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Posted: 8/25/2008 6:27:12 PM EDT
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I shot on sunday not expecting to (hence no ear protection) Still can't hear out of my right ear. Figured overnight it would get better and it hasn't, starting to get nervous. Anyone know of any tips, tricks or anything ot take or do to possibly speed recover from temporary threshold shift (i'm hoping that is all it is) Thanks!! |
I thought every once and a while ringing was normal...  
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Well I only shot once without hearing protection with my AR and decided against it and shot 2 rounds through my 1911 and stopped. So depends on how many shots you took. |
| It'll come back, relax. Shooting without hearing protection is definitely not a great idea but it's not going to permanently fuck your hearing after one range session. The only guns I will NOT shoot without hearing protection unless it's my life on the line are Mini-14s and 1911s. Something about both of them makes them seem twice as load as similar weapons in the same caliber. Shooting a 1911 without muffs is like having someone hammer a nail through your right eardrum while whacking you in the face with a plastic toy baseball bat. |
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By shooting without hearing protection you have caused a (likely temporary) noise-induced hearing loss. This is nothing at all like a middle ear infection with fluid in your middle ear. This is called a sensorineural hearing loss......basically, you have damaged (either temporarily or permanently) the special cells (hair cells) within your inner ear (Cochlia) that are involved in transducing a mechanical signal (sound pressure waves) into an electrical/neural signal, which is then sent to the brain for processing. The ringing in your ear is characteristic of damaged hair cells. If your hearing is not improved within the next two days, I would recommend going to see an ENT physician who can perform an audiogram and determine the level of hearing loss you have. In the end, however, nothing short of time will tell you just how much damage you have done. And never again shoot without hearing protection; not even to discharge a single round. Hearing loss is cumulative, meaning continued loud noise exposure (even momentarily) can/will result in further damage. |
Yeah you're not kidding about not forgeting that again lol! Ok well this morning still the same, possibly a few % gained back but it could be wishful thinking. But i will wait another day or two like everyone has suggested untill i really freak out. :( Thanks guys |
+1 good description I felt the same thing |
That's about right. Here's a suggestion. I've stuffed empty cases in my ears (headstamp first. The other way is kind of sharp) when I find myself on an unplanned shooting trip. They actually work pretty well (something between 9mm & .40 seems to seal about best). You look like a dork, but it's better than saying "huh?" every time someone says something to you.
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I just really hope i get my normal hearing back.. very scary not being able to hear for days.. shows us how much we really take our senses for granted (including common). Called my doc he said call him in a week.. amazing that it takes so long to go back to normal i figured maybe a day or over a night's sleep. Just a bizzar feeling day 2 and a half now |
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I wouldn't worry too much. I go to a relatively back woods range where there are guy who shoot all of the time without hearing protection....223/ .308 / 30-06, you name it. If those |
Gradually over a period of days the ringing/noise will decrease and the sensitivity will increase. Also be very careful to avoid exposure to additional loud noise during this time. Don't crank up some music or anything, or even mow the yard or the like without hearing protection. Take some vitamin supplements too, I can't remember which one but one of the vitamins helps in the healing process after noise exposure. |
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It will hopefully get better. On occasion if you hit your ear with something just right, one time is enough to do serious damage. Technically, if you shoot a .22 in an area with something for the sound to reflect on, one shot will do minor damage. It's a personal preference how much damage is significant. I wear earplugs if I drive for more than a couple of hours. Even 15 minutes of a baby crying will do some damage. |
| I think the military uses these ear plugs. Combat arms. One side is noise activated and the other is constant. www.peltormilitary.com/sites/Military/hearing_protection.aspx |
yeah I was given the same info that those are the issued ear plugs |
Every time you squeeze off a round without ear protection you do a little damage to the cilia(?) in your ear. Those cilia(?) translate sound waves to nerve impulses to the brain. The bigger the round, the more damage you do. It's a cumulative thing, and once they're gone, they're gone. They don't grow back. You might not notice it for a long time - years, maybe - but eventually it becomes apparent. Tinnitis (ringing) is an early symptom. Wear ear protection, even if you're only shooting a .22. I learned this the hard way - I now hear with the help of $4400 bionic ears. 
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Wow man, yeah I know that now, and knew it before but this nailed the coffin on that case for me. I'm really reall sorry to hear i mean read about your situation :( Sucks, is this something you have to wear in both ears daily to hear at all? Due to shooting? As I sit here i have high pitch frequency in my ear that just won't quit but the good news is i think i got back about 10-20% of my hearing in that ear but it's 3 1/2 days or so now... would have hoped for more :( |
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I can hear fine without the aids, I just can't understand the words. Sometimes that's not a bad thing.  Even with the aids, if someone is soft-spoken, in another room, or has his/her back to me, I often have to ask for a repeat. Still, it's better than being deaf as a post. I've heard all the rock 'n' roll I need, and I've heard it enough times (it prolly contributed to hearing loss) that I can replay any song I want in my head without missing a note or word, so I'm cool with it.  Hell, I'm old enough and cranky enough that I think damn few people say anything worth hearing, anyhow.
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I once couldnt hear shit for about 3 full days and about 2 days of ringing after that. It was so bad I kind of got in trouble. My Captian was calling me on the radio and I didnt respond because I couldnt hear him(he was cool about it though). I ended up using my shoulder mic for the 2nd and 3rd day.
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I'll be damned it really and truly does take every bit of a week. I'd say I'm about 65-70% right now. MUCH happier knowing there is progression, still feel and sounds like i have water in my ear and have a high pitch frequency off and on, but it's MUCH better. Everyone said a week, and it really does take a week. Odd because i can heal from wounds in 2-3 days sometimes, yet this injury takes exactly a week. Thanks for the support guys! Lesson Learned! |
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I didn't wear earplugs one day a few years ago.....while putting about 100+ rnds through an M16 and being about 10-12 feet away from an M60 that went through 2 belts, plus another M16/203 and M249 in close proximity, in the span of probably 2 minutes or so. For about 2 or 3 days I'd say my hearing was reduced to 10% of normal. I was seriously almost deaf for a while. My right ear is still F'ed up, listening to someone on the phone on my right ear, it sounds very distorted and is almost painful. |
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This is not to justify lack of hearing protection, in fact, I always double up... I remember a gun rag article i read about the FBI shoot out in miami with those two guys. When in their car, one of the criminals fired a full mag of 223's right next to the ear of his fellow perpetrator. When the crime lab did the autopsy, they found these two guys' ear drums to be intact. Not that the cilia weren't damaged. (report didn't say). |
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What I find: If it's something going on (hunting,defending yer butt) you MAY not notice a goddamn thing,or you'll be ringing like a bell. Just stepping out and dumping a mag? ooooooooh brother you will feel that,worse if it has a high pitch "crack" the .22 is not that bad,but I find a .22 pistol to be worst,thing is always cover your ears! Now I will say the worst Ive ever had was a 3 1/2in 9MM pistol I shot inside my barn (saw a pesky woodchuck just outside the door) that shit HURT!  And lastly,it's not just guns,I wear ear cover when I mow the lawn or use a chainsaw or any power saw-trust me it's worth it. |
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I went to a 1974 Thanksgiving concert that featured Camel, Wishbone Ash, and Blue Oyster Cult. I couldn't hear a thing for three days. I should have known I had a problem when they started rubbing guitars together. Dennis Jenkins
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