Military sustained hearing loss is the number one injury reported amongst Veterans. More and more soldiers returning from war have been diagnosed with tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, and noise-induced permanent hearing loss, neither of which have a cure. The Department of Veterans Affairs has reported that nearly 70,000 of the more than 1.3 million troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan collect disability for tinnitus and more than 58,000 collect disability payments for hearing loss. The projected growth of these already staggering numbers suggests that hearing damage caused from combat will grow 18% a year, with disability payments totaling $1.1 billion annually by 2011.

The dramatic rise of noise-induced hearing loss in the military is due to a culmination of factors. Close combat including firefights, roadside bombings and frequent explosives and artillery attacks exposes soldiers to very high levels of noise, resulting in dangerous noise exposure causing a high incidence of tinnitus and often permanent hearing loss. According to military reports, 60% of soldiers exposed to blasts suffer from permanent hearing loss, while 49% suffer from tinnitus. These astounding statistics have demanded the attention of the Department of Veterans Affairs and all branches of the military.

The significance of hearing loss and its prevalence within groups of soldiers returning from combat has not been addressed efficiently in the past. Until recently, soldiers’ hearing was not assessed prior or post combat and there was an ignorance throughout the military about the best ways to prevent hearing loss. Soldiers are not always given ear plugs, and if they are, they are not always instructed on how to properly use them. Other soldiers refuse to wear ear plugs because they fear they will block out noises that are essential in staying alert in their environment. However, while the hazardous noise in warfare cannot be eliminated; there are practical, preventative measures that should be adopted to lower the incidence of tinnitus and hearing loss.

The noise-induced hearing loss often seen in returning Veterans is often irreversible, so it is vital that the military and its soldiers institute preventative measures before a hearing loss in incurred. There are now a variety of hearing protective devices, such as ear plugs, noise muffs and ear canal caps that lower the amount of noise the soldiers are exposed to. There is also an increase in trained professionals, sometimes audiologists or other hearing specialists, and physicians and nurses who are hearing-trained and onsite with the soldiers, providing a wealth of knowledge about hearing conservation and use and management of hearing protective devices. Having these hearing specialists onsite is a very important move in decreasing the number of soldiers who sustain hearing damage in combat. Many branches of the military have also been proactive in addressing the astounding rates of hearing loss by creating hearing conservation programs staffed with hearing-trained professionals who are able to educate and train others in the importance of preventative measures for lessening the frequency of hearing loss. These hearing conservation programs mandate hearing tests for soldiers before deployment and again upon return, which helps the military collect more accurate data about soldiers returning with hearing loss by discounting the possibility of hearing damage sustained before or after service. These hearing screenings also provide evidence of hearing loss that helps Veterans receive disability and follow-up care for their combat sustained injury. The increase in preventative measures and the availability of trained hearing professionals onsite is essential in improving the hearing health of soldiers in war.

Educating soldiers about protecting their hearing and increasing awareness about the causes of hearing loss is critical in lowering the incidence of hearing loss in the military, and follow-up care is just as vital. While knowing about hearing loss caused by warfare and undertaking preventative measures is crucial and helps lower the rates of hearing loss, hearing damage is still incurred by many soldiers. Follow-up examinations by audiologists are needed and depending on the degree of hearing loss, hearing aids are often prescribed. However, there are other technologies and services that are beneficial to people with hearing loss. Communication technologies are useful for anyone with a hearing loss who has difficulty communicating on a phone. PhoneCaption is a service that allows users to communicate freely and easily by sending voice dialogue via text through the internet or phone service. Since many of the returning soldiers are young, they are often familiar with using the internet and cell phones like a Blackberry, which makes Phone Caption an easy transition.

PhoneCaption is helpful to anyone with a hearing loss who has difficulty communicating effectively on the telephone and since there are many soldiers with hearing damage acquired during combat, Veterans are an overlooked group who may benefit from PhoneCaption. This service is free and easy to use and is one of the most beneficial communication technologies for returning soldiers with hearing loss. There have been enormous strides made within the military to combat the high incidence of hearing loss incurred by soldiers, but despite these preventative measures, soldiers still experience high levels of noise, which sometimes results in permanent hearing loss. Follow-up with a hearing professional is important in accessing any hearing damage and there are great communication technologies available that can improve communications and quality of life for people with hearing loss.