granted.  I am SC for tinnitus and it is constant  Even though I use a cpap machine every night I still can not get more than 4 to 5 hours of sleep and do good to make the 70% requirement for usage.  I see that sleep disturbance is listed as a later developing disability for Desert Storm veterans, which I am.  I am currently rated at 70% in which none are related to sleep issues or mental health.   Thank you for your information.

Chieft  

Bilateral pes planus  50%
and plantar fasciitis
hallux valgus and rigidus left great toe  0%
corneal scar, and aqueous tear deficiency 10%
tinnitus 10%
lateral collateral and deltoid ligament sprain with tendonitis, right ankle  0%
hallux valgus and hallux rigidus with gout and arthritis of right great toe  10%
Hypertension  10%
Pseudofolliculitis Barbae  0%

[broncovet 4,251]

You posted:

Quote

 I did not file with VA on this because my VSO said that since I was not treated for this in the military it would not be granted.  

Wrong.  Caluza elements "do not" require "treatment in the military".  Instead, they do require a current diagnosis, in service "event", and nexus.  In service treatement is not a requirement. 

Your VSO needs to study the Caluza elements, he has them wrong. 

You also posted:

Quote

I see that sleep disturbance is listed as a later developing disability for Desert Storm veterans, which I am.

Now we are getting somewhere.  File for it.  You dont need to specify , primary, secondary, presumptive, etc.  Its VA's job to figure that out..you are not required to have all VA regulations committed to memory in order to be granted benefits.  

Gulf war illness can be presumptive.  Presumptive means that, if you meet the criteria, your conditions can be SC.   Read this:

https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/publications/gulf-war/gulf-war-winter-2016/gulf-war-presumptives.asp

[chieft 0]

Thanks for your reply, I will let you know how it come out.

[capone29203 0]

Hello maybe  the attached can help you support your secondary conditions,  support Secondary conditions to Tinnitus to include: Sleep Apnea, Insomnia, Depression, Anxiety, chronic pain (ear pain) BMRI2015-797416 Tinnitus and Headache.pdf 

[Characterization of sleep disturbance in patients with tinnitus]_ABSTRACT.pdf Higher prevalence and increased severity of sleep‐disordered breathing in male patients with chronic tinnitus_ Our experience with 173 cases.pdf Tinnitus_Linked_To_Insomnia.pdf Sleep disturbances Associated with Chronic Tinnitus Alster.pdf

[AllTheWay 19]

Broken soldier is absolutely correct. Tinnitus is an auditory nerve issue. Insomnia can be connected to a mental issue such a ptsd. I am not claiming to be a doctor but I was declined for trying the same claim and a neuro dr. had a good rational is to why tinnitus does not connect the dots.  If you don't have a claim for mh issues, you may be able to claim insomnia as secondary to your service connected conditions that causes pain while you are trying to sleep. But it must be in your VA medical notes about sleep and you can state that you take otc sleep meds but it may be better if the VA had prescribed tremodol or some type of sleep meds. Also may be good to take a sleep study test to prove some type of sleep disturbance.  I have been there, done it.

[AllTheWay 19]

1 hour ago, capone29203 said:

Hello maybe  the attached can help you support your secondary conditions,  support Secondary conditions to Tinnitus to include: Sleep Apnea, Insomnia, Depression, Anxiety, chronic pain (ear pain) BMRI2015-797416 Tinnitus and Headache.pdf 

[Characterization of sleep disturbance in patients with tinnitus]_ABSTRACT.pdf 258.57 kB · 1 download Higher prevalence and increased severity of sleep‐disordered breathing in male patients with chronic tinnitus_ Our experience with 173 cases.pdf 139.44 kB · 0 downloads Tinnitus_Linked_To_Insomnia.pdf 365.33 kB · 0 downloads Sleep disturbances Associated with Chronic Tinnitus Alster.pdf 868.4 kB · 0 downloads

I have read your sleep disturbance from Detroit.  What kind of credential does Detroit have? I am asking because I have lived in the area and have been to John Dingall. You need to try better than Detroit. If not, denial all over your face. you probably had Elaine Kountanis

[Buck52 3,236]

1 hour ago, capone29203 said:

Hello maybe  the attached can help you support your secondary conditions,  support Secondary conditions to Tinnitus to include: Sleep Apnea, Insomnia, Depression, Anxiety, chronic pain (ear pain) BMRI2015-797416 Tinnitus and Headache.pdf 

[Characterization of sleep disturbance in patients with tinnitus]_ABSTRACT.pdf 258.57 kB · 1 download Higher prevalence and increased severity of sleep‐disordered breathing in male patients with chronic tinnitus_ Our experience with 173 cases.pdf 139.44 kB · 0 downloads Tinnitus_Linked_To_Insomnia.pdf 365.33 kB · 1 download Sleep disturbances Associated with Chronic Tinnitus Alster.pdf 868.4 kB · 0 downloads

These research articles won't cut IT.

  although I agree with them but the va Will not  your going to need all of this on a written out IMO from a qualified Dr certified in OSA  AND ALSO A ENT TO GIVE THEIR MEDICAL OPINION AFTER THEY READ YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS AND EXAMIN YOU  AND PROF OF RECORDS YOU HAD OSA PROBLEMS WHILE IN THE MILITARY AND THE TINNITUS   TO CONNECT THE DOTS ON ALL OF THIS.

[AllTheWay 19]

22 minutes ago, Buck52 said:

These research articles won't cut IT.

  although I agree with them but the va Will not  your going to need all of this on a written out IMO from a qualified Dr certified in OSA  AND ALSO A ENT TO GIVE THEIR MEDICAL OPINION AFTER THEY READ YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS AND EXAMIN YOU  AND PROF OF RECORDS YOU HAD OSA PROBLEMS WHILE IN THE MILITARY AND THE TINNITUS   TO CONNECT THE DOTS ON ALL OF THIS.

Just be careful. VA will probably say that its by weight gain, therefor not service connected. But if the reason that  you have  gained weight, maybe its because of your service connected disability.  Get my drift? The VA duty is try to deny.  Keep Fighting.