Serious Hearing Loss, Balance Issues Among Sacrifices Soldiers Make For Our Nation

Main Category: Hearing / Deafness
Also Included In: Aid / Disasters
Article Date: 27 May 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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This Memorial Day, the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) will pause to remember the price our military pays for protecting our freedoms even when it does not cost their lives.

Gunfire can have a profound impact on soldiers' hearing, and the long-term effects carry over to their post-military lives. A recent study published earlier this year in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery found soldiers are at substantial risk of hearing loss due to the "impulse noise" associated with gunfire, often leading to acoustic trauma in 10 to 15 percent of soldiers returning from active military duty (Olszewski, et al, Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, 2007, Vol. 136, Number 1).

The study recommends better hearing protection for military professionals who may be exposed to gunshots and similar noise. Additionally, otolaryngologists and head and neck surgeons are actively working to help soldiers with balance issues related to explosions and gunfire, as well as repairing facial fractures and wounds to the head and neck.

"We must continue to understand the long-term impact of active military duty on our military personnel," said AAO-HNS Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, David R. Nielsen, MD. "Long-term hearing loss is a major concern, and severely impacts our soldiers' abilities to transition back to civilian life. Likewise, injuries to the face, head, and neck are serious issues our physicians and surgeons are working hard to correct. We must continue to research how we can support and protect them as they serve our nation, while preserving their quality of life when they leave active duty."

The military also offers an opportunity for building professional maturity among many of the Academy's finest otolaryngologists and head and neck surgeons.

"We are fortunate that many of our members learned the value of otolaryngology while serving in the military," Nielsen said. "Our nation's military hospitals are among the finest when it comes to providing care for military and civilian patients, and on this Memorial Day, we say to them 'Thank you for your efforts.'"

About the AAO-HNS

The American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (http://www.entnet.org), one of the oldest medical associations in the nation, represents more than 12,000 physicians and allied health professionals who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck. The Academy serves its members by facilitating the advancement of the science and art of medicine related to otolaryngology and by representing the specialty in governmental and socioeconomic issues. The organization's mission: "Working for the Best Ear, Nose, and Throat Care."

American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (AAOHNS)
One Prince St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
United States
http://www.entnet.org

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