Can anyone figure out my hearing problem?

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Lavan

New member
Backstory: I went to the range last summer. Guy next to me was firing a ported rifle of SOME horrendously loud caliber.
I was wearing Peltor active muffs NRR22 but no plugs under them because I had shot with the Peltors for years with NO problems.

THAT NIGHT... (This is weird) 10 HOURS after the range session. ...my hearing QUIT! Poofl

Gave it 2 days to stablize and then went to Dr. and after a few referrals back and forth, it was discovered I had MAJOR damage. Noise induced.

Now I've had tinnitus since 1959 when, as a KID, I fired TWO 1911's w/o ANY ear protection. 2 guns at once. ELLIOT NESS STYLE !! :D

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Okay, now to the present. I got TWO hearing aids. (they are GREAT)

Also had the audiologist from Kaiser make two custom fit neoprene plugs that he said should work great.

ONE of the plugs wasn't quite right so they did another that goes in way deeper. I can tell the fit is TIGHT because of the lube (spit) I need to insert them. Also the slight suction when removing them.
ALSO...... got rid of the Peltors and now have Howard Leight actives at

30 NRR

Sounds (no pun) good huh?

But I am STILL getting a TEMPORARY hearing loss after shooting. (lasts intermittently for about a day or a little more)

Saturday (2 days ago) it was a 38 Special w/ 3" bbl SV ammo 158gr
which ain't exactly a cannon.

it also happens to a lesser extent with .22 ...HANDGUNS...
No effect from 22 rifles. :)

So.....does ANYONE have ANY idea where the sound waves are getting in?

I'm "theorizing".....nose.
Seem possible? :confused:

Guess I could get swimming nose clamp, but dammit I really don't want to add even MORE gizmos to a plinking session. :eek:

Oh, this is firing OUTDOORS, too.

Appreciate any suggestions or analyses.
 
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Erno86

New member
Sound waves could be coming through the space where the arms of your glasses are --- I believe I use the Surefire safety glasses, that have very thin arms. I have both the Howard Leight and the Peltor active amplified muffs, and I prefer the Peltor's because it seems to have better ear cushioning than the Leight's --- Though I don't think the Peltor's are very water resistant because of the open space in the top of each ear cup that leads to the electronics.

I don't like loud muzzle brakes either, especially when I'm shooting next to someone on the range who uses one. One rule on the firing line of our range: All muzzles must be forward of the firing line.
 
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Evan Thomas

New member
Unfortunately, you can't rule out bone conduction, and there's really nothing much to be done about that except stop exposing yourself to noise. :(

Otherwise, yes, could be leakage around the arms of the glasses. Do you have a beard or very thick hair? I know beards cause leakage problems with respirators, and I suppose that's possible with earmuffs as well.
 
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johnwilliamson062

Moderator
I'm not a medical professional, but I believe that suction when you remove your hearing protection can also damage your ears.
"deep" can also be an issue. I was reading a study concerning hearing damage in the US a few days ago and some of the ways people damage their hearing surprised me.
 
L

Lavan

New member
I don't like loud muzzle brakes either, especially when I'm shooting next to someone on the range who uses one. One rule on the firing line of our range: All muzzles must be forward of the firing line.
Click to expand...

The rotten thing is that the range provides concrete pipes to use for braked rifles but no one enforces the rules and ...some.... of the guys seem to enjoy the racket. :mad:

Unfortunately, you can't rule out bone conduction, and there's really nothing much to be done about that except stop exposing yourself to noise.

Otherwise, yes, could be leakage around the arms of the glasses. Do you have a beard or very thick hair?
Click to expand...

Bone conduction? Hmmmm.... maybe. Don't care for the probable solution though. I will have to STICK to my conviction to switch to 22 RIFLES almost exclusively..... but.....dang.
No beard and little hair. :eek:

I'm not a medical professional, but I believe that suction when you remove your hearing protection can also damage your ears.
Click to expand...
Don't think so. There is no discomfort to them and the VERY slight suction is minimal.

Dunno. Anyone got a space helmet for sale? ;)
 
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Erno86

New member
The bone cartilage on your ear flaps, can transmit sound waves to a person's eardrum with damaging effect --- That's why I like wearing muffs or ear plugs an muffs
 
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olddav

New member
I was thinking sinuses. It reminds me of going to drag races, sat near the starting line, when they launched you could not shut out the sound. Wave after wave would hit you all over.
When I shoot my 44 mag with factory ammo I can feel those same pulses hitting me in the sinuses, every shot. Shoot next to a rifle with a muzzle brake and you will feel the same pulses. That preasure wave has to go somewhere and my guess is part of it hits the ears.
 
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MikeGoob

New member
Maybe this applies to you:

I have lost some serious hearing in one ear--come to find out it was caused by over the counter NSAID drugs: Advil, Aleve mainly. I used to take large doses to treat migraines and would often get ringing and numbness in one ear that would generally get better after a few days.

Found out hearing loss is a well documented side effect of NSAID drugs. My hearing would mostly come back when I was younger, but eventually it never fully did in one ear. I watch my intake nowadays.
 
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mete

New member
Much of hearing loss happens by the time you're18 years old !!! :eek:
The Swedish Navy at one point had a very hard time finding enough youngsters to operate anti-sub SONAR equipment !
Trying to educate a teenager to turn down the music is a huge problem ! :rolleyes:
 
S

Skans

Active member
The range isn't the only place you should wear haring protection. I wear my range muffs whenever I do the following:

1. mowing the lawn, weed-eater, chain saw, blower etc.
2. vacuuming the house;
3. motorcycle - I wear ear plugs. I think I got some hearing damage years ago from continuous wind noise while riding my motorcycle.

I avoid all loud noises, music etc.
 
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iraiam

New member
How old are your Howard Leight ear muffs? The reason I ask is I use them as well, I find that the foam filled pads that seal around your ears become stiff and brittle over time. this causes a poor seal and reduces the effectiveness of the muffs.

I generally replace the pads and foam on my ear muffs about twice a year, Howard Leight sells a "hygiene kit" for most or all of their ear muff models, this kit replaces the pads and foam with new.

It is certainly possible to get sound into your ears from sinuses, I can remember wearing muffs with ear plugs in a very high noise environment, when I yawned with all of this hearing protection on, for an instant it was like I had no hearing protection on at all, it scared the bejeebers out of my the first time it happened.
 
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JohnKSa

Administrator
Wear plugs and muffs.

Get good muffs that either have gel pads or can be upgraded to gel pads. They provide a better seal and will seal around glasses as long as the earpieces aren't huge.

Don't use shooting glasses with huge ear pieces.

Get big muffs so that they cover as much of the side of your head as possible to cut down on bone conduction.

Make sure you're using the muffs properly. You can check them for a good seal by pushing on them to see if you can feel the pressure in your ears. You may have to practice putting them on/getting them adjusted at home because the ear plugs you will be wearing at the range may keep this test from working properly.

Don't shoot next to the guys who are there primarily to make noise or who are shooting especially loud guns. If things get too loud, get away from the noise source until things calm down.

Keep your mouth shut while shooting to keep the noise exposure from getting in that route.

Limit the length of exposure and keep in mind that the amount of time you can be exposed to a noise (even with hearing protection) is reduced the louder the noise is.
 
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jmr40

New member
For reasons unknown some people are just more likely to be affected by the noise than others. I'll be 59 in a couple of weeks and didn't wear hearing protection until I was in my 30's. As a requirement for my job I had a complete physical including hearing tests every year.

I was told in one of my hearing tests almost 30 years ago that I had a very slight loss of hearing only in my left ear. The one closest to the noise for a right handed shooter. The right ear was, and still is nearly perfect and there were only a few tones that I couldn't pick up with the left ear. Tones not normally heard anyway.

I've always been primarily a hunter so most of my shooting was with long guns, but I owned and shot all types of handguns including lots of 357, 41, and 44 mag rounds.

After a shooting session or dove hunt etc. it was common for some slight ear ringing for a few hours, but it always went away and hearing tests confirmed that any hearing loss over a number of years was very slight.

I don't recommend anyone try that. I've worn both plugs and muffs ever since being told that I had a slight loss of hearing and it has remained about the same ever since.
 
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