The Day the Noise Changed My Brain: Noise-Induced Inflammation and Veteran Health

7-06-2025

By Dr. Howard Friedman MD | Veteran | U.S. Army Medical Corps | Internal Medicine | HHOM LLC

When noise becomes more than background—this image captures the lasting imprint of sound on the veteran brain. From helicopters to sirens, from warzones to city streets, the waves don't fade. They settle in. And the nervous system never forgets.

A siren’s scream or engine’s hum—

Not all alarms arrive as drums.

One moment snapped a silent thread,

And ever since, the hum has spread.

In sound, we store what can’t be seen—

The body keeps the noisy scene.

—Dr. Howard Friedman, MD

I. Introduction: The Moment It Happened

I remember it clearly—when the noise changed everything. Back when I served in the Army, we were issued basic earplugs. Nothing high-tech, just foam plugs like you’d buy at an airport gift shop. I used them on the firing range at Fort Jackson, while stationed at Grafenwoehr in Germany, and during operations near the F-4s flying out of McGuire Air Force Base, next to Fort Dix.

I appreciate that it was an attempt at prevention. But I still have mild hearing loss. Noise exposure, I’ve learned firsthand, doesn’t just affect hearing—it impacts the brain, the heart, and the body’s entire inflammatory response. Sound is a powerful sense. And chronic noise, especially the kind endured in military service, is not just annoying—it’s inflammatory. The Day the Noise Changed My Brain: Noise-Induced Inflammation and Veteran Health

As I’ve written in many of my previous blogs, inflammation is the common denominator behind nearly every chronic illness. Diet, sleep, trauma, toxins—and yes, sound—all influence that internal fire. For veterans especially, service introduces a host of inflammatory risks: burn pits, Agent Orange, blasts, solvents, jumps, trauma, and—crucially—noise.

This blog explores what happens when sound becomes a stressor, and how it may set the stage for lifelong illness through a pathway many overlook: the auditory system.

II. The Auditory Pathway: Highway to the Stress Response

Sound enters through the outer ear, travels via the eardrum and ossicles of the middle ear and vibrates through the cochlea of the inner ear. From there, electrical signals travel via the auditory nerve to the brainstem and eventually to the temporal lobe, where the brain interprets what we hear.

Any disruption along that path—whether from aging, trauma, disease, or blood flow issues like coronary artery disease or diabetes—can interfere with auditory processing. But noise exposure, in particular, is a direct assault. Add in medications and even earwax, and the risks compound.

III. Noise Pollution and Brain Health

An excellent article from Harvard Magazine outlines the far-reaching effects of noise trauma (https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/noise-and-health). Beyond hearing loss and tinnitus, chronic noise has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cognitive decline, sleep disturbances, and even mood disorders. PET scans have shown overactivity in the amygdala—the brain’s alarm center—which in turn signals inflammation through the body.

The National Library of Medicine also discusses how noise exposure activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, releasing cortisol and triggering both short- and long-term stress responses (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7643247/). These effects don’t require conscious awareness—noise during sleep can activate the stress pathway and elevate blood pressure, heart rate, and long-term disease risk.

From battlefield blasts to city sirens, the sources vary. But the outcome is similar: overstimulation, inflammation, and an impaired ability to rest, concentrate, and recover. For many, this leads to anxiety, PTSD, irritability, tinnitus, migraines—and sometimes, the slow erosion of memory itself.

IV. The Invisible Injury: Hypervigilance and Sound

Noise doesn’t just agitate—it activates. For veterans, it can unlock old trauma, triggering flashbacks or an uncontrollable fight-or-flight response. This is especially true for those with PTSD, where the auditory signal trips the amygdala and the stress cascade never quite shuts off.

Sudden sounds—whether from fireworks, helicopters, or traffic—can evoke not just memory, but physiological shifts: heart racing, breath shortening, palms sweating. These aren’t just psychological scars. They are invisible injuries lodged deep in the nervous system.

V. Healing Through Sound: Music, Nature, and Safe Listening

Healing from noise injury is not just about silence—it’s about creating a safe soundscape. That may include nature sounds, calming playlists, or therapies like EMDR. Intentional listening—music, guided meditation, natural environments—can help rewire the auditory-stress pathway.

It's also about choice. Reclaiming control over what we hear is an act of healing. Whether it’s turning off the background TV, choosing a forest walk over freeway traffic, or using noise-canceling headphones—our environments matter.

VI. Conclusion: From Assault to Awareness

Many veterans—and civilians alike—live with invisible noise injuries. The Army tried to protect us, and while foam earplugs were a start, they weren’t enough. Today, we have more knowledge and better tools. But awareness remains the first step.

Protect your hearing. Create healthier sound environments. Treat sound as part of your healing, not just as background. Because the noise that once harmed us may yet become a tool for our recovery—if we learn to listen wisely.

Thank you for reading this blog. If this message resonated, we invite you to explore more at www.hhomllc.com, where science, healing, and service meet.

—Dr. Howard Friedman MD

Board-Certified | Internal Medicine | Veteran | U.S. Army Medical Corps

Founder of Howard’s House of Medicine (HHOM LLC)

https://www.hhomllc.com

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: How does chronic noise exposure trigger inflammation in the body?

A: Chronic noise activates the body’s stress response through the auditory pathway, particularly the amygdala and the HPA axis. This leads to the release of cortisol and other stress hormones, which, over time, create a low-grade inflammatory state. Inflammation, in turn, contributes to a host of chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and mood disorders.

Q: Why are veterans more vulnerable to noise-induced injuries than the general population?

A: Veterans are routinely exposed to extreme sound environments—gunfire, aircraft, explosions, and machinery—often without sufficient auditory protection. These experiences not only damage hearing but also embed trauma into the nervous system. For those with PTSD, noise can retrigger fight-or-flight responses, making the injury not just auditory, but neurological and emotional.

Q: Can sound also be used therapeutically to heal these injuries?

A: Yes, intentional sound exposure can help rewire the stress-auditory pathway. Nature sounds, calming music, guided meditations, and silence-rich environments can soothe the nervous system and reduce cortisol levels. Reclaiming the soundscape—by choosing what we listen to—is a vital step in healing from the invisible injuries of noise.