Combat veterans going deaf (Afghan.)

[ensho]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10616704


More than two-thirds of British troops returning from Afghanistan are suffering from severe and permanent hearing damage, according to the most comprehensive study into one of the less well-known side-effects of the conflict in Helmand.

Internal defence documents reveal that of 1250 Royal Marine commandos who served in Afghanistan, 69 per cent suffered hearing damage due to the intense noise of combat.

The findings indicate that complaints such as tinnitus or almost complete deafness among combat troops are considerably greater than previously reported.

-snip-

The report, dated December 7 and written by military consultant surgeon Chris Pearson, warns that the known scale of the problem might prove to be the "tip of the iceberg" because only the most severe forms of hearing loss, grave enough to bar troops from frontline service, are officially reported.

Professor Mark Haggard, honorary vice-president of Deafness Research UK, which is working with the MoD to resolve the problem, said: "The issue has become systemic, endemic.

-snip-

A MoD spokesman said they were trying out new ear protection: "The system uses a custom moulded earplug with an inbuilt microphone to cut the noise impact of loud explosions while still giving the wearer the ability to hear colleagues. Feedback from trials with soldiers in training and in theatre have allowed the rapid development of new earplugs that stay in place."
-----------------------------

2/3rds is a lot!

you know it has to be the same for our military

sigh

[Jackpine Radical]

1. SAY WHAT?

Actually, combat is very loud. My hearing has been screwed ever since 1968. Machine guns, artillery, grenades, 106 Recoilless Rifles, mortars--they all tend to be rather loud.

[unhappycamper]

3. I camped out beneath a battery of 8 inch howitzers for about two months in my first trip to Nam.

SAY WHAT?

[Fumesucker]

2. A story from the DUH! files...

Loud noises cause hearing loss, this has been known for a long time now.

[ensho]

4. what a compassionate person you are

nt

[hayu_lol]

5. Pre-WWII Marines engaged on firing ranges...

used to make their own earplugs from pencil erasers dipped in liquid beef lard to protect their hearing. Range officers and NCOICs used to have serious hearing loss.

I would be surprised that in this day and age, some sort of earplug is not furnished our troops engaged in actual combat. There are readily available lightweight devices that shut out sudden sharp loud sounds but allow normal hearing for voice communication.

Actually, these devices were developed for sheet metal punch press operators. California has required all operators in industry be equipped with hearing protection since '79 or '80(OSHA). California also required payment to all workers who suffered hearing loss. We used to laugh when even deaf mutes were required to wear the ear protection(they laughed as well--coworkers).

As much gear the modern combat troop has to carry, a few ounces more to protect hearing would not be a bother.

[ensho]

6. there is a little clue in the last paragraph I posted

apparently the ear plugs they use now down't stay in place

this makes me think of the vests that didn't work when the troops first got to Iraq.

I didn't know that about the pencil erasers and WWII. my uncle was an officer on a navy ship during WWII. the officer that told them when to fire those hugh guns. he came home with hair totally turned white.

[Ian David]

10. WWII vets I've spoken to told me they used cigarette filters in their ears.

I can't believe we went to the trouble of developing candy-covered chocolates (M&Ms) for our troops, but not decent hearing protection.

[Jackpine Radical]

11. We used cigarette filters. Some were issued earplugs.

The cig filters aren't wonderfully effective, and the problem with the earplugs is you can never find them in the middle of a firefight.

[Ian David]

7. Maybe we should start putting those in our care packages to the troops?

The basics of hearing protection

* Consider noise sources around you— not just your own tasks—when deciding when to wear hearing protectors.
* If your noise exposure is intermittent, try banded earplugs or earmuffs. They are easy to put on and take off.
* All hearing protectors are labeled with a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) in decibels. The NRR is usually about twice as high as the protection you will actually get.
* Keep your protectors with you so you have them when you need them.



How much hearing protection do I need?

Based on our measurements, most sheet metal workers will get enough protection if they wear a hearing protector with an NRR of 12 decibels. For most activities, an NRR higher than 12 decibels will block too much sound and may interfere with communication, including warning signals. Sheet metal workers with very high noise exposures need an NRR between 12 and 33 decibels.

Finding a hearing protector that works for you

Hearing protectors are like shoes: one style will not work for all workers and all exposure levels. You may have to try several styles before you find one that is comfortable and works for you. It may take several weeks before you get used to wearing hearing protectors. Your employer should train you on how to wear hearing protectors properly.

More:
http://www.elcosh.org/en/document/746/d000704/noise-on-the-job-can-damage-your-hearing%253A-sheet-metal-workers.html


Hearing Protection For Metal Workers & Machine Shops
http://www.noisebuster.net/nw-metalworking.html

Hearing Protection & Shooting Ear Protection by Peltor & Howard Leight & others!
http://www.opticsplanet.net/hearing-protection.html

Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/

[ensho]

8. good idea

nt

[Mari333]

9. only moronic chickenhawk armchair warriors would unrec this

idiots.

[cliffordu]

13. Right about that. Cowards one and all....

[cliffordu]

12. My hearing's been fucked since my tour, too....

Good thing I like loud music....

[moondust]

14. Troops typically don't wear their earplugs.

As a part-time musician I was keenly aware of the noise pollution that is common even in the peacetime military and I always wore my earplugs to protect my hearing when around vehicles or weapons firing. I NEVER saw anybody else doing that except on the rifle range where it was enforced. Of course it is impossible to know to what degree it did or did not save my hearing but I've never had tinnitus or other hearing problems.

[Obamanaut]

15. 28 years of working on Navy jets. Captions on the teevee screen

with Netflix are my friends.

And a new study found that prolonged exposure to loud noises causes permanent damage? Imagine that.