gsm1968 Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 I know I have mentioned this before, but the best one I saw was a bloke at a clay shoot with his family, god knows why. He had ear muffs on but the mrs and the youngster, still in a pram, didn't It's frightening how much you see this kind of thing at Air shows,a Harrier hanging in the air at 100 foot and a whole crowd of people with out ear protection watching. Ear plugs are better than nothing, but they do not stop the damage from noise conduction via the bony structures behind the ear, it's always better to wear full ear defenders if you can. Good advice You only need to stand with your mouth open near an unmoderated rifle when it is fired to feel the effect of noise transfer. A particularly annoying form of tinnitus is 'pulsatile tinnitus' the effect of which is that you can hear your heart beat in your ear. Vic. Can this be intermitent? I quite often experience this, but never put it down to ear dammage. Normally at night when trying to get to sleep I start to hear it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groach1234 Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Always wear ear defenders due to my grandfather being death in one ear and nearly in the other and my dad was heading the same way when younger so started to wear ear defenders. I once fired 4 cartridges without defenders and had tinnitus on and off for about 4 days so never again and its the same for an un-moderated rifle. My real problem is the new club thats opened in town. Every other time I go there and wake up with ringing in my ears, the last time it happened it didn't go for nearly 2 days and a lot of my friends are the same. I am sure it must be at illegal levels. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloke Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 (edited) Iv got one knacked ear, my left one causes unknown. But iv got tinnitus contsantly in it and varying degrees of deafness and i suffer with bouts of dizzyness. It started in about 2005 iv had all the tests including a MRI (scary) and have been diagnosed with B.P.P.V (Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) So im the worst affected here I wear earing protection as a matter of course now I pray that its not going to get worse. If anyone suspects it will get worse keep it to yourself ignorance is bliss WEAR HEARING PROTECTION OR ELSE Well, one of the worst !! I will see your BPPV and raise you with BPPV and Meniere's as well, progressive deafness as well (what-Eh?), caused by constant ear damage.! Seriously though, you are right I wouldn't wish either of these on my (nearly) worst enemy! Take care, the first thing my GP did when the dizzy spells became regular was have the DVLA take my driving licence away, they won't even consider reinstating it until I have had 2 years minimum without dizzy spells or falls - I am lucky to be two hours without dizziness (particularly the BPPV sort). It was one of the factors that caused me to be forced to retire on ill-health and it was also a major factor in my SGC review, obviously my FEO was cautious about giving a shotgun licence to someone who could fall over with it! I had to get evidence via my GP that I had a minimum of control to break open the gun and eject the cartridges despite the dizziness, before he would take the application further (quite rightly, in my opinion). All of this from years of excessive noise and a couple of ear infections. The problem is that when you get these symptoms, it is often too late to remedy the damage, as both Dave and myself have obviously found. I often had the ringing in my ears and the deafness for a few days that went off, so I shrugged it off, you think you are invulnerable, and there is always some old nit who will say "I've been shooting for years without any problem!" - lucky them, mind you they usually shout all the time . Then one day it doesn't go off and you can't sleep for the whistle/popping/rumbling etc etc. There is a reason that heavy industry issues earmuffs rather than plugs in high noise environments and it isn't for fun, it's because they know the risk and don't want to pay out compensation like they had to do in the 70's when all the foundrymen claimed for deafness - the same damage regular shooting will do! Don't take the risk - I really miss hearing the little things, even with the hearing aid I now struggle to hear even the birdsong in the hedges in my garden and my daughter is going deaf, because I have the TV on so loud. Edited January 15, 2011 by Bloke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicW Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Can this be intermitent? I quite often experience this, but never put it down to ear damage. Normally at night when trying to get to sleep I start to hear it. Pulsatile tinnitus is not caused by ear damage but is still a form of tinnitus because you 'hear'it.It is caused by the blood pulsing in an artery in the neck and can be stopped by putting your fingers on your neck below and behind your ear and pressing.Unfortunately this is not a cure.Mine comes and goes and I am only aware of it if I am not concentrating on something. Quite a lot of people get it in a very mild form when they put their head on the pillow to go to sleep. Vic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsm1968 Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Pulsatile tinnitus is not caused by ear damage but is still a form of tinnitus because you 'hear'it.It is caused by the blood pulsing in an artery in the neck and can be stopped by putting your fingers on your neck below and behind your ear and pressing.Unfortunately this is not a cure.Mine comes and goes and I am only aware of it if I am not concentrating on something. Quite a lot of people get it in a very mild form when they put their head on the pillow to go to sleep. Vic. Thanks for that. Panic over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daveo26 Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Well, one of the worst !! I will see your BPPV and raise you with BPPV and Meniere's as well, progressive deafness as well (what-Eh?), caused by constant ear damage.! Seriously though, you are right I wouldn't wish either of these on my (nearly) worst enemy! Take care, the first thing my GP did when the dizzy spells became regular was have the DVLA take my driving licence away, they won't even consider reinstating it until I have had 2 years minimum without dizzy spells or falls - I am lucky to be two hours without dizziness (particularly the BPPV sort). It was one of the factors that caused me to be forced to retire on ill-health and it was also a major factor in my SGC review, obviously my FEO was cautious about giving a shotgun licence to someone who could fall over with it! I had to get evidence via my GP that I had a minimum of control to break open the gun and eject the cartridges despite the dizziness, before he would take the application further (quite rightly, in my opinion). All of this from years of excessive noise and a couple of ear infections. The problem is that when you get these symptoms, it is often too late to remedy the damage, as both Dave and myself have obviously found. I often had the ringing in my ears and the deafness for a few days that went off, so I shrugged it off, you think you are invulnerable, and there is always some old nit who will say "I've been shooting for years without any problem!" - lucky them, mind you they usually shout all the time . Then one day it doesn't go off and you can't sleep for the whistle/popping/rumbling etc etc. There is a reason that heavy industry issues earmuffs rather than plugs in high noise environments and it isn't for fun, it's because they know the risk and don't want to pay out compensation like they had to do in the 70's when all the foundrymen claimed for deafness - the same damage regular shooting will do! Don't take the risk - I really miss hearing the little things, even with the hearing aid I now struggle to hear even the birdsong in the hedges in my garden and my daughter is going deaf, because I have the TV on so loud. You win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Duncan Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 I remain amazed at how many shooters will be at the beaters days and vermin days in the coming weeks with nothing in or over their ears. Or sometimes between ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numble Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 They released this week that there is a possible cure for tinnitus,heres an article on it. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/8255166/How-to-stop-tinnitus-retune-the-brain.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berettaman Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 (edited) Does anybody fancy being the guineapig for this, BRAIN RE-TUNING,think i will just keep putting my PRO9s on Edited January 17, 2011 by berettaman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloke Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 You win. call it a no-score draw! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huffhuff Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 How is this for irony. I have always been told of, and know of shooters getting tinnitus. I was told from a young age - ALWAYS WEAR EAR PROTECTION WHEN SHOOTING OR AROUND SHOOTING (generally old deaf ****). So I have. Having been described the effects, what is does, how it sounds etc. I always had ear protection. I even had some custom jobbies moulded to my ears. Perfect. 6 months ago I started getting this noise in my ear. The sound a TV makes sometimes when it's on standby. Or those mole/rabbit sonic scarer-offers. Bloody annoying I can tell you. I went to the doctors, they say it's tinnitus. I am now on antidepressants (really low dose) for the sedative and nerve treatment properties (not because I want to kill myself...just in case my FEO is reading...). The cause? Shooting? No, my office at work. Right next to the server room. It isn't very loud at all. But, it is a constant 'dull drone' of computers whizzing away in the background...all day everyday for 4 years now. Great. So, my advice is not only when shooting. If you work or for any reason find yourself in noisey, or constant low noise areas - WEAR EAR PROTECTION!!! The tablets will not cure the permanent ******* noise in my ear. They merely help me sleep a little longer in the morning. I have to listen to the radio to get to sleep to start with (I tried getting rat ***** too, that just gave me a big headache mixed with the meds). Normally, you might wake up for a second in the early hours, roll over and fall back to sleep. Not with this bloody noise going on. If I wake up, I am then awake - regardless of time! ARRRRGHHHHHHHHH - THE BELLS THE BELLS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floating Chamber Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 (edited) Had tinnitus since 1969; bothered me a lot for several years; I can send it to Coventry by concentrating on a really interesting project. (The first one was in 1972 when I BUILT a Mini!) Edited February 22, 2011 by Floating Chamber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 I forgot my ear defenders while out stalking on Saturday, one bark from a friends 243 means my left ear is still ringing 3 days later... Hope it dosen't last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno 357 Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 I had a perforated eye drum and got a nasty ear infection from swimming pool water in cyprus many years ago. I went to docs and got treated but was too late. My inner ear had turned to jelly and had the anvil and stirrup sucked out and had the ear drum grafted over to protect what was left. It last 2 weeks and got infection behind the graft and it spread to my mastoid bone :blink: I then had diseased bones cells removed. I had 3 inch cut down my ear and my ear peeled back and had the cells scraped out :unsure: I had a total of 5 operations incuding surgery to have my inner ear canal opened wider and retrieve what was left of my hearing in my right lug I lost all hearing for about 1 year due to the operations and I have about 15 % hearing left I don't wear an hearing aid and I do miss what people say if they are on the wrong side of my when talking. Some think I'm being rude but if I don't hear them I don't hear them and there is no way I'm wearing an earing aid :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artschool Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 I forgot my ear defenders while out stalking on Saturday, one bark from a friends 243 means my left ear is still ringing 3 days later... Hope it dosen't last. thats happened to me before. was on the range and lifted my ear defender to have a conversation with the RO and an unmoderated 243 went off behind me. i now have in ear protection that i can leave in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 I forgot my ear defenders while out stalking on Saturday, one bark from a friends 243 means my left ear is still ringing 3 days later... Hope it dosen't last. You can be lucky, or unlucky. we were dragging some hinds down the hill in Scotland when another one popped out in front of us, the stalker asked us to shoot it, so my mate did. I was slightly ahead of him and caught most of the blast from a 6.5. The ringing lasted a day or so and then went. I was talking to a shooting instructor the other day who never did wear hearing protection, he has tinnitus from a close shot with a 20 bore from years ago. He still has trouble sleeping. Coincidentally, not know to me but known to people I know, a shooter topped himself recently the main reason being depression caused by sleep deprivation, you can guess the punchline.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 Mine are still ringing today.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huffhuff Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 Mine are still ringing today.... Mine ring all day every day. Can't here at moment but that's because I have the radio ramped up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daveo26 Posted February 25, 2011 Report Share Posted February 25, 2011 Mine ring all day every day. Can't here at moment but that's because I have the radio ramped up Snap. Its like im having a hearing test done all day long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finnerz89 Posted February 25, 2011 Report Share Posted February 25, 2011 used to use the electronic ones when i was in the shooting team during my time in the Army cadets, always thought they were very good! although you do get interference from mobile phones, another good thing is you can sometimes hear people talking really far away lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 How many of you fail this..... ? http://www.rnid.org.uk/howwehelp/hearing_check/take_online_hearing_check/?from=/hearing-check-home-right-bott-panel/ I passed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomV Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 it still surpises me when I see people shooting with no hearing protection, your hearing needs to be well looked after Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomV Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 How many of you fail this..... ? http://www.rnid.org.uk/howwehelp/hearing_check/take_online_hearing_check/?from=/hearing-check-home-right-bott-panel/ I passed interesting, apparently, I'm within the normal range even though I struggled with quite a few Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acid House Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 How many of you fail this..... ? http://www.rnid.org.uk/howwehelp/hearing_check/take_online_hearing_check/?from=/hearing-check-home-right-bott-panel/ I passed I passed but I dont know how. I find it interesting that in the building industry we are advised that foam ear plugs give the same protection as full defenders. Seeing the whole thing is set up to avoid litigation you would think this information is correct but many on PW seem to think this is not so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted July 31, 2011 Report Share Posted July 31, 2011 Just look at the TV when the F1 is on or music programs you will see that everyone has big very expensive ear plugs in that has to tell you something. So why would a shooter choose not to protect there hearing its a few hundred now or a few thousand when you get older for a good hearing aid but that will not stop the tinnitus I have had it for years not shooting but working in metal bashing factory's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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