Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Tinnitus

Not really sure what causes it, perhaps exposure to loud noises over time, I know I loved my loud music back in the day. I'm sure my 20 years in Navy working in either the engine or fire-room did not help any.

Same here as others. I like turkey hunting but cant even hear them gobble until they are on top of us. Have to go with a buddy who can hear. I even try to wear ear protection in the field anymore, but not always practical (jump shooting rabbits, pheasants, etc.)

Lately Ive been thinking of going from a 30-06/12 gauge to a 6.5x55/20 Gauge for the instances when I cant get plugs in. A day of pheasant shooting makes my ears ring for days. I also avoid short barrels.

Military and occupation have much to do with my tinnitus. I am just trying to preserve whats left.

Yes. It is possible, just as it is possible to drive for a lifetime with no traffic accidents. The more you protect -- I have double protected for decades -- the longer you keep from the ringing effect. However, if surprised, and I jump at noise rather than flinching from recoil myself, somebody (as has been said) can ruin itlike a perfect driving record.

The strange thing about all this is my older brother spent his entire adult life in a college classroom. Not noisy ones. He is just as bad or worse than me.

I've had it since I can remember. The only thing I can figure is it is because I had bad ear infections when I was young. Working in industry with no hearing protection didn't help.

I had a boss for 8 years who would ridicule you for wearing hearing protection while doing things like grinding. He did the same when you wore a respirator while spraying paint. He actually forbade me to wear ear protection because he said I couldn't hear him.


I chit you not!! That was the early 80's when you did all you could to hang on to a job.

Last I saw him he had hearing aids in both ears and looks like he's 75, and he's only two years older than me.


Being an azzhole and paying the price.

It can be brought on by medication too. My Supervisor was prescribed muscle relaxers and his ears have rang ever since he took the first one and it's been years.

YES, I'm in the same boat as most of you.

Self induced. Bullet Proof---till it was too late.
Left ear damaged the most - right handed, left ear toward muzzle.

My FIRST handgun was a Ruger Super Blackhawk, need I say more ?

I wish we had known 1/2 as much as we thot.

Jerry

From what I have been told by my Audiologist/ENT things will most likely not get any better.. I'm pretty much resigned to it is what it is.

At 63 I have had it more years that not, had hoped hearing aids would help mask it as it did for a friend but I was not so luckily. Today it is ringing louder than most days would be a great if there ever was a cure but I am not holding my breath.

I've got it bad in my left ear. I'm thinking it's years of driving a truck with the window down. My right ear has it just not as bad. When I shoot I use sponges & ear muffs.

I think there was a thread on this subject a while back and Lipo Flavinoid was brought up as a possible remedy. I bought some from my Costco Pharmacy and in 3 days my balance was severely affected not to mention the aftertaste that crap has.

I have an appointment next week with an ENT. I've had mild tinnitus for a few years in my left ear but the last several months it has gotten a lot worse and now my right ear is ringing too. I also feel like I've had nasal congestion for about the same amount of time sp I'm hoping its allergies or something else that's treatable.

Being 38 I'm hoping its not permanently flared up.

Went to the ENT and audiologist prescribed hearing aids. No matter how the blocking nois was programmed it did not cover up the ringing. Tinnitus is forever, the auditory nerve has been damaged or died and there is no cure.

Excuse me, I didn't ear what you said - the ringing in my ears is too loud.

Besides being born deaf in my left ear, my right ear hearing is now about 30% (according to an audiology test). Certainly, extensive shooting a 220 Swift and 30-06 in my youth didn't help.

A simple OTC therapy that may help some is to take Lipo-Flavinoid twice daily. I use it and it minimizes the ringing.

That's interesting!

This about wraps it up. The cilia in the inner ear are damaged and theres no fixing them, no home remedy cures, no snake oil, and no hearing aids that will work.

My left ear has been ringing non-stop for 51 years now, the right ear, only 48 years...

That explains a lot!

Yeah..I can't hear worth schitt....and my comprehension level is down too!

which likely correlates well with your give-a-chit level.