Ear Plugs and Hearing Protection

Egon · Jan 30, 2005

( my ears ring most of the time. )

Perhaps a visit to the Doctor is in order?

Egon

RalphVa · Jan 30, 2005

Ringing in the ears is called tinitus. Doctors generally can't do a thing about it. I've had it most of my life. I remember as a kid lying back in a tub of water. Could hear the ringing quite distinctly then. The stapendectomy didn't affect the ringing. Doctor says it is caused by the nerves doing goofy things.

Ralph

Bird · Jan 30, 2005

Yep, Ralph, unfortunately you're right. I first went to the doctor about the tinnitus in 1981. At that time, he said nothing could be done about the tinnitus, and that while I didn't really need hearing aids then, that I would need them in the future. Eleven years later (1992) I got my first hearing aids; the hearing continues to deteriorate and the tinnitus continues to worsen. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

DocHeb · Jan 30, 2005

( Doctors generally can't do a thing about it.)

You are right, in general, there isn't much to be done for tinnitus. However, Acoustic Neuromas (a type of cancer of the hearing nerves) often have tinnitus as their initial symptom. At least one visit to an Otolaryngologist (ENT) physician would be worthwhile.

DUMBDOG · Jan 30, 2005

The ringing comes and goes, it comes back when driving with the window open and the wind noise seems to aggravate it. Still have not learned in some ways, like the 4th of July when you have to find the loudest fireworks that you can find. It would somewhat defeat the purpose wearing muffs and shooting off the stuff.

MrJoe · Jan 30, 2005

My brother brought be back a set of muffs from the carrier deck he served on years ago. I just keep them hooked over the steering wheel so I can't start up without them on. Several years in a sawmill, lots of range time, jobsite conditions have decreased my hearing. I do what ever I can to minimize further damage. I can only urge the younger TBN members to start now instead of later. My wife can't hear me yelling over the engine noise anyway so it's not like I'm missing her instructions by having the muffs on.

Scozz · Jan 31, 2005

Eddie,.. I have tinitus in both ears so I'm carefule when around anything loud ...always use hearing protection when sighting in ... also been known to have a very sore shoulder the next day. Adrenaline is a pretty cool thing though ... when the moment of truth comes to pull the trigger on game I NEVER hear or feel the shot. Its as if the body has shut down and gone int auto-mode. ...Scozz

markct · Jan 31, 2005

i have often wondered what is considered appropriote for driving a heavy truck, its not realy safe to wear hearing protection cause ya cant hear other cars, and im pretty sure its illegal in some states. i know the tractor trailer that a friend of mine has sure is loud enough to need them, and even my ford 600 with the 429 lima engine made a heck of a racket pulling a good hill

RalphVa · Feb 6, 2005

Would you believe that you should wear hearing protection in some jets, most notable are those "whisper jet" 727s.

I once was travelling with a sound meter down to Baton Rouge and decided to check the sound level in the airplane seat. It was about 85 dB, kinda loud. This was at cruising. I didn't measure it during takeoff.

Ralph

texbaylea · Feb 8, 2005

Tinnitus is also caused by certain drugs. I have it from taking naproxen sodium (same as Aleve) for pain. I have stopped taking it as I would rather keep what hearing I have and deal with the joint pain other ways. I have hearing protectors That I wear when operating my Kubota at rated rpm. Most of the time I run 1700-1800 rpm and it is quiet enough that I don't feel protection is necessary.

Vernon