Question for those of you with hearing damage
- Thread starter spacecoast
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I shoot right handed and had a slight hearing loss in my left ear, The one closest to the noise when firing. No tinnitus. It was at about 90% and my right ear was almost perfect at around 98% prior to July of 2011. The 10% of sounds I couldn't hear were not common sounds and I never really knew i had any hearing loss without sophisticated testing which was required each year as part of a physical for work.
I suffered a total loss of hearing in my right ear (the good one), over night. Not shooting or noise related. The Dr's say it is usually caused by a brain tumor, but MRI's were negative. They THINK it was caused by a ruptured blood vessel cutting off blood to my auditory nerve. I took 2 rounds of steroids to help regenerate growth in my inner ear. It helped in a way, my right ear is now around 15%, but in some ways it is worse. Before I was totally deaf in my right ear. Now I hear sounds, but cannot always make out what someone says and the tinnitus is pretty severe in that ear at times.
I shot guns and worked in loud conditions with no hearing protection up till my mid 30's and suffered very little hearing loss nor tinnitus. Been wearing protection for the last 20 years though or I'm sure that would have been much different.
I suffered a total loss of hearing in my right ear (the good one), over night. Not shooting or noise related. The Dr's say it is usually caused by a brain tumor, but MRI's were negative. They THINK it was caused by a ruptured blood vessel cutting off blood to my auditory nerve. I took 2 rounds of steroids to help regenerate growth in my inner ear. It helped in a way, my right ear is now around 15%, but in some ways it is worse. Before I was totally deaf in my right ear. Now I hear sounds, but cannot always make out what someone says and the tinnitus is pretty severe in that ear at times.
I shot guns and worked in loud conditions with no hearing protection up till my mid 30's and suffered very little hearing loss nor tinnitus. Been wearing protection for the last 20 years though or I'm sure that would have been much different.
Stevie-Ray
New member
My tinnitus is in glorious stereophonic surround. Sounds like it's coming directly from the center of my head. Obviously both my ears are affected nearly equally, It is not fun and certainly not funny. Lawn mowers all my life without plugs, loud industry most of my life, some without plugs, rock concerts, and shooting, especially .22s without plugs have taken it's toll. Oh and a neat little toy when I was a kid called the Sonic Blaster. Needless to say, I double-up on protection now, but only to save what I have left. If in doubt, plug it.
Black_Sheep
New member
Both sides are about the same. My hearing loss is a result of a variety of activities, not just shooting.
g.willikers
New member
Eh, what's that?
Speak up, dagnabbit.
My tinnitus changes from one ear to the other, day by day.
Hmm.
Speak up, dagnabbit.
My tinnitus changes from one ear to the other, day by day.
Hmm.
Kreyzhorse
New member
I'm a lefty but I believe I have less hearing in my right ear than my left ear. My right ear also rings much more often than my left.
I'd guess that my hearing loss is a combo of hunting / shooting and playing guitar (loudly of course).
I'd guess that my hearing loss is a combo of hunting / shooting and playing guitar (loudly of course).
I have hearing loss in both ears, worse in the right...some may be from shooting without protection years ago (Army and Civilian), but I think most of it is from the jet engined power station used with the Pershing missile system.
I have two types/levels of background noise. One is the single ringing frequency that is accompineed by a blancking...kind of like an AGC works in an autio system...this sound comes and then slowly goes, usually of a very short diration, either ear...but when it does happen it is quite pronounced.
The other sounds I hear are weaker, but always present (unless blanked out by the "ringing"). They sound more like wind in the trees or chirping birds (bearings?) They are veriable in frequency and intensity, but always there.
Where we live it is extremely quiet (our kids say it is too quiet), but when I go to bed at night, that is when I hear the secondary sounds most pronounced. No, it isn't from wind or birds, plugging the ear does not make the sound go away,
Haven't been to an audiologist since I left the Army, but the problem was there when I left, but I do know it is getting worse as I have trouble hearing my wife, and others when they speak to me. (64 years old)
I have two types/levels of background noise. One is the single ringing frequency that is accompineed by a blancking...kind of like an AGC works in an autio system...this sound comes and then slowly goes, usually of a very short diration, either ear...but when it does happen it is quite pronounced.
The other sounds I hear are weaker, but always present (unless blanked out by the "ringing"). They sound more like wind in the trees or chirping birds (bearings?) They are veriable in frequency and intensity, but always there.
Where we live it is extremely quiet (our kids say it is too quiet), but when I go to bed at night, that is when I hear the secondary sounds most pronounced. No, it isn't from wind or birds, plugging the ear does not make the sound go away,
Haven't been to an audiologist since I left the Army, but the problem was there when I left, but I do know it is getting worse as I have trouble hearing my wife, and others when they speak to me. (64 years old)
g.willikers
New member
With all the noises of modern urban life, the noises in my ears are just some more background.
Lawn mowers, helicopters, dog barking, doors slamming, cars and motorcycles coming and going all hours, washing machines and dryers, tv, radio....it really isn't all that noticeable.
Lawn mowers, helicopters, dog barking, doors slamming, cars and motorcycles coming and going all hours, washing machines and dryers, tv, radio....it really isn't all that noticeable.
nicksixx402
Inactive
I wear in ears when I shoot but after for at least an hour, my girlfriend, tv, or radio sounds like a robot. (modulated) not all voice pitches do it. It's the strangest thing. I do have some hearing loss from being an audio engineer and loud concerts and playing in a loud ass band when I was younger and hated wearing ear plugs. Any one else experience this?
Onward Allusion
New member
Strange, but I never realized that the side directly behind the gun experiences some type of noise cancellation. Yup, weak side (left) has worst ringing...
Peptobismol9
New member
I'm only 19 and have a 35% hearing loss in my right, and 40% in my left. It happens faster than you think. My strong side is my right side.
If there is background noise I can't make out words at all. I used to not wear hearing protection and fire alot of 30-06 and 7.62x39 without hearing protection. Now I always wear it and I shoot alot of lighter calibers like .22 Lr and Magnum, and a bit less of the louder stuff. It was a devastating reality check to get those test results.
If there is background noise I can't make out words at all. I used to not wear hearing protection and fire alot of 30-06 and 7.62x39 without hearing protection. Now I always wear it and I shoot alot of lighter calibers like .22 Lr and Magnum, and a bit less of the louder stuff. It was a devastating reality check to get those test results.
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I am right handed but most of my hearing loss is on the left side.
In my 20's I bought a Ruger Blackhawk in .41mag.
I shot it out in the country next to a farmhouse that was on my left and I had no hearing protection at all.
That gun was unbelievably loud.
It cost me dearly.
In my 20's I bought a Ruger Blackhawk in .41mag.
I shot it out in the country next to a farmhouse that was on my left and I had no hearing protection at all.
That gun was unbelievably loud.
It cost me dearly.
Although I've hunted and shot most of my life, I took a roughly 20 year break from it when I got into tournament bass fishing. I hardly fired a shot during that time. What I did do was run high performance bass boats at fairly high speeds. Those outboard engines which are more or less unmuffled, AND more importantly the wind rushing over my ears, I believe did more damage to my hearing than shooting. Even back in the day, I did very little shooting without hearing protection. However I never considered the wind noise from the boat, or the racket from the soft top Jeeps I prefered during that time period.
Both ears ring about the same.
I do not hear crickets. . .real or in my ears. I hear a constant pitch. I have often wondered if a tone generator of the proper pitch and 180 out of phase with the sound I hear would cancel it out.
I can't say it really bothers me. It is just something that is always there.
I can't say it really bothers me. It is just something that is always there.
warbirdlover
New member
No crickets!! 
I lost most of my hearing from taking a drug (Indocin) that in 1% of the users destroys the little hairs in your inner ear. I had to take it for the ankylosing spondilitus (arthritus in the back) I had back then (quits when you hit 50ish) because there was no other drug on the market (back then) that could relieve the inflamation. It was like a miracle allowing me to again tie my shoes etc but the side affect has left me now with a severe hearing loss down into the speech area. I wear $5000+ hearing aids that help alot but the next step (down) is a cochlea implant.
So I just wear my hearing aids and turn them off for shooting. No better sound suppression then a couple ear molds fitted to your ear. I've never worn hearing protection hunting but always do at the range.
And it will be interesting in years to come seeing how many young deaf people there will be from listening to the pounding rap music in their cars. When they have the windows shut and I can hear (and feel!) that pounding a block away they are destroying their hearing.
I lost most of my hearing from taking a drug (Indocin) that in 1% of the users destroys the little hairs in your inner ear. I had to take it for the ankylosing spondilitus (arthritus in the back) I had back then (quits when you hit 50ish) because there was no other drug on the market (back then) that could relieve the inflamation. It was like a miracle allowing me to again tie my shoes etc but the side affect has left me now with a severe hearing loss down into the speech area. I wear $5000+ hearing aids that help alot but the next step (down) is a cochlea implant.
So I just wear my hearing aids and turn them off for shooting. No better sound suppression then a couple ear molds fitted to your ear. I've never worn hearing protection hunting but always do at the range.
And it will be interesting in years to come seeing how many young deaf people there will be from listening to the pounding rap music in their cars. When they have the windows shut and I can hear (and feel!) that pounding a block away they are destroying their hearing.
^^^^^^^I hear you
I play in a band in addition to shooting. I either play guitar or bass and when I play bass, my amp is right next to me.
I don't wear ears when I play but I do not play too loud either.
The thing that bothers me now would be playing next to a drummer playing conventional drums. The sound can be pretty brutal.
Played once with a trumpet player standing right behind me
THAT was loud.
I play in a band in addition to shooting. I either play guitar or bass and when I play bass, my amp is right next to me.
I don't wear ears when I play but I do not play too loud either.
The thing that bothers me now would be playing next to a drummer playing conventional drums. The sound can be pretty brutal.
Played once with a trumpet player standing right behind me
THAT was loud.Onward Allusion
New member
I can still hear crickets...
One of the posts indicated that hearing loss can be caused by meds. Dang! I just looked up the list of meds that can cause tinnitus and I am taking TWO of 'em. Crap!!! Time to talk to the doc and get her to prescribe me something else!
I've always wondered why I started getting tinnitus 'cause I'm pretty good with hearing protection. I usually double up! Grrr... Well, thank goodness for this forum. Still learning something new every day.
One of the posts indicated that hearing loss can be caused by meds. Dang! I just looked up the list of meds that can cause tinnitus and I am taking TWO of 'em. Crap!!! Time to talk to the doc and get her to prescribe me something else!
I've always wondered why I started getting tinnitus 'cause I'm pretty good with hearing protection. I usually double up! Grrr... Well, thank goodness for this forum. Still learning something new every day.