Tinnitus, or ringing of the ears, is a terrible medical ailment to live with. But what happens if you are living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) too?
Marc Fagelson, a professor of audiology at East Tennessee State University, found patients with PTSD described their tinnitus as worse than patients who didn’t have PTSD. The two illnesses compound each other.
“Many of the same neurological mechanisms that appear to be influenced by PTSD are also implicated in levels of tinnitus annoyance,” Fagelson told the Hearing Journal. “These neural mechanisms would include the limbic system and chronic autonomic nervous system hyperarousal. This strongly suggested that there was a potential for these two conditions to be mutual reinforcing.”
Unfortunately for veterans, PTSD and tinnitus are common health issues military members experience. Researchers from the University of Texas Health Center in San Antonio found soldiers exposed to explosive blasts in the Middle East have a high probability of developing PTSD and tinnitus.
“The authors suggest that PTSD can increase negative reactions to tinnitus and worsen tinnitus perception,” notes the American Tinnitus Association.
Soldiers are given ear protection in order to prevent tinnitus. However 3M, manufacturer of earplugs sold to the U.S. military, has been accused of selling faulty earplugs. 3M agreed to pay $9.1 million to the U.S. government to settle the allegations. Veterans are now filing lawsuits against 3M after experiencing tinnitus and hearing loss from using the company’s Dual-ended Combat earplugs. If you’re a veteran who used the earplugs, you may be entitled to compensation.
You will not be charged a fee unless a recovery is made for you.
The Spencer Law Firm is committed to ensuring victims of 3M’s Dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs are compensated for their pain and loss. We depended on you to defend our country, now depend on Spencer Law Firm to get the compensation you deserve. Call Ashley Spencer at (888)237-4529 or visit us at 4635 Southwest Freeway in Houston.
Read here to see what treatments are available for both PTSD and tinnitus.