I think we might be getting a little exaggerative here. I mean, magnum rounds have been around quite a while. Is a .357 Magnum from a short barrel any quieter than a .357 Sig? Have people gone deaf from shooting it the last several decades?
Also, many troopers have shot people so far with the .357 Sig, all with outstanding results, and none of them have complained of going deaf.
Is it possible we are getting worked up about nothing?
I won't be shooting my .357 Sig with no hearing protection unless I am defending myself. But, somehow I think that one case of defending myself with the .357 Sig is not going to produce permenant damage. I probably will hardly notice it. Most people in shootings say they never heard their gun go off.
So far, I have never heard of anyone, from people firing full auto M16's in combat to cops shooting the .357 Magnum or Sig in defense, going deaf from ONE shootout.