Hearing loss and tinnitus in the military

According to the VA, tinnitus and hearing loss are two of the top three reasons for military disability compensation claims. In fact, tinnitus is the number one disability among veterans, and a 2019 study showed that numbers of veterans with tinnitus have been steadily on the rise.

Causes of military hearing loss

Permanent hearing damage is often a direct result of sudden, loud explosions, the roar of airplane or ship engines; or even gunfire. These loud noises can cause the sensitive hair cells in the inner ear to become damaged and can even degenerate nerve cells in the ear. Once this happens, electrical signals aren’t properly transmitted and hearing loss occurs. Noise-induced hearing loss can be caused by a ruptured eardrum as well. 

If you’re a veteran with hearing loss or tinnitus, you might be interested in participating in the Noise Outcomes in Service Members Epidemiology (NOISE) study. In 2006, Congress directed the VA to partner with what is now the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine, IOM) and review records dating back to World War II regarding noise exposure in the military and related hearing loss. That review exposed major gaps in understanding the correlations, making it harder for the VA to assess risks for service members.

The IOM determined that more research was needed and the NOISE study was subsequently designed to address those knowledge gaps by collecting data from veterans with hearing loss and tinnitus. Enrollment started in 2014 and is still ongoing, with aims to continue collecting data even past 2025.