How's your hearing?

[BigAl 10]

I know there is nothing wrong with your hearing, and the other person just isn't loud enough. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've heard this. As I mentioned in a previous post, I am an audiology doctoral student at Montclair State.

 

As shooters, most of you know that hearing protection devices (HPD) are necessary to preserve your hearing, at least I hope you do. I wasn't going to make a separate thread about this, but I felt that it is my duty as a future audiologist to bring this topic to lite. I was looking through a publication recently (Audiology Today) and came across a very interesting study Risks faced by recreational firearm users (Audiology Today, March/April 2011 pg 38-49). The study revealed that out of 573 subjects, 70% reported never to use HPDs while hunting, and only one half reported using HPDs during target practice. The funny thing about all this was that 88% reported, knowing that firearm noise can lead to hearing loss.

 

I'm not going to bore you with the rest of the study, but I was fascinated to learn that even though people are aware of the risks they still don't wear HPDs. I am here to warn you that the consequences for not wearing HPDs are great. Firearm noise leads to what we call a noise induced hearing loss, which takes place around the 4000-6000 Hertz (pitch) range. You want to know what falls in that frequency range? Female voices, children voices, and sounds such /S/ /th/ /F/ /K/, so not only will you not be able to hear your female companion (PC I know, thats the world we live in), or children/grandchildren, but you will miss words that include specific sounds. Now you are probably saying to yourself, 'I don't have that problem.' Guess what, you brain maybe compensating for your hearing loss, by lip reading (all of us do this without knowing), and using visual cues from the other person. There is a great deal that you lose when your hearing starts to wane. By using HPDs this can be prevented if you don't have a hearing loss yet, and can slowdown the rate of loss if you do.

 

My other suggestion is to go to an audiologist and get your hearing checked to see where it is right now. For those of you who are in north and central Jersey you can always schedule at the Montclair Clinic (located in Bloomfield) or any audiologist that's in your area, and for those down in south jersey let me know and I can find someone around there.

 

I hope this at least get's all of you thinking about your hearing.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

I always wear ear plugs or muffs when shooting.

[pepsi71ocean 2]

i do wear them on the range, they have a roof on top of the shooting part, and the 1 time my ear plug fell out my ear was ringing for 3 weeks afterwords from the noise reverberating, so i always wear them.

 

now if i had to use my gun at work i wouldn't have any on however mainly because you never know and hearing the radio can be more important to saving your life.

[djg0770 481]

and sounds such /S/ /th/ /F/ /K/,

 

Cool. Now I won't know when my wife is telling me to shut the /F/ /K/ up.

[lunker 274]

I know too well. My dad is deaf as hell from being in the military and never wearing hearing protection. I asked him if he was ever advised to use any back then (Viet Nam era) and he said that some guys would put 45ACP bullets in their ears to muffle the noise. wow.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

i do wear them on the range, they have a roof on top of the shooting part, and the 1 time my ear plug fell out my ear was ringing for 3 weeks afterwords from the noise reverberating, so i always wear them.

 

If ear plugs fall out, you're not doing it right

 

You gotta stick 'em into your inner ear canal!

[Guest]

 

I'm not going to bore you with the rest of the study, but I was fascinated to learn that even though people are aware of the risks they still don't wear HPDs. I am here to warn you that the consequences for not wearing HPDs are great. Firearm noise leads to what we call a noise induced hearing loss, which takes place around the 4000-6000 Hertz (pitch) range. You want to know what falls in that frequency range? Female voices, children voices, and sounds such /S/ /th/ /F/ /K/, so not only will you not be able to hear your female companion (PC I know, thats the world we live in), or children/grandchildren, but you will miss words that include specific sounds. Now you are probably saying to yourself, 'I don't have that problem.' Guess what, you brain maybe compensating for your hearing loss, by lip reading (all of us do this without knowing), and using visual cues from the other person. There is a great deal that you lose when your hearing starts to wane. By using HPDs this can be prevented if you don't have a hearing loss yet, and can slowdown the rate of loss if you do.

 

This is 10000000000% accurate....

 

Short story....hit with a bat as a kid playing ball...left ear...really bad....

 

Fast forward...

 

Married first baby girl...when I used to sleep on my right side I could NEVER EVER hear her cry..... My bride thought I was nuts....went to an audiologist...female to boot, no bias...lol......and voila confirmed the above......

 

I ABSOLUTLEY NEED HEARING AIDS IN BOTH EARS....and at 45 that sucks... But when you sit in front of the TV with the family and they can listen at the 7 volume setting and I need 17 +...there is a problem...

 

:-(

[DevsAdvocate 112]

I know there is nothing wrong with your hearing, and the other person just isn't loud enough. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've heard this. As I mentioned in a previous post, I am an audiology doctoral student at Montclair State.

 

As shooters, most of you know that hearing protection devices (HPD) are necessary to preserve your hearing, at least I hope you do. I wasn't going to make a separate thread about this, but I felt that it is my duty as a future audiologist to bring this topic to lite. I was looking through a publication recently (Audiology Today) and came across a very interesting study Risks faced by recreational firearm users (Audiology Today, March/April 2011 pg 38-49). The study revealed that out of 573 subjects, 70% reported never to use HPDs while hunting, and only one half reported using HPDs during target practice. The funny thing about all this was that 88% reported, knowing that firearm noise can lead to hearing loss.

 

I'm not going to bore you with the rest of the study, but I was fascinated to learn that even though people are aware of the risks they still don't wear HPDs. I am here to warn you that the consequences for not wearing HPDs are great. Firearm noise leads to what we call a noise induced hearing loss, which takes place around the 4000-6000 Hertz (pitch) range. You want to know what falls in that frequency range? Female voices, children voices, and sounds such /S/ /th/ /F/ /K/, so not only will you not be able to hear your female companion (PC I know, thats the world we live in), or children/grandchildren, but you will miss words that include specific sounds. Now you are probably saying to yourself, 'I don't have that problem.' Guess what, you brain maybe compensating for your hearing loss, by lip reading (all of us do this without knowing), and using visual cues from the other person. There is a great deal that you lose when your hearing starts to wane. By using HPDs this can be prevented if you don't have a hearing loss yet, and can slowdown the rate of loss if you do.

 

My other suggestion is to go to an audiologist and get your hearing checked to see where it is right now. For those of you who are in north and central Jersey you can always schedule at the Montclair Clinic (located in Bloomfield) or any audiologist that's in your area, and for those down in south jersey let me know and I can find someone around there.

 

I hope this at least get's all of you thinking about your hearing.

 

This is also an excellent case for the use of suppressors by military, police, and civilian persons. It's not an assassination device, but a safety one designed to preserve hearing and reduce noise... similar to how we put mufflers on cars.

[StarWarsGeek45 5]

Your data from here is probably not going to reflect the data from the magazine.

 

The reason why is because 99% of the people here shoot at an organized range or club, where hearing protection is mandated by the rules.

 

Nationwide, many people do informal backyard/backwoods shooting and likely this is where most of the no-muffs shooting comes from.

[Malsua 1,422]

you not be able to hear your female companion...children

 

So, what's the downside?

[NicePants 58]

I always wear them when shooting or practicing with my band, so I'm good. I hope...

[BigAl 10]

So, what's the downside?

 

If the plugs are falling out then they aren't in properly, and I have noticed some people don't wear them sticking outside of their ear with just a bit of the plug inside.

 

Hearing loss is not the only thing, as mentioned above. You can have ringing in the ears as well, and that's not treatable.

 

The data was comprised of 527 subjects from central Michigan. It factored in target practice and hunting.

 

Nicepants, thats why I suggest everyone gets their hearing tested to at least know where they stand.

 

Nickjc you have a PM

[Jon 264]

I always wear earpro at the range, but never while hunting. Will 3-4 shotgun blasts per year do serious damage? I can't think of any earpro that would work and be comfortable for hunting.

[Malsua 1,422]

 

If the plugs are falling out then they aren't in properly, and I have noticed some people don't wear them sticking outside of their ear with just a bit of the plug inside.

 

Hearing loss is not the only thing, as mentioned above. You can have ringing in the ears as well, and that's not treatable.

 

The data was comprised of 527 subjects from central Michigan. It factored in target practice and hunting.

 

Nicepants, thats why I suggest everyone gets their hearing tested to at least know where they stand.

 

Nickjc you have a PM

 

I've already got Tinnitus. I never wore hearing protection until I was much older. Mostly because while hunting it wasn't necessary so when it came to blasting cans off of a stump, it just never came up. Metallica probably contributed to it as well. I've been wanting to try one of those drugs..quietus or something to see if it helps.

[henrym 19]

My dad has 85% loss in one ear with ringing severe enough that it actually distracts him from his day to day activities. He has been going the past few months to get his eardrum punctured to relieve the pressure and he tells me every time he knows im going to shoot to not fugg around with my hearing because you never know the problem not having it is until its gone. Now i double bag it inside and out with pluggs under electronic muffs. I can still hear range commands but muzzle report is nearly non existant.

[DevsAdvocate 112]

Indoor, I wear double protection (plugs and muffs). Outdoor, I just wear plugs. This works well for me since I only shoot pistols indoors (rifles at 25 yards are hardly challenging) and the muffs interfere with my cheekrest. Outdoor, there isn't much to keep the sound reverberating back, so not as much is needed.

 

Once, at Cherry Ridge during my NJ Hunter class, I had my plug out during the Muzzle loader test... ouch.

[bbk 188]

I had an incident of ear-pro failing when I, and at least ten others, were simultaneously firing at a high rate. I haven't forgotten the importance since then, to include activities beyond the range-- including working with any type of work shop machinery or even mowing the lawn.

[halbautomatisch 60]

I always wear earpro at the range, but never while hunting. Will 3-4 shotgun blasts per year do serious damage? I can't think of any earpro that would work and be comfortable for hunting.

This would be my story too.

 

I have never seen anyone wear ear protection while hunting.... and I don't know how you could, you need to hear what's going on around you.

[davisac 1]

Double hearing protection here. Don't forget lawn mowing and things like that too. It'll creep up on you.

[BigAl 10]

This would be my story too.

 

I have never seen anyone wear ear protection while hunting.... and I don't know how you could, you need to hear what's going on around you.

 

A gun shot can register at 160 dB, at that intensity permanent hearing loss is not unheard of.

[MedicYeti 96]

18+ years of sirens, my hearing is not what it should be. I always use protection on the range and the few times I've been hunting.

I should have it checked.

[creeper 16]

Always wear them when at the range , 30 years of working construction without using hearing protection has taken its toll,but funny thing is when you are hunting and the adrenaline takes over , you hardly even notice the shot.

[Pew Pew Plates 358]

WHAT?!?!

[djg0770 481]

Www.walkersgameear.com

 

Makes hearing enhancement and protection for hunting.

[BigAl 10]

This is from Westone, they make custom products. There are many out there, but you gotta start somewhere.

[dave545 15]

.

[dave545 15]

Always wear them when at the range , 30 years of working construction without using hearing protection has taken its toll,but funny thing is when you are hunting and the adrenaline takes over , you hardly even notice the shot.

+100

[raz-0 1,259]

I've always used hearing protection while shooting.

 

Now if only I had used it for every concert, I might still have all of mine.