Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) and Tinnitus

With knowledge gathered at this session, attendees will:

• Become aware of the enormity of the problem of NIHL and noise induced tinnitus among the population of the USA
• Appreciate the risks of battle and associated prevalence of post-deployment hearing loss
• List third-payer codes for diagnosis and treatment of NIHL and changes needed in existing codes to accommodate blast-related hearing loss and other polytrauma
• Describe anatomical and physiological changes within peripheral and central auditory structures caused by noise overexposure
• Understand the impact of NIHL in terms of its effect upon perception of speech and other sounds.
• Recognize the ways in which NIHL and tinnitus interfere with quality of life