Coping with tinnitus

Get or give advice on equipment, reloading and other technical issues.

Moderator: Mod

superx10
Posts: 376
Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:32 am
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 99 times

Coping with tinnitus

Post by superx10 »

Hi

Like many of our readers I have been shooting for a long time and subject to loud noises, this has resulted in a severe case of tinnitus. A weekend shoot now means a few days on constant loud ear ringing, the severity just gets worse as the years go by. I have been to an audiologist and taken some of the treatments over the years like listening with headphones to masking noises ect but nothing has worked.
I enjoy my shooting, but at what cost ? I have worn double ear protection for years and one of the advantages of full boar shooting is the relative low noise levels from the rifle shots say as compared to a SSAA range in the muzzle brake area, or most shooting under a tin roof.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated on what has worked, I can't respond quickly to any replies but I will asap.

Thanks in advanced .
PeteFox
Posts: 795
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2018 5:20 pm
Location: 7321 Tas.
Has thanked: 232 times
Been thanked: 546 times

Re: Coping with tinnitus

Post by PeteFox »

This is what i have done and it has worked for me.
I have permanent tinnitus but it doesn't bother me 99% of the time
Killing the sound at the line is easy, earplugs and muffs over the top, but I found that, that was not the problem. For me it was the continuous lower volume level of shots away from the line, after a while the bells would kick in.
Occasionally after shooting I'd be getting bells and crickets for a few days.
Problem is getting maximum hearing protection and being able to have a conversation which you can't do with double protection. So the temptation is always there to take them off.
I am now using "Sordin Supreme Pro X" ear muffs which I put on before shooting starts and leave on until I'm back in the car. They are way better than anything else on the market. I have a small collection of other solutions which didn't do it for me.
The Sordin muffs will cost you a kidney, but they work for me. They are better than my hearing aids for conversation so I never have to take them off, they are comfortable enough to wear all day if you get the gel seals and they have the highest noise reduction I could find.
No I am not on their payroll.
Cost is in the mid $500's
Pete
The internet is a stupidity distribution system designed to replace facts with opinions, so that idiots don't have to think.
superx10
Posts: 376
Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:32 am
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 99 times

Re: Coping with tinnitus

Post by superx10 »

Thank you so Much Peter
BATattack
Posts: 1344
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:29 pm
Has thanked: 92 times
Been thanked: 280 times

Re: Coping with tinnitus

Post by BATattack »

Sordin are some of the best.

I have several sets of CHEAP electronic ear muffs and recently purchased a set of "walker razor" electronic muffs as a try at the mid range price point. I'm finding they are made fairly well and give very good noise reduction. Speech is easy to hear and volume can significantly amplified. These are the 2 microphone rechargable version and one thing I'm finding is it's a bit hard to determine the direction the sound came from. Thinking that my previous cheap earmuffs may have allowed enough external noise through to provide direction while amplifying the reminder to provide definition. Overall the walkers are going to be better for long-term hearing and although not in the same league as sordin were decent value at around $120.
Rogue22
Posts: 140
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2020 8:53 pm
Has thanked: 49 times
Been thanked: 28 times

Re: Coping with tinnitus

Post by Rogue22 »

I’ll put a second vote in for the Sordin supremes, they are awesome.
superx10
Posts: 376
Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:32 am
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 99 times

Re: Coping with tinnitus

Post by superx10 »

Thanks for the input.
ShaneG
Posts: 582
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 2:25 pm
Location: Cairns
Has thanked: 68 times
Been thanked: 107 times

Re: Coping with tinnitus

Post by ShaneG »

PeteFox wrote:This is what i have done and it has worked for me.
I have permanent tinnitus but it doesn't bother me 99% of the time
Killing the sound at the line is easy, earplugs and muffs over the top, but I found that, that was not the problem. For me it was the continuous lower volume level of shots away from the line, after a while the bells would kick in.
Occasionally after shooting I'd be getting bells and crickets for a few days.
Problem is getting maximum hearing protection and being able to have a conversation which you can't do with double protection. So the temptation is always there to take them off.
I am now using "Sordin Supreme Pro X" ear muffs which I put on before shooting starts and leave on until I'm back in the car. They are way better than anything else on the market. I have a small collection of other solutions which didn't do it for me.
The Sordin muffs will cost you a kidney, but they work for me. They are better than my hearing aids for conversation so I never have to take them off, they are comfortable enough to wear all day if you get the gel seals and they have the highest noise reduction I could find.
No I am not on their payroll.
Cost is in the mid $500's
Pete


I have been using similar Peltor Sportac for about 15 years. One of the main issues is to have the ear cuffs fitting well in size. Plus for the last 7 years or so I have had the gel pack earmuff seals. these are not only the most comfortable i have used ( especially with glasses) but i assess they are worth an extra 2.5DB as they seal so well!
Tim L
Posts: 975
Joined: Mon May 19, 2014 7:11 pm
Location: Townsville
Has thanked: 43 times
Been thanked: 461 times

Re: Coping with tinnitus

Post by Tim L »

Once you've experienced tinnitus the only way to avoid it in future is to make yourself deaf with hearing protection. I used to run up engines after repair, always wore ear protection but apparently the turbo whine cuts through.
There's some good stuff out there but the truth is that the cheap squashable ear plugs everyone steals from work offer the best protection rating out there.
Max nrr is around the 33 mark, snr 37 ish. To get that from ear muffs they need to be big and sealed properly.
Going for 25-29 nrr with muffs will protect your hearing but might not fend off a bout of tinnitus if you're a sufferer.
I got custom plugs made (the epoxy injection ones) because they are just as good as squishies but you don't have to put grubby fingers on the bits that go in your ear.
I can't really hear conversation but can just make out the hexta speaker and don't suffer tinnitus any more. If you want to hear people talk, leave the plugs in and wear a pair of Howard Leights or Walkers over the top and crank up the volume.
majaci@bigpond.com
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2019 10:45 am
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 19 times

Re: Coping with tinnitus

Post by majaci@bigpond.com »

As someone who works in this field (Occupational Health) and also sufferer of tinnitus due to good old army days, this is what I can offer as an advice. As far as dealing with tinnitus, the very nature of it is not so much an external noise but an internal brain interpretation of 'fake sound'. There is nothing there you can do from the hearing protection perspective other than to conserve hearing that you have left. As far as doing that, the most effective way by far is double hearing protection. Specifically class 5 ear plugs and class 5 ear muffs. This is what I do. When I need to communicate on the range I take ear muffs and still have class 5 protection.
Having double hearing protection does not double the protection. Adding ear muffs on top of the properly worn class 5 ear plugs adds additional 30% protection or so. Properly worn and properly fitting plugs are the key, watch the online videos how to fit them properly.
No electronic protection can trump properly worn double hearing protection. Stick with it if you can.
superx10
Posts: 376
Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:32 am
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 99 times

Re: Coping with tinnitus

Post by superx10 »

Great advice majaci thanks.
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic