Hearing loss help

[lte82]

I shot a lot as a kid, and in my peak when I was 14-15 yrs old I was probably knocking down 10k rounds of 22lr a year (smallbore practice), and 2000 rounds of 223 (nra xtc practice), and hunted birds quite a bit as well. By the time I was 18 I had a little hearing loss, enough to where the doctors said I should stop shooting, but not enough for me to notice anything.

The last 9 months I got into big bore stuff, like the 338 lapua, 50bmg, and even "normal" calibers like 308, 260 rem, etc, and I went from shooting these "loud" guns a few times a year to a few times a week. Consequently, I now have some ringing in my ears, and things are starting to sound muffled. A 22lr no longer sounds loud even without hearing protection. It used to hurt pretty good even a year ago.

1. Can I get that hearing back?
2. How do I keep from losing it while shooting these bigger calibers aside from doubling up with plugs and muffs? (I have cans awaiting my form 4 as well, but that's probably still 9 months out)
3. Who makes the best hearing protection? I don't care if it costs $500, I just don't want to keep going deaf, and I don't want to stop shooting.

Thanks!

 

[wakajawaka]

My personal experience.
Hearing lost, is not coming back.
Tinnitus, unless caused by medication, does not go away. Mine has only gotten worse over time.

Some of my hearing loss is due to getting older . It's mostly high frequency, that's not coming back . One ear sufers from Otosclerosis which can be improved via surgery with varying results. I'd still suffer from the ringing but I could hear better.

There is always hearing aids...

Best advice is to double up on hearing protection.

 

[kraigWY]

Hearing, once lost is gone. There are hearing aids, but as the name implies, they are aids, but they don't fix hearing. I have hearing aids, seems they make it easy to hear what I don't want to hear but don't help much with what I want to hear.

To prevent further loss, use double hearing protection. The electric hearing protection help you hear on the range, but they don't protect that much. Sometimes you have no choice. Without the electric hearing protection I have problems shooting competition. I can't hear a shot timer, nor the range commands. With normal hearing protection I cant even hear the whistle our club uses to start firing in Bowling Pin shoots.

Best thing is start young using double protection, once gone hearing doesn't come back. Your best bet is to get an understanding wife to translate for you, learn to read her lips.

Hearing aids, (though only aids) are expensive, if you're a Vet you can get them from the VA. They wont give them to you unless 1: You can prove your hearing loose is sevice connected. 2: You need them to understand your care provider.

I didn't try the service connected route, too hard to prove this late in the game. But when the dr. asked if I had problems understanding my care provider I said "no, I take my wife and she tells me what the doctor says", that did it, they gave me my hearing aids.

Hearing is like time, once gone its gone, and you can never get it back. Make the best of and protect what you have, both in hearing and time.

 

[JBD56]

^^^^^ What he said...I have some hearng loss from my years in the Corps, but most is self inflicted from too many concerts in the 70's and not always wearing protection while shooting in p-dog towns. I have constant ringing in my ears and my GF knows that she needs to be looking at me if she wants to make sure I hear her . You won't get back what you have lost. I had a set of ear plugs molded by a company that injects the gel (whatever it is) into your ears when I started shooting f-class matches a couple years ago. They have cut down on the noise of a shot better than any muffs I have ever worn.

 

[Petrichor Actual]

I have bad tinnitus in my left ear with some moderate hearing loss also. Trust me, it only gets worse if you're not vigilant about hearing protection. Wear muffs while mowing, keep plugs with you for loud movies/bars, etc, etc. I always shoot with double protection now and I'm also waiting on my NFA paperwork for a suppressor.

 

[Rookie]

Hearing loss is permanent so protect what hearing you have left. Double up on protection, especially when shooting indoors. Hearing aids have come a long way in recent years. They are fully programmable for your specific loss. Additionally, they can be programmed for your typical environmental situations. The user can manually change programs on the fly. One of my programs works like electronic muffs that blocks all loud noise but amplifies other sounds. Modern ones can Bluetooth to your cellphone, TV, stereo.... If interested, get yourself a good audiologist that will take the time to custom set yours up, that means stay away from Walmart, Costco..... They are not cheap, mine were around $6,500 and insurance doesn't cover them typically. I'm sure there are lot of good brand names out there and I'm no expert. However, mine are Unitron Moxi Pros. I love them. They come with 3 years of free batteries, maintenance, and unconditional replacement warranty.

 

[Facemelter]

I have tinnitus also and its not getting any better. I usually wear electronic muffs and plug in's. Kinda hoping some one would have been able to fix tinnitus by now.

 

[xs hedspace]

I have 85% loss in my left ear, with tinnitus. I use a Walker's digital II Game ear, with a self molded Radians (tan silicone Cabelas kit) earplug molded on the tube that the Walkers' has. Talking to some of my Legion buddies, the Walkers, with frequency control, (to cut down on high frequency amplification), is just as good as some of their $3000 aids. Still is difficult conversing in a bar, with background music and noise, but the Walkers is about $180. My tv remote has more electronics in it than hearing aids, and I can buy a remote for $13. And the Walkers shuts down when shooting.

 

[40xs]

My hearing loss is something I have accepted. It's the damn constant ringing and pitch changes that drives me up a wall. the one thing that makes it livable is most of it sounds like night time forest sounds, the crickets, frogs and other bugs you hear at night. But it's 24/7!!!

 

[Jerrrrstanley]

I use ear pro for losing and weed eating and other tasks that are louder than normal. I'm 29 and can't bear worth shit. My 4 year old has to tell me when the thermometer beeps only 2 feet away from my ear. Be religious with ear pro every time your around loud noise and double up when shooting. Save what you have left.

 

[Mike_Honcho]

I have tinnitus in both ears. I am 43 and have constant ringing, difficulty hearing in most environments - is what it is and it is gonna get worse. I just encourage those out there in the same position or worse to not let constant ringing F with your head - learn to tune it out.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I trained with the M-14 in the Corps and carried one in 'Nam, occasionally using it for its intended purpose. Hearing protection was a "what's that?" issue. I also ran (and lived alongside) inadequately/token muffled 60Kw (supercharged Detroit Diesel 4-71's) generators 24/7 for months on end.

Once I became a recreational shooter, I began to take considerable care with my hearing, but a single instance shooting without protection next to a ported 12ga slug gun did significantly noticeable hearing damage to my left ear.

I applied with the VA for hearing care. They helped me enormously with comprehensive testing, a state of the art prosthesis, and regular, intensive follow-up. My Wife looked up the prosthesis and told me it was worth over $2000. I paid nothing as a 100% Service Connected Disabled Veteran.

Few these days are as fortunate as I am where medical care is concerned.

Hearing loss involves actual physical wear on the contact areas of small bones internal to the ear. That wear will not regenerate, and repair is not usually an option. Loss is permanent given the current state of such medical affairs.

Any protection helps. I will permanently regret not turning around and going back home for my hearing protection that single day. Get protection, preferably good stuff, and use it religiously. All it takes can be a single poor choice.

At the range, my current muffs are Peltor 6S Tactical, reasonably priced ($60-$70 at Wal-Mart) electronic muffs.

Greg

 

[1911fan]

Please tell us you have not been shooting .338 Lapua, 50BMG, and such without hearing protection.

If you are, STOP IMMEDIATELY. Do not pull another trigger, even .22, until you go buy the volume pack of NRR30 disposable earplugs, and a pair of muffs with at least an NRR of 25.

As others above have noted, hearing loss is permanent and irreversible. I wear muffs at the range when I'm not shooting, so other people don't catch me off guard. I'm usually doubled up, so if the muffs are off I've still got protection. I wear ear pro when shooting anything with gunpowder, except suppressed .22s- and sometimes even then. I wear muffs when weedwhacking, mowing, riding the motorcycle, and driving T-posts. Anything noisy, they're in. I'm 56 and still have pretty good hearing and no tinnitus.


1911fan

 

[LuckyScott]

I am new to this site, but have been shooting for a long time. I am also a Drag racer and when I was younger I spent many years in rock bands standing next to a drummer in front of my bass amp. My hearing is horrible and I also have tinnitus ringing almost all the time. Doctors say there is nothing they can do.
I double up at the range, foam plugs plus outside cans. I also wear earplugs in the drag car.
I even have a sticker on my window that says.... "Driver wears earplugs, he cant hear you!" This is so that people don't try to talk to me once the helmet is on, I can just point to the sticker.

 

[Cartman]

NRR 33
Howard Leight MAX1 Earplugs Uncorded NRR33 Box/200 Count - Amazon.com

Underneath these with NRR 30
3M Peltor Ultimate 10 Hearing Protector - Amazon.com

As others have said hearing is probably gone for good barring some biotechnology breakthrough.

Don't screw around anymore because the tinnitus can ruin your life, job, marriage, and make you crazy. Obviously going deaf can suck arse big time. But it probably won't drive you insane like the tinnitus can.

Remarkably once in a while someone still says or thinks someone is a sissy for skipping the eye and ear protection. As we get older and experience more, either personally or watching fellow shooters, we realize no, the guy with eyes and ears on isn't a sissy, the guy going without is a dumbass. And if you get older and don't realize that, you're the dumbass.

Good luck man.

 

[waveslayer]

Try a pair of Sport Ears. I have them, I love them. I have some hearing loss and they help a ton. They are expensive but they own a hearing aide company as well.

 

[VJJPunisher]

I can't hear a thing ya'll are saying, I do have hearing aids but I don't really ever wear them for two reasons 1) my doc (not the audiologist that sold tricare the earplugs)said they will cause my ears to become "weak" and basically get worse since they are being assisted and 2) they amplify all the annoying ambient noises I dont care to hear anyhow, a real pain in the ass in resturaunts and sich.

So now I squeeze shoegoo in my ears before going to the range, then wear muffs and then wear a helmet I fashioned out of a bick block of foam

 

[RyeDaddy]

So now I squeeze shoegoo in my ears before going to the range, then wear muffs and then wear a helmet I fashioned out of a bick block of foam

Pics! Tonight please, I'm on the mid shift.

 

[hankpac]

VJJ I hope you were just joking, however in the unlikely possibility that you aren't Wearing hearing aides does not weaken our hearing.
any of the modern hi-tech models are going to have noise canceling,and can have a a threshold cut-off for noise above 75 db. It is all in how the Aud Doc sets it up.
The VA gives you the state of the art, and now includes blue tooth so you can hear the phone through your instruments.
Mine cut out all background noise in a restaurant, and I hear only the speech of the person in front of me.
I take them out and double protect at the range.
I had a set that were meant for shooting about 10 years ago, they filled the entire ear like pro shooting plugs, had no air relief hole and cut out at 75 db. They were great, they just wore out.

 

[Cartman]

Don't worry Hank, VJJ's foam helmet has nothing to do with hearing protection -- that's part of his protection gear when he plays outside. Never take advice from a guy who is only allowed to hold a fork if it has a cork on the tines.

 

[sharac]

I have hearing aids, seems they make it easy to hear what I don't want to hear but don't help much with what I want to hear.

I get that from my wife all the time and wear no hearing aid. I wonder if there is a market for those devices as you could play both sides, men buying devices aiding hearing of certain "frequencies" and disabling others and women buying exactly the opposite ...

 

[decider]

I can't hear anything going on in this thread or in my immediate vicinity, the state gave me handicapped license plates for hearing loss... I purchased the VJJ patented foam helmet that I wear everywhere now...

I have tickets to the World Cup Championship game in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on July 14, 2014... thinking around $3,000 for the pair of center circle tickets... any takers?

Oh, is this not FIFAs forum, my bad!

 

[c1steve]

You might try a cold laser. It is an over the counter product that increasing healing rate, and might help somewhat. If I had hearing loss, I would try one. Best ones are the TerraQuant brand, but are half price or less in Europe/rest of the world. Sometimes a Euro model can be found on ebay for $800. The Pro model costs more, but works 5x as fast.

I have used them successfully on injuries that were 20 years old, and had 70-80% recovery. You might get lucky, and could sell the product when finished for a small loss. I work in the health field.

 

[VJJPunisher]

these things make me hear what lucifer is whispering down the hall

<a href="http://s767.photobucket.com/user/jayjaypunisher/media/ears.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/xx319/jayjaypunisher/ears.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo ears.jpg"/></a>

 

[Graham]

Hearing loss help

these things make me hear what lucifer is whispering down the hall

Reality check: That was me on your left shoulder.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

 

[Victor N TN]

I have tried to get hearing aids a couple of times. But I just can't come up with the money. The last time I went to the University Hearing Center, they wanted almost $4,000 for each ear (?) if I remember right.

My mother was 86 when she died last year. I always took her to her doctor's appointments. I remember her telling her hearing specialist that they made her hear TOO MUCH. If I remember right she had them turned DOWN at least 2 if not 3 times. She said when she went to the store she could hear people talking a long way off.

But good luck and remember to save your hearing.

 

[Mark williams]

these things make me hear what lucifer is whispering down the hall

<a href="http://s767.photobucket.com/user/jayjaypunisher/media/ears.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/xx319/jayjaypunisher/ears.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo ears.jpg"/></a>

Do these vibrate?

 

[hankpac]

Victor raises a good point. These things are really expensive. Have to be to put all that tech inside such a small package.
And make them GI proof.
The VA is passing these things out. It is one of the few things they do that I actually am impressed with.
Around 4,000 bucks each side, and also a blue tooth device that sends your cell phone calls directly to your ears.
Mine make a huge difference for me. I notice the difference when I don't have them in, and they can be tuned for exactly the environments you are in the most.
When you first get them fit, the Audiologist will hook them up to a computer while you wear them. You can see the graphic equalizer on the screen. You can adjust them to what YOU want so that women's voices are perfect and soothing, mens voices are clear and unblurred, and children are unheard. No clattering of dishes in the restaurant, no idiots coughing behind you in the movies, and no "Huh, what's that, I didn't get that..." Also, I have a charger stand for the blue tooth that hooks up to the TV. I can hear everything in any program I watch, without turning it up too loud for anyone else, and can even turn OFF the sound and here it on my hearing aids only. Amazing stuff.

 

[aur0ra145]

Us shooters should start investing in medical companies that are researching how to fix hearing loss via surgery/magic. Just saying.