Quoted: The Gov is working on an anti-oxident program for protection and restoration of hearing. If I find the link to it I will post it...It seems they are paying a shit load of money out for hearing loss disabilty to veterans.

An old buddy of mine is the lead guy behind that.  Google COL Kopke.  He is an AD USA COL on loan last I heard to the Naval Hospital at San Diego.

Yeah that whole tinnitus thing totally sucks. but you get used to it after a while and only notice it when your in bed at night or something quiet. Just a small amount of protection can help. The problem is the ear nerves are like the spinal cord they DONT self repair. once the nerve dies that's it. the only parts that do repair are the drum and Cochlea and non-nerve parts of the ear. actually what does the most damage is the "concussion"  (shock wave) of the air rather than the actual supersonic noise. preventing that wave from entering the ear can make all the difference.

So... it appears that hearing loss is common in vets.
I guess it's just less visible than other injuries...

No combat of any sort here, but I'm almost deaf in one ear...
Just woke up one day, and I couldn't hear shit.
Sucks to the mucho.

Quoted: I have a significant amount of hearing loss and tinitus. When on patrol I never wore the combat ear plugs because they interfered with me communicating on the radio, so I had to pay the price. One thing that I noticed though, which is really wierd, was that in my first fire fight, when I was shooting it didnt seem that loud. Probably has something to do with adreniline and the fight/ flight mechanism we all have. I would be curious to see if anyone else noticed this.

Not at all uncommon. Under the effects of adrenaline you don't notice how loud the shots are. In some cases people never hear the shots they fire, a phenomenon called auditory exclusion. I have personally experienced auditory exclusion. I fired the gun, felt the recoil, but never heard the shot.

Quoted: Quoted: My tinitus is caused from IEDs and not small arms, the only time I no longer hear it is when there is alot of ambient noise, like at a bar. I hope to God it goes away, annoying as fuck. I had a tank shoot about 5-6 rounds from 10 feet away from me. My hearing reallly poor now. Shooting small arms without hearing pro never really bothered me.

Over time it would have.

But having an M1 lob a few rounds right by your head is equal to years of small arms booms in your ears.....

The concussion from a tank firing is no friggin joke. Ever seen how much dust a tank shot kicks up? You do NOT want to be around that.

Quoted: a phenomenon called auditory exclusion.

My wife tells me I have this....

Quoted: So... it appears that hearing loss is common in vets.

Yes, it is.

I remember watching my very first WWII documentary in middle school and seeing a clip of guys firing artillery pieces. My very first thought was: They are going to be deaf within an hour that way....

And that is pretty much true. The kinds of things that need to be done in combat do not lend themselves to the long term health of a soldier's hearing. Firing small arms without hearing protection, having a squad member fire his weapon less than a foot from your ear, using explosives without protection, launching mortars, or even taking cover when pinned down by an insurgent sniper and having a tank come to your rescue....All of that takes a toll on your hearing.

It is a wonder that any of our combat vets can hear anything.

Quoted: My wife tells me I have this....

All men have it.

It can be triggered either by adrenaline or by a nagging woman.

Very interesting thread.
And I can't remember a thread about hearing loss before.

Good post, Girlieman!

Quoted: Very interesting thread. And I can't remember a thread about hearing loss before. Good post, Girlieman!

'Something I've often wondered about..... that's all.
Thanks to all for the input so far

The thing about tinitus, at least mine, is that it doesn't remain at the same pitch. At times one ear will increase to the point where I cannot hear anything, from 10 seconds to a few minutes, then returns to it's "normal" level. But, like inlaws, it's always there and never leaves.

The worst cases of guys yelling while trying to sound normal,were from artillery or ship gunners!!

Absolutly could not tell how loud they were talking!!!

I allways wear ear protectors,I'm a little autistic (meaning I preceave things from all around at all times)too much imput!!!

My boss comes in turns on the big screen TV,then leaves to the quiet of her office she leaves I turn it off!!

I hear the pager,fax,laundry room tumblers,birds screetching,cars raceing down 12th ave,people talking,just in general the whole world outside!!

She asks me why I turn off the TV,I say that if nobody is there to watch it why burn it out!

I know she will fire me eventually cause I ask questions like what music do you hear when you walk out the door?

Is it TAAA  TAA DAA DUMMM   or like the sound of music,or just the sounds of life(crickets and dogs,loud boom boxes,people farting,ECT!

I contest that people need to be intertained 100& of thier life now,you cannot walk into a store and take your cart and shop without being asaulted by someones idea of what music is needed to shop!!

I just came in to buy a pair of socks and some Irish Spring Original,don't need to hear a trioligly to the Bee Gees!!!

If they took requests I would like to shop at a Hank Williams Jr Wall-Mart!!

So less hype more service!!

Yes loud exsplosives will take your ears out(when the ringing starts it never(never)ends)!

Carry some BeesWax just a little from a wax seal toliet in the ears would work great!!!

I degress   Great post!!


Bob

Speak up sonny, I cant hear for shit anymore, an IED going off right by your truck will do that.

If you wear earplugs like me constantly (deployed on convoys) then you dont have to worry about it as much.  Ive seen people with busted eardrums from IEDs, it doesnt sound fun.