Military Life and Hearing

I am retired from the Marine Corps and during that career I was exposed to explosions, weapons fire, jet engines, and loud helicopter blade 'whopping.' Sometimes we had hearing protection and sometimes we didn't. My tinnitus is a loud piercing zinging in both ears, dominant in the left. Bad hearing is corrected by hearing aids which have installed tinnitus features such as ocean waves and white noise controlled by the aids along with downloaded "music" apps of various kinds loaded into my cell phone. I also have a "music" box for tinnitus on the night stand with different sounds some of which, to me, are kind of weird. But it works!

My tinnitus sometimes really gets to me, especially during quiet times. When I am engrossed in a difficult project the brain does focus on the project and I don't "hear" the tinnitus. I do use ear protection when mowing or snow blowing or any other noisy situation. The loud noise in my head has been with me for more than 30 years.

My special hearing aids were furnished by the Veterans Administration for which I am grateful.

Capt. USMC Retired

 

Welcome to Tinnitus Talk and sharing your story with us.
Your a true hero
..love glynis

 

Thank you for your service. I have family members who have served in the US military, and I know it's not an easy occupation.

I've heard that the defense department is very interested in research regarding hearing loss and tinnitus -- treating vets for both conditions is costly for the VA.

Thanks, too, for sharing your story. I have hearing loss, too. Do the hearing aids help diminish the tinnitus at all?

 

Hello Tinker Bell,

The loud piercing sound is constant and the hearing aids cannot diminish tinnitus but they can distract the brain from one sound to the other.

 

Welcome to our forum

First of all: Ty for serving and protecting our beautiful land....

Yes, your career and the loud noise has impacted your ears. I am glad you have hearing aids with white noise built in. I have them too, but i rarely wear them, only once in a blue moon, I wear them. They do help for those rare moments too.

Be well.....