I got all the tests and hearing aids thru the VA at no cost to me.
Thanks for posting this, Randy. I too have a ringing in my left ear that I suspect is tinnitus. It has been noticeable for a month or so now. I will be interested in follow on comments. - Jim
I do also! I actually have it right now! It is really bothersome. It is just a constant high pitched ringing.
Randy, I am going through the same thing. Went through Tricare prime and they sent me to an ENT for my hearing loss and Tinnitus. The ringing is so bad that sometimes I can't hear much. The results of my test were that my hearing loss is significant enough that I qualify for a hearing aids and I have to go through the VA which they will provide for free, as for the tinnitus, there isn't much anyone can do about it except for you to start taking an OTC supplement called Lipo-Flavonoid. If I can be of any help just ask and I will keep you posted on what the VA tells me.
Thanks, guys. Between your answers and a couple emails I got it seems like I have a good start. I'm not sure which is worse, not hearing well or the **** ringing! I need to do something, Chris has been looking at legal books to see if bad hearing is grounds to leave me high and dry, lol. I'll keep you posted on how things workout with the hearing issue.
Randy
Randy, the ringing and hearing loss are two seperate disabilities. Both can be claimed as disabilities through the VA, but there are twists. Firstly, the tinnitus is normally a result of exposure to acoustic trauma. There is no cure for it, and there is no real test to determine if a person has it. In fact, it is the only disability that VA concedes as self diagnosable. You are the only one who knows if you have it or not. There have been treatments for it, but they have been ineffective in either "curing" it or reducing it. Best guidance is to have a noise source (radio, ceiling fan, etc.) on when things are quiet. For VA claims purposes, it had to actually start while you were on active duty, and it is generally granted when a person/s military background is consistant with noise exposure (i.e. flight line, Gunner's Mate, combat, etc.). Hearing loss is different. You need to be able to prove that you experienced at least an average of 26db hearing loss during service or within 1 year of discharge, or have a single freq hearing loss of 40db or better. Or have a "significant" threshold shift of 15db or more... Tinnitus claims are a lot easier to get through than hearing claims. Contact a County Veteran Service Officer if your state uses them, and they will help you file a claim. You can also contact a VSO (i.e. Am Legion, VFW, DAV, etc.) to assist you. I have raging tinnitus, but it is purely music related, and I can't blame the military!
I also have tinnitus and hearing loss, it was first noticed while at Argentia. I was tested every two years after that and it was progressively getting worse.
I had it tracked by the VA after being released from Active Duty. They approved disability for it in 1984. All the testing and hearing aids were at no cost to me.
let's just face it, the problem is we're getting old. Randy, make Chris put down stuff in writing. Ha
I have a 43% loss in my right ear and 74% in my left ear. I have had all the different hearing aids and they all s..k. When you walk out in the wind it sounds like a force 5 hurricane. My was diagnosed as a result of gunfire in Vietnam and heavy equipment. I can only tell you it gets worst. I was diagnosed in 1988 and it has gone down hill every time. I have a 30% disability from the VA, but if you ask Theresa she would tell you it is closer to 100%. Hey there is a good side, if someone asks you something you can always say "I didn't hear you", but when you drive up to a fast food place and have to have the wife tell you what they just said, it is both embarrassing and frustrating. Good luck to all and just think the young people of today will also need hearing aids. I have said for some time that hearing aids and tattoo removal with be the biggest growth industry for the next 20 years. That what is great about this forum, they have to type it so everyone can read it.
Once again, thanks for all the great input! I take a little consolation knowing that I'm not the only one going through this, but also that the rest of you are getting old too! I've concluded that my hearing loss was service related, being yelled at by George, et al. :) We have a VA Clinic not far from my house but they didn't answer the phone today, will keep trying and let y'all know how it goes.
Randy, they probably answered, but you didn't hear them....just kidding, I've noticed my hearing is getting worse in my left ear, like I said I just figured it was my age, I don't know if hearing those styluses over the years could have had any effect on hearing or not. I know the carbon should have had a health effect if anything.
Jim, my left ear is the worst too. Wish it was the right one, especially when we're in the car....lol
Since I left the Navy, there has always been a low, almost indistinguishable noise the I constantly hear, but since last November, I have been going nuts. I have that **** ringing in both ears at about a 45% noise coverage. Also I have some hearing loss, especially in the left ear. I hear cicadas almost every minute I am awake. I was tested at the VA here in WV, and they have provided hearing aids with Bluetooth capabilities. It generally works, but dang.. I can hear all the 'other' things I don't want to hear just fine.
Seems to be left ears on all of us. Wasn't the Watch Officer situated to the desk at the right of us supervisors? Hmmm I do remember spending many a mid-watch doing puzzles with my W/0, Ensign Allen. Maybe we should contact them and see if they have tinnitus in their right years. Could be positive proof there that will tilt the scales in our direction.
heh, heh
Charlie Costa
Huh? 
My tinnitus sounds to me like I have a never ending chorus of cicadas singing inside my head 24/7; sometimes louder than others. I got 0% for hearing loss from the VA shortly after retiring in '96 but should probably revisit that soon since my hearing continues to get worse.
The tinnitus is most noticeable for me when it is quiet but after having lived with it for 17 years or so I can (for the most part) ignore it.
Rick
Rick,
I have the some problems, the 1st time the VA rated it as 0% and about 18 years later the changed it to 10% afer retesting.
I would have it retested.
John
John,
I think I will follow your advice. I'm due for my annual physical so I'll ask my doctor to refer me for a hearing test.
Thanks,
Rick
I have all the above. Went to the VA for an eval and got a letter back saying I am 8G which by there standard means I make too much. They also requested a copy of my taxes. I guess I will bite the bullet and pay a few thou for a set. Good Luck.
Chuck
I've had that constant ringing in my left ear for a few years, and it is getting worse. Peggy tells be that my hearing is poor. I'm happy to be doing as good as I am. Osteo-arthritis, titanium left knee, back spasms come and go. Still using the set of teeth mother nature gave me (lots of them missing), and I use $7.95 readers I get at Walmart. Still have need for a comb, although it does more work in the front than the back. The shoulders are painful, but not that bad.
BTW - I have discovered that I can drown out the ear-ringing by cranking up the volume on my iTunes playlists, especially with good quality headphones. Yeh I know - that won't help my hearing in the long run, but **** - I do love my music!
Just the thought of going to the VA makes me crazy.
Again, I take perverse pleasure in knowing so many of you have the same issues with hearing! Its a real treat when I visit my 88 year old mom in Ohio...she is almost totally deaf and rarely wears her hearing aids, plus her voice has gotten weaker with age. We don't really converse, its me yelling in her direction and then asking her to repeat herself....which she can't hear....which starts the whole cycle again...
Randy: MOM, DO YOU NEED ANYTHING FROM THE STORE??!!
Mom: what?
Randy: I SAID, DO YOU NEED ANYTHING FROM THE STORE??!!
Mom: no, I didn't open the door
Randy: HUH??!!
Mom: what?
Sound familiar??
Yeah it does, my mom just paid over 6 thousand for a set of hearing aids and I still have to yell. I sometimes think it may be selective hearing on her part. She says she hears a lot better, but you can't prove that by me.
From the Mayo Clinic:
Treating an underlying health condition
To treat your tinnitus, your doctor will first try to identify any underlying, treatable condition that may be associated with your symptoms. If tinnitus is due to a health condition, your doctor may be able to take steps that could reduce the noise. Examples include:
Earwax removal. Removing impacted earwax can decrease tinnitus symptoms. Treating a blood vessel condition. Underlying vascular conditions may require medication, surgery or another treatment to address the problem.
Changing your medication. If a medication you're taking appears to be the cause of tinnitus, your doctor may recommend stopping or reducing the drug, or switching to a different medication.
Noise suppression In some cases white noise may help suppress the sound so that it's less bothersome. Your doctor may suggest using an electronic device to suppress the noise. Devices include:
White noise machines. These devices, which produce simulated environmental sounds such as falling rain or ocean waves, are often an effective treatment for tinnitus. You may want to try a white noise machine with pillow speakers to help you sleep. Fans, humidifiers, dehumidifiers and air conditioners in the bedroom may also help cover the internal noise at night.
Hearing aids. These can be especially helpful if you have hearing problems as well as tinnitus. Masking devices. Worn in the ear and similar to hearing aids, these devices produce a continuous, low-level white noise that suppresses tinnitus symptoms.
Tinnitus retraining. A wearable device delivers individually programmed tonal music to mask the specific frequencies of the tinnitus you experience. Over time, this technique may accustom you to the tinnitus, thereby helping you not to focus on it.
Counseling is often a component of tinnitus retraining.
Drugs can't cure tinnitus, but in some cases they may help reduce the severity of symptoms or complications. Possible medications include:
Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline, have been used with some success. However, these medications are generally used for only severe tinnitus, as they can cause troublesome side effects, including dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation and heart problems.
Alprazolam (Niravam, Xanax) may help reduce tinnitus symptoms, but side effects can include drowsiness and nausea. It can also become habit-forming.
Thanks, Jim. Good stuff here. I've been using a fan for years to go to sleep. It not only helps mask my tinnitus, but also helps with unwanted outside ambient noises, not to mention (without mentioning any names) someone's snoring.
I am amazed though, at how many possible remedies were mentioned in that article. On my last VA visit to the hearing clinic, when I got my hearing aid, there was a sign for people to sign up with tinnitus problems. Until now, I assumed it was only experimental. I WILL be going back to check it out.
Thanks again.
Charlie Costa