ARLINGTON, Va. - It's National Protect Your Hearing Month, so it's appropriate to note that hearing loss among service members has risen substantially in the last few years. The Department of Defense Hearing Center of Excellence reports that tinnitus(ringing of the ears) and hearing loss are two of the most prevalent service-related injuries among veterans.
In response to hearing health concerns, the Army National Guard (ARNG) changed its hearing test policy from testing Soldiers once every five years to annually. More frequent hearing tests will help Soldiers identify, treat and reduce the impact of hearing loss earlier.
When Soldiers take steps to protect their hearing, it keeps them safer on the battlefield, during training and throughout everyday life.
To help Soldiers better understand the importance of hearing protection and hearing loss prevention, ARNG’s health and wellness campaign, Guard Your Health, offers tips on how to prevent hearing loss. Tactics such as wearing noise-canceling ear muffs while riding in a helicopter or wearing noise activated or electronic earplugs while shooting can keep ears safe.
Guard Your Health also features information on how hearing loss can affect a Soldier’s life, how to cope with and manage hearing loss, and the signs to look out for, such as a muffled feeling in your ears, sensing a prolonged ringing or buzzing in your ears or straining to hear someone.
Service members may be at risk for hearing injuries when exposed to high noise levels of vehicles, gunshots and other deafening sounds. For example, a helicopter has a noise level of 85 decibels (dB), and flying one without appropriate hearing protection can cause gradual and permanent hearing loss. Gunfire and other impulse sounds can be loud enough to cause hearing damage as well.
Soldiers can learn more about the decibel scale, safe volume limits, and appropriate hearing protection with Guard Your Health’s “How Loud Life Should Be” infographic. Soldiers are encouraged to review Guard Your Health’s hearing health resources and speak to their medical readiness NCO as soon as possible if they are concerned about their own hearing.