This has become relevant to me. VERY relevant. I'm going on month #3 of a sinus condition that the doctors can't figure out, but I have pressure in my inner or middle ear. An ear popper will open them but they just close back off and they don't get rid of the sinus fluid. They said I was completely open and the ear drums had no fluid behind them. They actually said all of that stuff "looks very good actually". I also had a comprehensive hearing test done and the doc told me my left is so far gone no hearing aid for that one, that I'm looking at a cochlear implant. I think a hearing aid will help once my ears get back to "normal". At least I'm going to try that option 1st. My right is considerably better but still has profound loss.
For you younger folks here's some advice you'd do well to heed. Ass up the money for decent hearing protection. I've been wearing a $40 pair of electronic ear pros for well over 5 years. Now I know that was a huge mistake. I had a mean case of hearing loss and tinnitus before I started shooting again from 25 years in a machine shop, concerts, race cars, motorcycles and untold numbers of shotgun shells fired in the field with no hearing protection at all. But the cheap ear pro has basically done as much damage as I had before. And whatever you do use earplugs under your ear pro if you are shooting indoors or shooting rifles! Instead of buying that case of ammo get yourself a good set of MSA Sordin or Peltor Comtac III ear pro with the gel insert upgrade. You can get more ammo next payday, Get some 'effin good ear protection right now! I just ordered a MSA Sordin Supreme Pro X and a set of Surefire EP4s to wear with them indoors to save what I have left.
Several people have commented in this thread about how frustrating it is to converse. That's because we can hear the words just fine but can't make out what is said. That folks, is profound hearing loss and I have it in spades. Frustration during conversation is an understatement. It also gets worse. My tinnitus is now so bad it creates a pretty gnarly case of anxiety when it gets cranked up by just a little bit of sinus congestion. Let my ears close off like with a sinus infection and I can actually feel my blood pressure rise due to anxiety. I have no idea why this happens, I've dealt with allergies and sinus issues my whole life and it's never been more than an inconvenient fact of life, but i can tell you this is no fun at all. Doc says my issue is just hearing loss.
I'm fixing to go down and pick some hearing aids out to hopefully get some relief. That ringing in your ear after being exposed to something loud? It goes away and goes back to normal in an hour or 5, or a day or two. That's a "notch in the belt". Next time it's another notch. And then another. All of these are actually degrading your hearing and you don't even know it because it always comes back right? In reality each instance is a sliver of your hearing that's just gone. Take care of your hearing folks, it never comes back....
For you younger folks here's some advice you'd do well to heed. Ass up the money for decent hearing protection. I've been wearing a $40 pair of electronic ear pros for well over 5 years. Now I know that was a huge mistake. I had a mean case of hearing loss and tinnitus before I started shooting again from 25 years in a machine shop, concerts, race cars, motorcycles and untold numbers of shotgun shells fired in the field with no hearing protection at all. But the cheap ear pro has basically done as much damage as I had before. And whatever you do use earplugs under your ear pro if you are shooting indoors or shooting rifles! Instead of buying that case of ammo get yourself a good set of MSA Sordin or Peltor Comtac III ear pro with the gel insert upgrade. You can get more ammo next payday, Get some 'effin good ear protection right now! I just ordered a MSA Sordin Supreme Pro X and a set of Surefire EP4s to wear with them indoors to save what I have left.
Several people have commented in this thread about how frustrating it is to converse. That's because we can hear the words just fine but can't make out what is said. That folks, is profound hearing loss and I have it in spades. Frustration during conversation is an understatement. It also gets worse. My tinnitus is now so bad it creates a pretty gnarly case of anxiety when it gets cranked up by just a little bit of sinus congestion. Let my ears close off like with a sinus infection and I can actually feel my blood pressure rise due to anxiety. I have no idea why this happens, I've dealt with allergies and sinus issues my whole life and it's never been more than an inconvenient fact of life, but i can tell you this is no fun at all. Doc says my issue is just hearing loss.
I'm fixing to go down and pick some hearing aids out to hopefully get some relief. That ringing in your ear after being exposed to something loud? It goes away and goes back to normal in an hour or 5, or a day or two. That's a "notch in the belt". Next time it's another notch. And then another. All of these are actually degrading your hearing and you don't even know it because it always comes back right? In reality each instance is a sliver of your hearing that's just gone. Take care of your hearing folks, it never comes back....
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