Greetings!

[Peter Harvey]

I am a retired U. S. Navy Hospital Corpsman. I served for 20 years, and participated in numerous deployments and operations with the U. S. Marine Corps. Although I've had noticeable tinnitus since childhood (a LOT of ear infections) it has slowly become louder and much more pronounced throughout the years.

Since retirement, I started participating in shooting events. Mostly pistol, but some defensive rifle classes and marksmanship classes. I have noticed over the past year that the tinnitus has become louder, and I am also experiencing difficulty understanding people in crowds and over the phone.

I understand that participating in shooting sports is only adding insult to injury, but it is truly a hobby and lifestyle that I am passionate about, and I'm not willing to give it up.

I started doubling up on hearing protection (foamies & external hearing protection), but I'm starting to think it might be too little, too late. At any rate, I am very happy to have found this forum, and I hope to learn as much as I can about treatment options.

 

[Carm]

I am a retired U. S. Navy Hospital Corpsman. I served for 20 years, and participated in numerous deployments and operations with the U. S. Marine Corps. Although I've had noticeable tinnitus since childhood (a LOT of ear infections) it has slowly become louder and much more pronounced throughout the years.

Since retirement, I started participating in shooting events. Mostly pistol, but some defensive rifle classes and marksmanship classes. I have noticed over the past year that the tinnitus has become louder, and I am also experiencing difficulty understanding people in crowds and over the phone.

I understand that participating in shooting sports is only adding insult to injury, but it is truly a hobby and lifestyle that I am passionate about, and I'm not willing to give it up.

I started doubling up on hearing protection (foamies & external hearing protection), but I'm starting to think it might be too little, too late. At any rate, I am very happy to have found this forum, and I hope to learn as much as I can about treatment options.

Do you get any compensation from the VA for your tinnitus?

Shooting is very dangerous. It can make your tinnitus and hearing loss worse even with double protection (bone conduction and so on!!)

Since it's your lifestyle and you are not willing to give it up and you know the associated risks, that's all there is to it.

Maybe you shouldn't shoot the loudest guns?

Welcome to a great forum!

 

[Celtic Roots]

Do you get any compensation from the VA for your tinnitus?

Shooting is very dangerous. It can make your tinnitus and hearing loss worse even with double protection (bone conduction and so on!!)

Since it's your lifestyle and you are not willing to give it up and you know the associated risks, that's all there is to it.

Maybe you shouldn't shoot the loudest guns?

Welcome to a great forum!

I would like to ask where your evidence is that tinnitus and hearing loss can worsen, provided proper hearing protection is worn, through bone conduction "and so on"? Reason I ask is many many people shoot tens of thousands of rounds of ammo and never lose any amount of hearing due to protection being worn. I have never heard of anyone losing hearing while wearing adequate protection.

Your comment "shooting is very dangerous" seems to fall in line with a lot of fear mongering I tend to see on the tinnitus forums. Yes, it can be dangerous without proper protection, but look around and see that there are thousands of people that have hearing loss and tinnitus and continue to shoot guns with no ill effects. Go to a gun show or range meet and you will find lots of folks that have tinnitus but don't allow it to rob them of a great passtime and tradition. I tend to think that the one's that say "quit shooting" are the one's who have never experienced a gunshot while wearing proper protection.