The impact of military noise on hearing and tinnitus - British veterans start legal proceedings

British veterans with hearing loss and tinnitus have started a legal battle over faulty earplugs. Many of them have tinnitus and hearing loss despite wearing the recommended 3M combat earplugs. You can read the full article on BBC news here.

In this blog you will find a bit more detail about the effects of military noise on hearing and tinnitus, how to protect your hearing, and what to do if you suspect that you or someone you know may have hearing loss or tinnitus.

In summary, military noise exposure is strongly linked to permanent hearing loss and tinnitus. Prevention through consistent hearing protection and early monitoring is critical.

If you, or someone you know has symptoms of hearing loss or tinnitus:

·       Don’t ignore it: ringing or muffled hearing after noise exposure may signal permanent damage

·       Get a hearing test

·       Report symptoms early so they are documented for your health and potential benefits claims

For further information on how effective these strategies can be click here.

Military noise exposure

Military noise exposure is one of the most common occupational hazards faced by service men and women. Prolonged or repeated exposure to loud sounds such as gunfire, aircraft engines and explosions can lead to significant and often permanent auditory damage which causes hearing loss and tinnitus.

Loud noises damage the delicate hair cells in the cochlea (inner ear), which cannot heal or regenerate. Over time, this leads to irreversible sensorineural hearing loss which is often associated with tinnitus.

Hearing loss

There are many hazardous sounds in the military, including weapons fire, explosions, aircraft and aviation noise, armored vehicle and ship noise, commnication and electronic warfare systems and training / simulation environments.

Impulse noise, such as explosions and heavy weapons fire, is more damaging than continuous noise due to the sudden, extreme pressure changes that this type of noise causes. Blast exposure can cause additional injuries including ruptured eardrums, damage to middle-ear bones, and central auditory processing disorders (difficulty understanding speech even with normal hearing tests).

📌 Key Risk Levels

• 85 dB+ (continuous) → gradual hearing damage with long exposure.

• 120 dB+ (impulse noise) → immediate pain and risk of injury.

• 140 dB+ (impulse) → threshold for instant and permanent hearing loss.

  
  

The typical characteristics of noise induced hearing loss are:

·       Hearing loss is typically bilateral and symmetrical

·       Hearing loss is greater in the high frequencies (3 – 6 kHz range), making it harder to hear speech clearly, particularly in noisy environments

·       Hearing loss may progress with repeated and cumulative exposure

Noise induced hearing loss can be prevented by using suitable hearing protection. Options include:

·       Foam earplugs: inexpensive, disposable, effective if inserted properly

·       Earmuffs: Easy to use, often more comfortable for long periods

·       Combat arms earplugs / filtered plugs: Allow speech and environmental awareness while blocking damaging impulse noise

·       Double protection: use both plugs and uffs for extreme noise (eg aircraft flight lines, artillery)

Remember:

·       Check your fit: poorly inserted plugs or loose muffs don’t protect

·       Rotate out of noise areas when possible, to give your ears a break

·       Service personnel should have their hearing tested regularly and be trained to recognise hazardous noise levels.

Management options

Noise induced hearing loss is permanent, however auditory training and hearing aids are the best methods of managing hearing loss. You can find more information within this webiste in the hearing loss and hearing aids sections.

Tinnitus

Tinnitus is one of the most common service-related disabilities reported by veterans. The mechanism is linked to damage to hair cells, which can cause them or the nerves which supply them to send erratic signals to the brain. Tinnitus can also be made worse by stress, traumatic brain injury or blast exposure. If tinnitus is troublesome, it can cause sleep disturbance, difficulty concentrating and have emotional effects such as anxiety, irritability and depression.

Management options

Management strategies for tinnitus include sound therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, tinnitus retraining therapy and stress management, relaxation and sleep hygiene.

Most people who experience tinnitus become less aware of it, and less troubled by it over time. So whilst there is no surgical or medical cure for it, it is generally a condition that people manage well.

You can find more information within the tinnitus section of this website.

Further reading

You can find more information on the impact of noise on hearing in the military here and here.

It has been shown that military noise exposure accelerates high-frequency hearing loss beyond what would be expected from ageing alone. You can find more detail here.

Further information on tinnitus management can be found here.