HST worse for tinnitus than gears?

[1965]

I have noise induced hearing loss from working in a very noisy big named food factory for 27 years, I was a role model employee until I put in the injury claim, then I was dirt, 27 years great service didn't mean squat anymore. I wore hearing protection but it is only effective to a point, high decibels and lengthy exposure will still cause damage with hearing protection. I can not hear upper range sounds, birds, frogs, crickets, water trickling etc. The tinnitus is like a nail hole in a car tire just a constant load hissss. I have noticed the HST does irritate it but no more then the old 1975 International 574 gear I had, I think just any constant load noise exposure revs it up a bit more. I was amazed at how well hearing aids restored the upper range and regular hearing while drowning out the hisssss. They come with a remote so I still have selective hearing when ever I want. I have always worn hearing protection, even on the riding mower and encourage all to wear it.

 

[two_bit_score]

Oops. Sorry about that.

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.

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.

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.....!!!!

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?

Mine is really odd. I sometimes don't hear it at all then if I notice it's gone it immediately comes back. Outside it seems to be less than inside.

TBS

 

[drab m]

I have noise induced hearing loss from working in a very noisy big named food factory for 27 years, I was a role model employee until I put in the injury claim, then I was dirt, 27 years great service didn't mean squat anymore.

It is amazing how poorly some people can treat other people...

 

[oldpilgrim]

If you can imagine a silent dog whistle where the frequency has been lowered to the point where a human can jusr hear it, and then loud enough so that you have difficulty hear normal conversation, then you know what I experience. Hearing aids help some.

 

[JimWalch]

I can thank the high pitch whine from the twin J-79 jet engines in the F-4 Fathom for my hissing. (1970's) There was nothing to do to help even with custom fit ear plugs and head set/intercom.

 

[Cougsfan]

From what I know about tinnitus, it can come from several different and various conditions inside the inner ear, so one person's tinnitus is not always the same as another persons. I find exposure to any loud noise increases mine considerably for quite a while. Ear protection always helps keep the ringing from getting really loud after the noise is gone. I run around half the time with ear plugs in. I also find that even if it is quiet, and my ears are ringing especially loud, putting in earplugs helps reduce the ringing. For that reason, I often wear earplugs to bed. If I just lay there and listen, the ringing can sometimes suddenly drop several decibels and I then pull the earplugs out.
My wife says if I didn't hear my ears ringing, I wouldn't hear anything at all. I reply, "What did you say?"

 

[ruffdog]

All we can do is pass down this info to younger people. Hopefully we can save some others from the same fate that we have.

 

[oldpilgrim]

All we can do is pass down this info to younger people. Hopefully we can save some others from the same fate that we have.

its just hope, not much reason to expect more. Not when you can hear a kid driving in his car from several hundred yards away with 'music' booming.

I was once sitting in traffic with my windows closed. a kid came up to me in the next lane and waited with me. The volume of noise inside my truck, coming from his car, was nearly unbearable to me. I looked out and saw that his trunk lid was bulging up and down with each 'boom' of the bass he was listening to.

And his windows were up.

 

[ruffdog]

True, but I still try to explain to the younger crowd the long term effects of loud music, shooting, manufacturing, etc without ear protection.

 

[drab m]

I teach college, and some days it seems like half the kids walk into the classroom with headphones or earbuds. Some so loud that I can hear it (with my bad hearing) from several feet away.

 

[TractorGuy]

I don't know what Tinnitus is and I ain't gonna google it for fear that I'll catch it or have it and didn't know. :confused2:

That said I love my 3M work tunes noise canceling head phones.

 

[the old grind]

Now that so many are riding helmetless I cringe at the sight of someone doing so. Dirty hair is one thing, but I learned in the '60s that as little as 1/2 hr of wind noise can dull high freq hearing for an hour or more after the ride. Still hear highs pretty well, but not so much those dog whistles.

Started wearing earplugs religiously in the mid '70s when working in the car plant and still feel naked w/o them in pocket or ears. (North 'Christmas trees') A cordless drill might be the only power tool I operate sans protection. Have regularly worn plugs to concerts, bars with bands, and truck pulls.

I get two levels of effect from the Norths, one is pro'ly near the claimed 26db reduction, and the other somewhat less but allows conversation on the range and ... when hunting my well preserved hearing picks up incoming flocks thru that while others are straightening dekes, etc and it falls on me to call them back to the blinds before they're spotted running about.

Big JD's 2.9L is punishingly loud, just mechanical clatter, but like on the bike with plugs in I can still hear when something is amiss and a change of sound is evident. Learned in '70-'71 at Ft Sill that plugs alone don't always cut it. Passive muffs over plugs is tops in my book, and it's surprising how much one can hear when wearing both. (a must with .270 Wby and 7.62x25 HG )

My older brain doesn't sort sounds well anymore and all seem to be at the same level, apparently not helped by all those years of caution/protection. Tinnitus is creeping in on me at 66 anyway, but sometimes it's juust enough when mowing etc to override the last song or jingle I heard ... or I just sing from Dylan's earlier albums (Another Side, Hwy 61 Revisited, Freewheelin', Blonde on Blonde) to clear my head and enjoy my seat time ... w/o earbuds. :laughing:

 

[joefromga]

Bass music isn't nearly as damaging as high frequency like drills, gunshots etc.

Are there earplugs that mute out a woman's voice? I'd buy those.

 

[two_bit_score]

Bass music isn't nearly as damaging as high frequency like drills, gunshots etc.

Are there earplugs that mute out a woman's voice? I'd buy those.

I'd do that but the earplugs would have to come with a hard hat because they will get your attention one way or the other. :laughing:


TBS

 

[PHPaul]

I have tinnitus for all the usual reasons and when I changed from a gear drive JD to a hydro Kubota with a cab, I definitely noticed the difference.

I'm sure the cab makes the problem worse, but the frequency of the hydro whine is in my painful range. GOOD muffs help a lot and I keep them hanging off the loader joystick so I remember to put them on every time I start the tractor.

I've also started wearing them when mowing with the riding lawnmower. Better late than never...

 

[drab m]

My wife (who is a lot wiser about such things) insists that I should stop experimenting with ways to make this tractor work for me and just take the financial hit that it is going to be to switch to gears. Selling a one month old tractor with 10 hours is probably not the smartest move... But I guess neither is making my hearing worse..