Hearing loss is biggest disability among military veterans, expert says

As thousands of wounded warriors and military veterans battle disabilities and injuries every day, the most common ailment often gets overlooked.

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ear, is the leading disability in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), according to Dr. Tom Tedeschi, chief audiology director for Amplifon Hearing Health Care.

Utah-based Tedeschi, who is also a Vietnam-era Army veteran, shared with Fox News Digital how prevalent hearing loss and complications are among the veteran community.

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About 60% of Vietnam veterans and 50% of Gulf War veterans suffer from hearing loss, according to the expert.

"It's estimated that probably one out of every three veterans has some degree of hearing loss or tinnitus," he said. "And it's just because we're around noise all the time … The military is not a quiet place."

Everyone’s hearing is different, Tedeschi said, with various sound levels affecting people in different ways.

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"For some people, if they hear a loud noise like a gunshot, it can damage their hearing permanently," he noted. "Other people can sustain a lot of noise, and it won't cause permanent damage right away."

Different roles in the military will have different levels of exposure to loud sounds, Tedeschi said – but for some combat-facing soldiers, even during peace time, there’s plenty of "sustained" noise.

Although hearing protection is issued for military personnel, Tedeschi said it’s not always "practical," especially in active combat.

When hearing is lost, it "doesn’t grow back," the expert cautioned — and even mild hearing loss in young veterans can become more severe with time.

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"When we're young, we still believe we're invincible and that hearing loss is not going to happen … that it's an ‘old person thing,’ which isn't true," he said. 

"There are more people now under the age of 50 with hearing loss than over the age of 50."

Care and protection

The biggest hurdle in addressing hearing complications among veterans is acknowledging the problem, according to Tedeschi.

"Most people who have hearing loss do not acknowledge it," he said. "It's the people around them who notice."

Tedeschi urged veterans to seek help if they experience a constant ringing in the ears, otherwise known as tinnitus, or trouble hearing while having conversations or watching TV.

"We can't cure [tinnitus] or make it completely disappear, but there are different protocols and strategies to help," he said.

This could include wearing hearing aids, which Tedeschi said are "light years ahead" of what they were a decade ago.

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Tedeschi emphasized the importance of wearing proper hearing protection, like ear buds and earmuffs, both in and out of combat.

"We live in a noisy world," he said. "If you're out mowing the lawn, you should pop in some hearing protection. A lot of people love to go to concerts ... Those are loud and they can sustain damage."

If you hear ringing after a concert or other loud event, that means you’ve sustained some damage to your ears, Tedeschi cautioned.

While there is usually a recovery period, in some cases the damage can be permanent, he said.

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Some medications, like aspirin, can cause hearing loss as a side effect, Tedeschi warned.

"If you're taking a lot of aspirin for arthritis or things like this, you need to be careful – and talk to your doctor about whether there is an alternative," he advised.

Tedeschi encouraged veterans to seek help to avoid further complications linked to hearing loss, such as cognitive decline.

"We're seeing more and more individuals with untreated hearing loss who have faster decline in their cognitive function, because the brain is working overtime to compensate," he told Fox News Digital.

"For our veterans, you need to know there's help out there for you, and there's no need to experience all the co-morbidities associated with hearing loss."

Veterans can visit their local VA center to have their hearing evaluated or connect with their counselor for a referral to a hearing loss specialist.