Hearing safety--Something to think about

[Allen]

Thats a tell tale sign you have hearing loss. This was my problem also. Couldn’t clearly hear anything in a restaurant/ bar setting. Went in this summer at the ripe age of 41 to find out I have lost about 60-70% of my hearing in my left ear. The right was in pretty good shape thankfully. The audiologist knew immediately that I did a lot of shooting and I was right handed. I left that day with a demo set of hearing aids to try and I ordered a custom molded set molded ear plugs with filters. It sucks hunting with them, especially when I have relied on my hearing so heavily to hear birds getting up or the dogs beeper collar. Deer hunting this year has been done with full set of muffs, which is a must with my muzzle break. I wish someone would’ve harped on me more when I was younger as I’m paying the price now and I hope to have a-lot of years in front of me yet. It’s not just shooting though either, it’s loud music, concerts, power sports & heavy equipment. I used to be the guy with chrome straight pipe stacks on my tractor, and loud exhaust on all of my power sports equipment, not any more. The only thing I own that’s remotely loud now are the sleds but those are responsible compared to what I used to run.

I’m lucky as I don’t have ringing in my ears. And as an FYI for those that don’t know, there isn’t a thing they can do for you other than hearing aids and they aren’t a magic wand either. And FWIW, a set of hearing aids are around $5k+- and typically your insurance doesn’t cover them!

hope someone can learn for this, good topic.

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The 3000 watts of amplified speakers in my pickup didn’t exactly help things either, lol. I do still crank it up on occasion but I’m much more mindful than in the past.

Yeah, the odd part for me is that I always test well when having my hearing checked. They're...you're fine.

So the lifelong lack of being able to listen to someone in a loud environment has always puzzled me. BTW, I've never been a loud music kind of guy. I think I was in my late 40s when I attended my first concert. Nonetheless, I am glad my kids are adamant about wearing state of the art hearing protection when shooting.

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Note, I spent 3-4 yrs of listening to old JD tractors before I developed good hearing protection practices. Those old 2 cylinder JD tractors were something else.

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While my hearing is good, I loathe loud bar settings. I too can’t hear conversations in them.

And 90% of them are way louder than necessary. WTF… seems dumb to drive business away like that.

Its one of the key reasons we never go out to bars. The noise makes it unbearable for many people.

No shit, right? I've had conversations with several people on the influencer end of those environments. They were not sympathetic. Dumbasses, I took my business elsewhere.

 

[guywhofishes]

maybe people subconsciously drink more - to kill the pain of the loud music

$$$$$$

 

[JayKay]

To the young guys, a lot of good warnings here. Not that it "could" happen. It will. It's somewhat gradual. You used to shoot and have ringing for a couple of days. Then a week, then longer. You get used to it. Then one day, you realize it's permanent. Then it's too late.

And yes, I get crabby when I can't hear. For me, my left is okay, my right was at 90% loss in some middle frequencies. After the last surgery (still have not gotten the bill, even though it's been over 3 months) it's coming back a little bit. Those middle frequencies happen to be at conversation levels with higher toned voices, like my wife and daughters. No joke.

I used to be able to read lips pretty well, but now with masks...

And I can hear at drive-throughs, but I can't understand people. Makes me crabby.

 

[Captain Ahab]

While my hearing is good, I loathe loud bar settings. I too can’t hear conversations in them.

And 90% of them are way louder than necessary. WTF… seems dumb to drive business away like that.

Its one of the key reasons we never go out to bars. The noise makes it unbearable for many people.

I'm in this camp. My hearing is good, but background noise like basketball games or bars has me nodding and smiling trying to pick up words. Some people can carry on a conversation no problem with the background noise and that baffles me.

 

[guywhofishes]

It's good to know I'm not alone. Sniffle....

 

[johnr]

To the young guys, a lot of good warnings here. Not that it "could" happen. It will. It's somewhat gradual. You used to shoot and have ringing for a couple of days. Then a week, then longer. You get used to it. Then one day, you realize it's permanent. Then it's too late.

And yes, I get crabby when I can't hear. For me, my left is okay, my right was at 90% loss in some middle frequencies. After the last surgery (still have not gotten the bill, even though it's been over 3 months) it's coming back a little bit. Those middle frequencies happen to be at conversation levels with higher toned voices, like my wife and daughters. No joke.

I used to be able to read lips pretty well, but now with masks...

And I can hear at drive-throughs, but I can't understand people. Makes me crabby.

100% of the time in a restaurant I have mrs johnr do the talking with the wait staff, as I cant hear them, nor do I have the patience to deal with my deafness.

Started out, "Wife, what is she saying?", Moved to grumpily "I cant hear you", to total defeat and now its "woman (mrs johnr) order me this and that"

 

[Lapper]

I was recently diagnosed with Meniere’s Disease. It’s an inner ear thing that tends to come and go. Just last week I was almost completely deaf in my left ear and pain in my right ear and one bad episode of Vertigo. Feeling of pressure or fullness in the ear. It goes away after a few days but there is danger that hearing won’t come back to 100% each time it happens. Ear ringing is also a symptom, which I’ve had for 5 years now…..sucks balls. This isn’t one of those things that could be avoided but anything to do with hearing is shitty!

 

[SDMF]

I stand firm in my thinking that folks who are "recoil averse/sensitive" are more concerned with the noise than the actual shove on their shoulder.

"Flinching" isn't as much about dodging the recoil as it is turning your head away from that loud painful noise.

I too suffer in crowds or places with lots of background noise. Passengers can find it frustrating to ride with me if they don't look at me when they're talking. If they're talking towards the passenger's side window, all I hear is noise, I can't make out the details of the conversation.

 

[JayKay]

I was recently diagnosed with Meniere’s Disease. It’s an inner ear thing that tends to come and go. Just last week I was almost completely deaf in my left ear and pain in my right ear and one bad episode of Vertigo. Feeling of pressure or fullness in the ear. It goes away after a few days but there is danger that hearing won’t come back to 100% each time it happens. Ear ringing is also a symptom, which I’ve had for 5 years now…..sucks balls. This isn’t one of those things that could be avoided but anything to do with hearing is shitty!

Bad vertigo is no joke. It's terrible. Not being able to sit up in bed, or stand up - without wanting to puke, is terrible.

 

[Mort]

I too suffer in crowds or places with lots of background noise. Passengers can find it frustrating to ride with me if they don't look at me when they're talking. If they're talking towards the passenger's side window, all I hear is noise, I can't make out the details of the conversation.

The one thing that bothers me is people trying to talk to me from a distance or walking away....I can hear them blabbing away but can't make the convo out....grrr.

 

[svnmag]

Right ear is at about 90% hearing capacity, left ear at about 40%, at least according to the hearing test tech dude, I get tested every year at work........... I attribute my left ear hearing loss to shotgun shooting, shot a ton in my youth, both hunting and some trap, never wore hearing protection so its my fault. I guess it is what it is, when I am out camping and the crickets and frogs and bugs are chirping and buzzing, I just put my right ear on the pillow and I don't hear a thing. And if I really want to hear of follow a conversation I have to lean in with my right ear, other than that I guess I just live with it.

For all you youngsters on this site, take care of your ears and wear protection when shooting or operating load tools and equipment, you wont regret it.​

I surmise you're a lefty. The ear against the gun is somewhat protected by the Doppler Effect.

My left ear hasn't stopped ringing since the buck in '09. The 7 barked and I was nearly deaf in the left side for about a long ass time. Sometimes wonder if going prone enhanced this. Left side of head felt strangely swollen then the "Exquisite Cricket" began it's asshole life.

Many years of hard rock drumming with headphones/marching band fagginess/bar bands/concerts and shooting seemed to cumulate for that shot. A lot of time I'm able to block it out. As I type this--no. I feel this is a deja vu post which is still pertinent.

Anyways; at least plug the off side ear when hunting. You won't notice it after a bit.

Nobody will listen but anyways:

https://youtu.be/YCs6Tpd5sFQ

 

[sl1000794]

My left ear hasn't stopped ringing since the buck in '09. The 7 barked and I was nearly deaf in the left side for about a long ass time.

I blame my hearing loss with duck/goose hunting from a dug-in blind in the Central Valley of CA. I have a friend that was a part owner of a duck club in the 80's and 90's north of Sacramento in rice paddy land. He ALWAYS shot on my right side and it is my right ear that is the worst. (Probably doesn't help that I worked construction for 40 years - heavy/industrial and residential.). My duck partner was a shotgun collector. One morning he was shooting his SxS 12 gauge and cut loose with both barrels on a goose coming in. The concussion almost blew me away and I lost 60-70% of my hearing on my right side soon after. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Mort]

Update: Been almost a month since I put this up, so here's the update, the ringing has stopped now, but still have to be cautious when around VERY loud noise, as it will pierce the right ear and make me almost loose my balance.

Top that off with the left hearing aid took a shit over the weekend, meaning I have to get retested to get new ones, happy Merry Christmas to me...NOT looking at around 3400 for new set. I'll be making a trip to Minot on Friday as the office I see in Willyville is booked out till Jan !!!
So past few days, I have been hearing out of my right ear, fun.

 

[wslayer]

Hearing is pretty good yet but being around loud noise (railroad) and shooting, I definitely have a ringing in my ears. Its not as noticeable during the day as it is sitting around in the evening, but it does suck.

 

[BrokenBackJack]

Mine have constantly rung for many many years. Had a set of hearing aids a few years back and when I wore them the ringing stopped. But somewhere along the way I lost the hearing aids. Insurance paid for them back in the day but now since I am Medicare age they don't cover them. I'm not shelling out 3-4 grand for them suckers.
left ear is darn near deaf and right ear maybe on a good day 50%.

 

[Mort]

Update: Jan 3rd...well I have $4400 less cash today and depressed, sorry but it sucks to be born deaf and have to get new aids every 5 years. Plus side, as far as the ringing goes, thats all gone like I prayed it would and of course new aids are slightly better, new features make it nice is all. Guess I'll call Voc Rehab see if they will foot part of the bill, can only try.

 

[3Roosters]

In NO WAY do i wish to diminish those of you with hearing loss, IF I had to lose one Sense, it would be hearing as I think I could more easily adapt. I fully realize everyone is different. Vision, Smell, Taste would be more of a bummer for me personally.

 

[snow1]

Shooting w/o hearing protection took it's toll on me as well at a young age,but thinking back in my indestructable days of the early 70's was a"Led Zepplin" concert at the old "met center" home ofthe purple people eaters(vikings) horrible accustics but we didn't care my ears rang for days after that concert.Today the only ringing I hear is when in a tranquill environment,north woods ,no wind the ringing starts,since my old lady passed on years ago I've out growin "selective hearing in my old age

 

[shorthairsrus]

they put a top on casselton range -- i didnt have my ear protection on and some guy shoots a muzzle break before everything was clear. My ears rang for a week. I have have had guys shoot out the window, my kid put his barrel on my shoulder to steady, target practice at a non range, etc etc. without ear protection never an issue. but this was the worst and that one shot reduced my hearing in my right ear. I dont shoot at casselton anymore due to that one asshole.

You know what you can do Take the tops and guys who shoot out of sequence.

 

[NDwalleyes]

I thought I had posted about this earlier, but don't see it so I'm going to add to the conversation. Many people only relate hearing loss to exposure to noise. Chemical and medication exposure is also a major cause. Do some research on "ototoxic" medications & chemicals. These are chemicals that damage/kill the cilia hairs in your ears. Typically due to chronic exposure over many years. "Hear" is a link and a short list of ototoxic chemicals...I'm sure you find some of them familiar.

Benzene – plastics, paints, cleaning agents, cigarette smoke
Carbon disulfide – pesticides
Carbon monoxide – cigarette smoke, welding, gasoline-powered tools and vehicles
Styrene – plastics, insulating material
Trichloroethylene – paints, waxes, pesticides, lubricants, rug cleaners, spot remover
Toluene – paints, lacquers, adhesives, rubber, leather tanning, spray paint
Xylene – paints, varnishes, thinners

https://www.lhsfna.org/common-chemicals-create-risk-for-hearing-loss/