7/30/2019 Facts About Tinnitus

1/2

P.O. Box 5

Portland, OR 97207800-634-8978 www.ata.org

What you should know about tinnitus

Tinnitus is defined as the perception of sound where no external source is present thosewho are affected often describe tinnitus as ringing, hissing, roaring, buzzing or whooshing,perceived in one or both ears;

Nearly 50 million people in the United States experience tinnitus;10-12 million have tinnitus chronically and seek medical attention for their condition;1-2 million in the U.S. are debilitated by their tinnitus cognitive abilities arecompromised and quality of life is ruthlessly reduced from their tinnitus;In 2001 The Centers of Disease Control (CDC) reported that nearly 13% of childrenbetween the ages of6-19 have some form of noise induced hearing loss which cancause and/or lead to tinnitus;In 2007 a study of 900 musicians found that at least 60% report occasional tinnitus;Tinnitus is most commonly caused by noise exposure According to the NationalInstitutes on Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) maximum allowable noiseexposure is 85 dBA for eight hours and even at that level seven to eight people will stillsustain hearing damage;30 million workers are at risk for tinnitus and noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) fromhazardous noise on the job;Under-employment and unemployment due to NIHL costs $2.5 billion a yearwith anadditional $2 billion per yearin welfare and disability programs;Industry experts recommend that for every 3 decibel increase above 85dBA a personshould cut their time exposure in half. For example, if85 dBA is safe for eight hours,

then 88 dBA is safe for only four hours;Even though there are recommended maximum allowable exposure times, cumulativenoise exposure even at safe levels can cause tinnitus over years;We are living in the age of amplified sound where many every day noise sourcesproduce decibel levels that can be hazardous to our hearing and can result in tinnitusand other types of hearing loss - Here are some examples of every day noise sourcesand their respective decibel levels:

Noise Source Decibel level (dBA) Maximum allowable timeexposure

City Traffic, VacuumCleaner

85 8 hours

Power Lawn Mower 90 4 hoursMP3 Player 105 7 minutes

Chainsaw 110 4 minutes

Rock Concert 115 1 minute or less

Piccolo 120 30 seconds or less

Jackhammer 130 15 seconds or less

The American Tinnitus Association exists to cure tinnitus through thedevelopment of resources that advance tinnitus research.

7/30/2019 Facts About Tinnitus

2/2

P.O. Box 5Portland, Oregon 97207www.ata.org (800) 634-8978

Facts about the Military, Veterans and tinnitus

Tinnitus, commonly defined as ringing in the ears, is often a debilitating condition that ruthlesslyreduces quality of life for those chronically affected.Tinnitus is the number one service-connected disability for returning veterans from Iraq andAfghanistan (three consecutive years).Tinnitus is most often the result of extreme noise exposure from either a single impulse noise orthe accumulation of noise exposure; head and neck injury is the second leading cause.Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) detonate at decibel levels of140 dBA+ which is loudenough to immediately leave soldiers with a painful and constant reminder of their service.According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in 2009 there were over760,000 veteransreceiving service-connected tinnitus disability.At the current rate of increase, the number of veterans service-connected for tinnitus will increaseto over1.5 million by 2014.Those 760,000 Vets translate into $1.12 billion annually for compensation as of 2009.At the current rate of increase, service-connected disability payments to veterans with tinnitus bythe VA will increase to over$2.26 billion by 2014.Walter Reed Army Medical Center recently conducted a study of soldiers coming back from Iraqand Afghanistan; the study concluded that of all those exposed to IEDs, 49 percent reportedhaving tinnitus.In 2009, in the United States, there was only approximately $10 million combined from variousorganizations and agencies for tinnitus research.It costs $4.3 million to create an M1 Abrams Tank, $5.9 million to engineer an M1 Helicopter and$18.8 million to make an F-16 Fighter Jet.The Army is the only branch of the military that requiresear plugs as part of its uniform.

Examples of Sound Levels Associated with Military Equipment used in 2005IOM Study on Noise in the Mlitary: Implications for Tinnitus and Hearing Loss (2005)

Type of Equipment Sound Level Location dBAApache Helicopter Pilot/Copilot 104/101

9mm Pistol Shooter 157

5.56mm automatic weapon firedfrom HMMWV

Gunner 160

Grenade At 50ft 164

105mm towed howitzer Gunner 183

The American Tinnitus Association exists to cure tinnitusthrough the development of resources that advance tinnitus research