By Kay Miller, News21

VA researchers are adding to their understanding of hearing disorders by working to resolve problems unique to Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans.

At the National Center Rehabilitative for Auditory Research, audiologists are aware that hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ears) top the list of the Veteran Administration’s disability compensation.

The audiology profession in fact, has its roots in helping veterans, said Theresa Schulz, a retired Lt. Col., who was an Air Force audiologist and is now a Honeywell Safety Products hearing conservation manager.

“There were veterans coming back from World War II with hearing loss and that’s where the profession originated,” she said in an interview.

Audiologists became leaders in hearing protection as well as hearing loss treatments, Schulz said. Those efforts are continued today at the VA Medical Center in Portland, Ore., which houses NCRAR.

Gabrielle Saunders, NCRAR associate director, is the lead investigator of a computer-based study of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.  The study gives them instruction in preserving their hearing.

“They carry a [personal digital assistant] reminding them nearly 10 times a day to note what they think is the noise level around them,” Saunders said. The level of noise they hear is monitored by a dosimeter, a device also to record actual noise levels.

Preliminary results show success in convincing participants to actively protect their hearing, Saunders said.

“We hope that we will be able to not only provide this to all veterans, but be able to modify it for all branches of the service, and offer it to civilians too,” she said.