HST worse for tinnitus than gears?

[drab m]

So I have a grand total of 6 hours on my new Kubota L2501 HST and my ears are a ringin' louder than a cicadas farm. I was wearing ear plugs. This is my first HST tractor, I have been driving geared tractors all spring and summer with no more tinnitus than usual ( I can thank Bon Jovi for the initial start of the Tinnitus).

Could it be that the high pitched whine of the Hydro aggravates my ears in a way that a year tractor does not? I used to have a drill that I had to throw away. It didn't seem loud, but was high pitched. Every time I used it my ears complained for two days... I don't want to have to throw out this new tractor

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

I've read on here (I think) that noise canceling headphones work better on high pitched sound?

 

[George2615]

Maybe you just need something a little better than earplugs.

Search results for: 'hearing protection' | QC Supply

I have the first pair. Optime 105. I don't need them on the tractor but do use them in the garage with certain machines / motors.

 

[/pine]

I have tinnitus and outside noise like running a trimmer or blower (have a gear tractor) seems to lesson the tinnitus...for a while anyway...the sound of tinnitus is not the same as regular sound waves...

 

[oldpilgrim]

I have it bad and the HST doesn't affect it at all

 

[MossRoad]

WHAT?
:laughing:
I hear the cicadas all year round as well. Some days worse than others. I've never found that equipment noise makes it any worse and I always use hearing protection.

 

[CCWKen]

I have it too but have learned to ignore it or adapted to it for the most part. I listen to the radio or MP3 player in the shop or on the tractors. I go to sleep with the radio on to keep some background sounds going. About the only thing that bothers me is beeps, bells or xylophone sounds. That forest fire commercial with the animated matches blows the top of my head off if I don't grab the remote and kill the sound in time. I also have trouble hearing the "buzz" of rattle snakes so I watch the ground closely when out and about the property and stay out of the high grass unless I'm on the tractor. I had a rattler flop up on the fender next to the seat of the dozer one time. I about had a heart attack! It was caught in the track and got pulled away but it was still a heart stopper to see it right next to me for a second. In most cases, that's all it takes to die. :shocked:

 

[two_bit_score]

I usually don't notice tinnitus until someone mentions it.

 

[Wagtail]

I've got a HST tractor and tinnitus (mild case in both ears, not cicada strength). The HST has never bothered me.

I wear good quality db earmuffs at all times with anything that makes noise. Ear-plugs just don't cut with me.

Ear protection & wearing safety equipment is a legacy of my 40 years in the Navy... a hard habit to break (even if I wanted to).

[Heck, you should see me 'gear-up' just to chainsaw a twig! :laughing:]

 

[drab m]

I usually don't notice tinnitus until someone mentions it.

Oops. Sorry about that.

 

[McREBEL]

I usually don't notice tinnitus until someone mentions it.

Same here.

Lately I have been using the headphone style plugs when on the lawn mower, tractor(HST), running the weed eater, etc. After an hour the plugs start to make my ears hurt so I have been shopping for a good set of "muffs" to do away with the plugs. The Dr. told me any loud noises will eventually make it worse. It's on the mild end right now. I would like to keep it that way.

 

[PJSprog]

I usually don't notice tinnitus until someone mentions it.

Same here. 30+ years as a Rock-n-Roll BarStar has devastated my hearing.

Protect your hearing. If it bothers you, change it. If you can't change it, use adequate protection. I've never used an HST tractor on a regular basis (yet), but I can see where it might be a problem for some people. Everyone's tinnitus is different, of course. It's a horrible condition. Don't let it get worse.

Of course, mine is screaming now.

 

[JerryK]

I usually don't notice tinnitus until someone mentions it.

Ditto.... hate to say it but... I think we are born with noises in our ears. If you dwell on them, they bother you... think about something else, and it will go away. IE: if your ears are bothering you, don't go to the doctor... just smash a finger with a hammer. EARS CURED.....!!!!

 

[oldballs]

Oops. Sorry about that.

You should be.......buzz....buzz....buzz...............he......eh....hum....hum...

The only time that I use a head set ear muffs is when operating the Brush Cutter or the Leaf blower or the Cyclone Rake or the Chipper Shredder....Chain Saw..... or..... Huh?

 

[N80]

I've had it for years. Both ears. 24/7. I've learned to ignore it most of the time. I believe mine is from sound exposure. Deafening rock concerts as a kid. We used to shoot shotguns and rifles without hearing protection as a kid too. And for some reason when I got my (geared) tractor 10 years ago I did not wear hearing protection. Don't ask me why. it just did not seem all that loud. I did that off and on for maybe a year and feel that it made my tinnitus and hearing worse. I now wear hearing protection for everything, shop vac, hand drill, whatever.

With the tractor it seems to me that the high pitched whine from the transmission/gears is as bad or worse than the exhaust noise.

Currently there is not much treatment for tinnitus other than noise cancelling hearing aids which are about $1k per side and up (way up). As the hearing in my left ear goes away I will consider this regardless of the cost.

JAMA had an article recently about a new non-invasive procedure that uses some type of high frequency wave exposure that is showing some promise. It has virtually zero risk. It is not mainstream and ENTs are not doing it yet. I'll be the first one in line, money in hand, if/when it becomes available.

For you young guys out there...PROTECT YOUR HEARING AT ALL TIMES. If you're like I was when I was young, advice from older folks is often ignored. But you've been warned.

 

[/pine]

FWIW Tinnitus is a side effect of many medications...including a lot of common blood pressure meds etc...

 

[Omega Woods]

Ditto.... hate to say it but... I think we are born with noises in our ears. If you dwell on them, they bother you... think about something else, and it will go away. IE: if your ears are bothering you, don't go to the doctor... just smash a finger with a hammer. EARS CURED.....!!!!

If you don't notice it all the time, thank your lucky stars. I have cicadas in my head ALL THE TIME. Between loud music and steam turbines, my upper range hearing is shot. High-pitched whining makes it worse. I never thought about HST noise but I'm glad I got a gear tractor all the same!

 

[TheGoose]

Mine doesn't bother me much unless I'm mowing. When just messing around the pasture on the tractor the whining of the HST ebbs and flows with speed and work. When mowing or running a constant speed the whine bothers me. If I'm going to mow I usually wear ear plugs or other hearing protection just because the HST sound annoys me. Running in L makes less HST noise than running in M. H makes the most HST whine.

 

[MossRoad]

A lot of folks don't realize hearing loss is cumulative. Each exposure adds up. Always wear hearing protection. But man, that Stone's concert on the 4th of July, 2015 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was good! :laughing: But I wore ear plugs and my wife and kids wore them, too. :thumbsup:

 

[RalphVa]

Ear muffs work MUCH better at stopping noise than ear plugs.

For tinnitus, make up some creeping Charlie tea. It's working again for me. Works generally between mid May and mid June but then stops. Not with lots of rain guess the creeping Charlie leaves are effective again. I plan to freeze a bunch in bags of 20-25 or make a tincture by soaking a pint full of leaves and topped with 100 proof vodka.

Collect 20-25 leaves. Make by passing about 1/2 gallon of water over the leaves. I use a Lipton tea maker and run 2 batches of water through its filter, a little over 1/2 gallon. Then top off to about a gallon and chill. I add some Lemontime mix, one once cup and some mint leaves while brewing. Tastes good, maybe slightly bitter. They used to use creeping Charlie before hops in making beer.

Ralph