Deafness

[12gauge82]

Everyone I know who shoots right handed with hearing loss has lost most in their left ear. 

[GingerCat]

Dad's deaf in his left ear, shot 303 a lot as a youth at Bisley, some loss in his right but not so much. 

[JohnfromUK]

10 minutes ago, 12gauge82 said:

Everyone I know who shoots right handed with hearing loss has lost most in their left ear. 

Yes, I shoot right handed and my left ear much the poorer of mine.  Some hearing loss and permanent tinnitus.

 

[12gauge82]

11 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

Yes, I shoot right handed and my left ear much the poorer of mine.  Some hearing loss and permanent tinnitus.

 

I can only think that shooting right handed offers your right ear some protection from shouldering the rifle. 

[London Best]

I shoot RH and the docs tell me I have 70% loss in both ears. I know they are wrong because my right ear is much worse than my left. 
I haven’t heard small birds sing for 40 years. I could hear blackbirds until 10/15 years ago, but not now.
I can still hear geese miles away, long before I can see them, but can no longer hear the feeding chatter of Mallard, or the wingbeats. 
Basically, apart from geese the only birds I can hear are pigeons, pheasants and corvids. 
I have two NH hearing aids and they don’t help one bit. They only magnify what I can already hear.

[Walker570]

This is where in ear electronic protection comes in. I purchased a set of Cens over a dozen years ago and today I find them so helpful on a days shooting being able to talk normally to other guns etc. plus when out with a rifle I can hear things 100s of yards away, where I could not have a chance without them.  I am not promoting Cens because their standard of service is appauling. The units do work however.

[wymberley]

13 hours ago, henry d said:

Always wore ear protection in machinery spaces in the forces as I was a marine engineer, but burst an ear drum when getting an emergency pump ready and 3" rockets and 4.5" gun opened up. Doesn't seem to bother me too much but I prefer the TV or radio volume higher than my wife does.

I have recently had a flyer through the door about forces personnel and deafness or loss of hearing but I don't think I would qualify.

There's only one way to find out.

On my RAF discharge medical I was told that if I'd been there for a sign on or promotion check I'd have been turned down but as I was going out they'd pass me as fit. This had the desired result - one happy little soon to be an ex serviceman who thought that they'd done him a favour. I did ask if I could make any claim but in view of the passed fit I wasn't too fussed with the negative reply.

Fast forward some 10 years when as a civilian MoD warden I overheard a couple of army reservists talking and asked to join the conversation. I was advised to be quick as the fixed lump sum payment for the more minor disability was imminently about to be done away with just leaving the regular payments for the more severe cases. I applied and as I'd been having annual hearing checks because I failed the first one I was given back in '71 my case was well documented and I was successful in being granted an ongoing pension. Favour? My backside!. They robbed me of ten years pension.

Some 6 years on and a change of boss with whom I didn't get on - he didn't know what to make of my attitude - he might have done had he not been an out and out drunk with  not one but two drink driving convictions. He wanted rid of me so I thought I'd play along. Then I got lucky. The medic they sent to do an initial interview - as a 10 year plus civil servant they can't just toss you out on your ear - was a fellow ex Trenchard Brat. The Naval Dockyard doctor I then saw and who asked all the right questions was absolutely gobsmacked when I explained how we used to used a chemical known as Titanine - "don't you know that that stuff can make you deaf?" I was then sent to see a private hearing specialist and the end result was, yep, I'm out, but with a civil service pension which I would have earned had I stayed in until 65 plus a recommendation that my war pension was increased which it then was. There is a ruling about a reduced earnings supplement which can be awarded if your pension was at or above a certain level which mine now was. This relates to the job you did before you joined the Services. I went in straight from school so my first job was the RAF which we all know I could no longer do so I now also get that supplement. Now we're talking favours. It's just a shame that back then you had to fight for every penny when it was known that you were perfectly entitled to it.

And the bottom line is that they're not going to offer it to you on a plate.

Edited June 9, 2021 by wymberley

[JTaylor91]

I’ve had tinnitus for coming up to about 10 years now. It’s most noticeable at night but is starting to get worse and is now noticeable when watching tv/having a conversation etc. Put it down to working on an airport ramp and didn’t always wear ear defenders. Turns out jet engines are pretty loud. Worrying really that it’s as bad as it is at 30.

[Scully]

I think I’ve only ever shot without ear defenders less times than I have fingers on one hand. I’ve worked in noisy industry throughout all my working life….sawmills, timber framing with nail guns and the dairy industry with noisy machinery, so have always worn ear protection. 
OH reckons my hearing has been affected, but I’m not convinced.
I’ve never had my hearing tested for over 20 years so am willing to concede it may have deteriorated, but if it has I can’t tell. 
I know many shooters who don’t wear protection. 

[islandgun]

This partial hearing has become more noticeable to me in the last few weeks, As some may remember i have a couple of Corncrakes calling from what seems just outside my bedroom window. they make a serious row all night hoping to attract another mate. [they like to have several] I have noticed if i sleep on my right not a sound....... every cloud has a silver lining..😉

[TRINITY]

I have NHS hearing aids. My tests revealed that I can hear some frequencies much better than others. The hearing aids are supposed to compensate for the missing frequencies.  Things sound louder but still difficult to make things out. For instance I can hear conversations but it can be hard to understand.

Everytime I have a test they try to flog me private hearing aids , which are the price of a decent gun. As yet I have not been tempted 

[Bigbob]

Left ear for me , years ago i had a medical for a job and got put in a booth for a ear test when i came out the nurse said how long long you been shooting for ?. being right handed and no middle range in my left ear she knew the signs 40 years ago 

[London Best]

2 minutes ago, TRINITY said:

I have NHS hearing aids. My tests revealed that I can hear some frequencies much better than others. The hearing aids are supposed to compensate for the missing frequencies. 

They told me he opposite.......we cannot amplify what you cannot already hear.

[TRINITY]

23 minutes ago, London Best said:

They told me he opposite.......we cannot amplify what you cannot already hear.

I can understand that. But from my understanding, I can hear all frequencies,  but some far better than others, which also makes sense. 

For instance my base levels are good but higher frequencies weaker. This tends to be confirmed as mens voices are easier to understand than womens our young children .

[TRINITY]

Also NHS or any type of hearing aid that goes over the ear and face masks are a pain to wear together. I have lost count of the times they get knocked off whilst removing masks. So I have stopped using the earing aids in circumstances were mask wearing is necessary. Dont know if anyone else has had simillar problems.

[oldypigeonpopper]

5 hours ago, TRINITY said:

Both ears. Many TV programmes need sub titles

Hello, me to 🙄

[Mr gen]

Right handed shooter, left ear is slightly worse but definitely damage to both. Like others have said when sounds go to a certain frequency I simply cannot hear them, things like watch alarms and the sound given out from volt/multi meters, which I use a lot. These sounds are masked by my tinnitus that is always the loudest thing in the room, I can sort of forget about the whistley, hiss but the sounds I mention above seem to make very loud or if some one mentions the word tinnitus, off it goes.      

[Shotkam]

16 hours ago, Centrepin said:

Partialy deaf in both ears but Left is worst due to a SLR discharge against it. Rest of hearing loss is Shotguns, Bren and GPMG plus the odd Carlie G trench clearing. Noise so loud I've had my eyes, ears and nose running. I have tinnitus but not constantly. I also have Meniere's which is related.

Didn't start wearing ear defence till the 90s when the Army lost crown immunity and then it was heavily pushed, we even had ear defenders issued.

This coming Sunday CFG are coming to my home for a fitting to save what's left. 

 

Please save your money and spend it on something that will actually improve your hearing.

I have just had what you are proposing to buy delivered and they are terrible, everything is really muffled but they feel ok in the ears, which is the only plus. 

Absolute waste of £105 and no refunds from them.

I am buying a set of Vario Revolutions, as Vario are the only brand who offer a fully programable electronic ear protection.

So basically you can send them the results from an Audiologist and they can adjust the electronics so that say if you have one ear that functions less well than the other they can program to enhance that.

The other big brands although household names, are dated in comparison.

Its a case again of getting what you pay for. 

Not many people people go driven game shooting with a Baikal and Sellier and Bellot cartridges, so why skimp on the rest of the equipment.

Even if they last 5 years, your are only talking the cost of a couple of rounds of 100 sporting per year of ownership for perfection in hearing protection.

I am buying the Revolution 6 at £650 as I really want the gamekeeper mode but the Revolution 4 does most people for £ 550.

People who use then find the batteries last about a month and at 12 for 60 off Amazon or similar, that's nothing.

Their customer service is second to none as many on here have already pointed out. 3 months money back guarantee and impression taking included in the price.

Jason, the owner, could not be more helpful and happy to spend 1/2 hour on the phone discussing your needs and always replies to calls and messages.

I can't wait !

[London Best]

12 hours ago, TRINITY said:

I can understand that. But from my understanding, I can hear all frequencies,  but some far better than others, which also makes sense. 

For instance my base levels are good but higher frequencies weaker. This tends to be confirmed as mens voices are easier to understand than womens our young children .

Exactly.

 

. So I have stopped using the earing aids in circumstances were mask wearing is necessary. Dont know if anyone else has had simillar problems.

12 hours ago, TRINITY said:

 

To be honest, I was so disappointed with my hearing aids I gave up and stopped wearing them after just one month.

[discobob]

17 hours ago, wymberley said:

Both. Sitting in the driving seat just in front of a couple of Spey or Adour engines at up to max military power doesn't help. The hearing loss is no way compensated for by some £650 odd every four weeks.

I got a knackered back from my time when I was slammed about in the back of a landrover - got a small lump sum 20 odd years ago but that was it  - still suffer to this day 😞

[Rob85]

13 hours ago, Scully said:

I think I’ve only ever shot without ear defenders less times than I have fingers on one hand. I’ve worked in noisy industry throughout all my working life….sawmills, timber framing with nail guns and the dairy industry with noisy machinery, so have always worn ear protection. 
OH reckons my hearing has been affected, but I’m not convinced.
I’ve never had my hearing tested for over 20 years so am willing to concede it may have deteriorated, but if it has I can’t tell. 
I know many shooters who don’t wear protection. 

I would near put money on it you suffer the same as me, with working in noisy industry you tend to zone out a lot of background noise subconsciously. My missus thought my hearing was going and told me to see the GP, I went and told him the concerns and he literally said I have "selective deafness".

Picture driving along in the car listening to the radio, then the missus speaks and you look round and say "what?"....she thinks your deaf but in reality her voice was background noise because you were only able to concentrate on the one sound you were tuned into, like having all the work noise in the background constantly you just learn not to hear it 

[London Best]

1 minute ago, Rob85 said:

I would near put money on it you suffer the same as me, with working in noisy industry you tend to zone out a lot of background noise subconsciously. My missus thought my hearing was going and told me to see the GP, I went and told him the concerns and he literally said I have "selective deafness".

Picture driving along in the car listening to the radio, then the missus speaks and you look round and say "what?"....she thinks your deaf but in reality her voice was background noise because you were only able to concentrate on the one sound you were tuned into, like having all the work noise in the background constantly you just learn not to hear it 

I believe that is why I am deaf and not so much because of shooting.

[Scully]

41 minutes ago, Rob85 said:

I would near put money on it you suffer the same as me, with working in noisy industry you tend to zone out a lot of background noise subconsciously. My missus thought my hearing was going and told me to see the GP, I went and told him the concerns and he literally said I have "selective deafness".

Picture driving along in the car listening to the radio, then the missus speaks and you look round and say "what?"....she thinks your deaf but in reality her voice was background noise because you were only able to concentrate on the one sound you were tuned into, like having all the work noise in the background constantly you just learn not to hear it 

🙂 Funnily enough, she has mentioned this also. 

[Bobba]

My left ear is the most damaged. In the early sixties I set out to be a rock and roll legend (without success). Behind me on stage were my two 30 watt amps and to my immediate left a PA column of 4 x 12” speakers blaring at some 75 Watts into my left ear. Add to this a bass amp, Hammond organ and a crash and bash drummer then the three nights a week over 6 years took their toll. Hence my left ear damage. Firing shotguns since has added to the problem and the audiologist confirmed that RH shooters suffer predominantly in their left ear.

I have a NHS hearing aid in each ear. They’re pretty good except the sound has a distinct echo to it. I’m told you can get hearing aids with mini speaker type ear pieces but they’re expensive (£1,000+ an earpiece). Does anyone have any experience of this type of kit?

[Agriv8]

Hearing loss in shooting is documented but I believe is a lot of cases the shooter will only lose ( or partialy loose ) a tone range so my dad can hear the high pitched rattle of my van easily over the engine noise ( shot all his life without hearing protection) yet my low voice he struggles with.

this is why a lot of us say we aren’t deaf as we can hear with both ears - But the ear may not be hearing parts of the noise spectrum.

I have tinnitus in on ear which is usually linked with deafness but suspect that was working in a computer room with BIG impact printer s that needed feeding paper and print ribbon’s and air conditioning. I have very rarely shot without hearing protection. But do have on my birthday list a pair of cens or similar. I currently use modded passive  plugs from mercury again rubbish after care. So interested in what others are using 

Agriv8