Like thousands of wounded warriors and military veterans struggle with disability and injury every day, the most common condition is often overlooked.

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, is the leading disability in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), according to Dr. Tom Tedeschi, Chief Audiology Director for Amplifon Hearing Health Care.

Utah native Tedeschi, who is also a Vietnam-era Army veteran, shared with Fox News Digital how widespread hearing loss and complications I am among the veteran community.

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About 60 percent of Vietnam veterans and 50 percent of Gulf War veterans suffer from hearing loss, according to the expert.

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, is the most prevalent disability in the VA today, according to an audiologist. (iStock)

“It’s estimated that perhaps one in three veterans has some degree of hearing loss or tinnitus,” he said. “And just because we’re around the noise all the time… The military it is not a quiet place.”

Everyone’s hearing is different, Tedeschi said, with different sound levels affecting people in different ways.

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“For some people, if they hear a loud noise like a gunshot, it can permanently damage their hearing,” he noted. “Other people can take a lot of noise and it won’t immediately cause permanent damage.”

Different roles in the military will have different levels of exposure to loud sounds, Tedeschi said — but for some soldiers facing combat, even in peacetime, there’s plenty of “sustained” noise.

For some soldiers facing combat, even in peacetime, there is a lot of “sustained” noise, the expert said. (iStock)

Although hearing protection is given to military personnel, Tedeschi said it’s not always “practical,” especially in active combat.

“There are now more people under 50 with hearing loss than over 50.”

When hearing is lost, it “doesn’t grow back,” the expert warned — and even mild hearing loss in young veterans can become more severe over time.

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“When we’re young, we still think we’re invincible and that hearing loss won’t happen … that it’s an ‘old man thing,’ which is not true,” he said.

“There are now more people under 50 with hearing loss than over 50.”

Care and protection

The biggest hurdle in addressing hearing complications among veterans is recognizing the problem, according to Tedeschi.

“Most people who are hearing impaired don’t recognize it,” he said. “It’s the people around them who notice.”

Tedeschi urged veterans to seek help if they experience a constant ringing in their ears, otherwise known as tinnitus, or hearing problems while having conversations or watching TV.

Many young veterans mistakenly assume that hearing loss only occurs at an older age. (iStock)

“We can’t cure (tinnitus) or make it go away completely, but there are different protocols and strategies to help,” he said.

That could include wearing hearing aids, which Tedeschi said are “light years ahead” of what they were a decade ago.

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Tedeschi emphasized the importance of wearing proper hearing protection, such as headphones and earmuffs, both in and out of combat.

“We live in a noisy world,” he said. “If you’re going to mow the lawn, you should have some hearing protection. A lot of people love going to concerts… They’re loud and they can take damage.”

Hearing protection should be worn during other noisy activities, such as mowing the lawn or attending a concert, experts recommend. (iStock)

If you hear a ringing after a concert or other loud event, it means you’ve suffered some damage to your ears, Tedeschi warned.

While there is usually a recovery period, in some cases the damage can be permanent, he said.

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Some medicineslike aspirin, it can cause hearing loss as a side effect, Tedeschi warned.

“If you’re taking a lot of aspirin for arthritis or things like that, you need to be careful — and talk to your doctor about an alternative,” he advised.

“It’s just a normal thing, like wearing glasses,” the expert said of using hearing aids. (iStock)

Tedeschi encouraged veterans to seek help to avoid other complications related to hearing loss, such as cognitive decline.

“We’re seeing more and more people with untreated hearing loss who have a faster decline in cognitive function because the brain is working overtime to compensate,” he told Fox News Digital.

“We are seeing more and more people with untreated hearing loss who have a faster decline in cognitive function.”

“For our veterans, you need to know that there is help out there for you. and you don’t need to experience all the comorbidities associated with hearing loss.”

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Veterans can visit their local VA center to have their hearing evaluated or contact their counselor for a referral to a hearing loss specialist.