Tinnitus is most common diagnosed injury among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan
Bethlehem, Pa. June 13, 2011 - For veterans Colonel Robert Schorr (ret.) and Corporal Joseph Lewit, tinnitus has proven to be more treacherous than the battles in which they both fought.
The incessant and debilitating effects of tinnitus - the condition described as ringing in the ears when no external sounds exist - crippled both battle-hardened veterans. But recent developments in the treatment of tinnitus have restored a sense of normalcy in their lives, and in the lives of more than 1,100 veterans who have been successfully treated for this condition.
"I have my life back"
Corporal Lewit's tinnitus developed during his two tours in Iraq. He worked with explosive ordinance disposal and experienced a number of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosions, including a suicide bomber (Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device) attack on his convoy. It was shortly after the convoy attack that the corporal first experienced tinnitus, but he wouldn't find relief until he was home on leave in Atlanta a few years later.
"I thought my brain was melting," said Corporal Lewit of the pain caused by his tinnitus. "I went to the emergency room in agonizing pain one night, and the doctors said I had tinnitus. I received a referral to an audiologist at the Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center and started the Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment. I have my life back."
Vietnam War vet
Another veteran, Colonel Robert Schorr (ret.) of Acworth, Ga., flew many types of aircraft for the United States Air Force, racking up an impressive 13,000 hours of flight time. That included a stint flying combat missions during the Vietnam War. But it wasn't until a business trip to California in 2003 that Colonel Schorr experienced his first brush with tinnitus.
"It was like sitting next to two TF 33 jet engines at full throttle, said Schorr. "I couldn't hear, and the pain was excruciating. I went to the emergency room, and all they could give me were painkillers. A few years later, an audiologist at the Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center prescribed the Neuromonics Oasis device and Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment. Within two months, the noise had abated."
Effective treatment
Lewit and Schorr are not alone in their suffering from tinnitus - or their relief. More than 50 million people in the United States suffer from tinnitus, which is usually brought on by exposure to loud noise. The problem is especially significant in the military, with more than 34 percent of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan suffering from the condition.
The Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment, which has worked for both Lewit and Schorr, uses the Neuromonics Oasis device. The Oasis, which is the only FDA-cleared, patented and clinically proven medical device with documented long-term relief of tinnitus, looks like a small consumer music player. It works by desensitizing the patient's tinnitus perception. The patient wears the device for a few hours per day (time depending on the individual), listening to soothing music that is customized to each person's unique hearing and tinnitus profile. A recent independent study shows that more than 90 percent of patients who use the NTT experience a significant reduction in tinnitus.
Currently, more than 1,100 military personnel have experienced relief from their tinnitus through use of the Neuromonics Oasis device and NTT, according to Rick Giancola, CEO of Neuromonics. "Just as the Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment has done for Colonel Schorr and Corporal Lewit, the treatment has alleviated the persistent noise or ringing in the ears for many, many other military personnel afflicted with tinnitus," says Giancola. "By targeting the neurological root causes of condition, Neuromonics helps patients manage and treat their tinnitus and regain control over their lives."
Neuromonics, Inc.
Neuromonics, Inc., manufactures and distributes the only FDA-cleared, patented and clinically proven medical device designed for long-term significant relief of tinnitus. With research and development beginning in the early 1990s, the Neuromonics tinnitus treatment has helped thousands of tinnitus sufferers improve their quality of life and overcome the daily life challenges associated with tinnitus. Neuromonics is based in Bethlehem, Pa. For more information about Neuromonics visit www.neuromonics.com.
