Shooting Range and Tinnitus

[Sjoerd]

If a gun shot is rated at 150+ dB levels I would not risk it at all. Even with proper earplugs it is easy in excess of 110 dB. That is near pain threshold levels. It seems to me is is very difficult to get proper protection during shooting....

 

[jeffie7]

I know this is an older thread but I ran across it on google and wanted to add to it for others that see it.

Best way to make T worse regardless of what you're doing? Always be freaked out about T.

Humans can be exposed to higher levels of sound without damage, what does the damage is the amount of time exposed to the louder sounds, gun shots are short burst of sound, yes they are loud but with PROPER PROTECTION, there should not be any added hearing loss.

What causes your T to spike after hearing louder non damaging levels of sound? Focusing in on your T trying to see if it has changed.... Being freaked out about your T and never allowing yourself to be around louder sounds even when properly wearing protection, that's just a recipe for stress and louder T that is all mental...

85db takes 8 hours of nonstop noise to cause damage, every 3db added causes the time to be reduced by half.

121db is about 7.5 seconds of CONTINUOUS sound before damage may start. I'd love to find a study on how a gun shot adds up time wise. You also need to factor in that guns noise is measured at the barrel where the bullet exits the gun, if you are behind the gun you will not be exposed to the full amount of sound that a gun puts out. worst place to be is in front of the gun, (duh) or even on the sides of it near the barrel if shooting at a range with close lanes.

Also about plugs, depending on what frequency level the sound happens at, a 33db rated plug might protect up to 40db, 33db noise reduction is the average across the board. With proper protection (doubling up plugs and muffs) you should be able to block around 40db across the board, after that you need to worry about sound getting in through your body.

Bottom line, if you shoot make sure you wear plugs AND muffs, if possible try to shoot outside. If shooting indoors, just make sure the guy next to you isn't shooting any crazy loud guns. Many people shoot guns and have been shooting guns for many years without hearing loss. Hearing loss and guns normally happens when a gun goes off without protection. I'm that guy that puts my earplugs in before walking up to the outdoor shooting area. To many people have had a random guy shoot off a round early, before everyone has had a chance to get their hearing protection in.

 

[Marko Nakovski]

@Enrique Hello there. I just saw your comment about the shooting. I did the same stupid mistake just like you. Shooting indoors for about 40 bullets. I wore earplugs and earmuffs but after 2 weeks I have severe hyperacusis. Luckily I don't have some hearing loss but hyperacusis is so terrible. Did you get any better after some time?

 

[Tex]

I know this is an older thread but I ran across it on google and wanted to add to it for others that see it.

Best way to make T worse regardless of what you're doing? Always be freaked out about T.

Humans can be exposed to higher levels of sound without damage, what does the damage is the amount of time exposed to the louder sounds, gun shots are short burst of sound, yes they are loud but with PROPER PROTECTION, there should not be any added hearing loss.

What causes your T to spike after hearing louder non damaging levels of sound? Focusing in on your T trying to see if it has changed.... Being freaked out about your T and never allowing yourself to be around louder sounds even when properly wearing protection, that's just a recipe for stress and louder T that is all mental...

85db takes 8 hours of nonstop noise to cause damage, every 3db added causes the time to be reduced by half.

121db is about 7.5 seconds of CONTINUOUS sound before damage may start. I'd love to find a study on how a gun shot adds up time wise. You also need to factor in that guns noise is measured at the barrel where the bullet exits the gun, if you are behind the gun you will not be exposed to the full amount of sound that a gun puts out. worst place to be is in front of the gun, (duh) or even on the sides of it near the barrel if shooting at a range with close lanes.

Also about plugs, depending on what frequency level the sound happens at, a 33db rated plug might protect up to 40db, 33db noise reduction is the average across the board. With proper protection (doubling up plugs and muffs) you should be able to block around 40db across the board, after that you need to worry about sound getting in through your body.

Bottom line, if you shoot make sure you wear plugs AND muffs, if possible try to shoot outside. If shooting indoors, just make sure the guy next to you isn't shooting any crazy loud guns. Many people shoot guns and have been shooting guns for many years without hearing loss. Hearing loss and guns normally happens when a gun goes off without protection. I'm that guy that puts my earplugs in before walking up to the outdoor shooting area. To many people have had a random guy shoot off a round early, before everyone has had a chance to get their hearing protection in.

I strive to be polite on here. I was going to single out this particular statement as the most stupid thing I have ever read about hearing loss and Tinnitus: "Humans can be exposed to higher levels of sound without damage, what does the damage is the amount of time exposed to the louder sounds, gun shots are short burst of sound, yes they are loud but with PROPER PROTECTION, there should not be any added hearing loss."

But that entire post is ridiculously stupid!!!!

I can't think of anything else to say critical without being banned. I'm out!!!!

 

[coffee_girl]

You couldn't drag me to the gun range, I'd rather let the zombies eat me than fire a single shot without any form of protection on. I'll just beat my way through the crowds of apocalyptic vermin with my rolling pin than use a gun

 

[Tex]

Actually with proper protection, shooting can be safely enjoyed without further damage. That statement about short loud bursts not causing harm is so damn stupid!!!!!!! Hell, when I'm shooting, with what I'm wearing, a bomb could go off behind me and I would turn around and go "huh?"

My ears are that protected!!!

What I miss most about shooting is shotguns and big rifles. And its not from the noise. I can shield that. Its the recoil. That kind of shock to the body is not good for T. I know of more than one person that acquired T from an auto accident. It was from the jarring impact. Now I mostly only shoot handguns and low recoil rifles, like 22 and 223. There is nothing I would love more than to be able to shoot a few hundred rounds on a skeet range again. But my ENT, a shooter himself, said to cut back. So I quit.

 

[Mark A]

When I first got T, shooting qualifications was part of my job. My T was the result of occasional accidental discharges and other somewhat stupid noise exposures. But after having T, I had to continue to shoot. I hated too as I was scared of my T getting worse, but it never did with the double hearing protection I wore. I shot .40, Shotgun slugs, and M4 .223. The M4 was a very short barrel, and crazy loud, but never messed with my T. Double protection worked well. But if it was not for my job, I would never do it and risk this vile stuff from getting worse. The biggest risk to me was participating in operations where no one can wear hearing protection as we must hear the enemy. Please stay safe, and do everything you can to keep as much quality of life as possible.