Whadidyasay?

[mpmarty]

I've been a high power rifle shooter for over fifty five years and my hearing isn't so great.

How many of you fine folks out there use some sort of hearing aid?

What type and how expensive were they?

[1874Sharps]

I'm sorry, can you please type a little louder?

[ghh3rd]

Got my first gun at 21 yrs old, a Ruger Super Single Six .22 cal. Shot lots with it as often as I could. I should have paid attention to the car radio -- the next day after shooting, when I started the car the radio was always on loud, and I had to turn it down.

Now I'm 56 and several years ago was told that I don't hear well on the high frequencies. Go figure. I know that hearing aids would help me, but I'm getting by, although I realize that I have people repeat things a lot.

I made sure that my children did not repeat my foolishness.

Randy

[docone31]

Tintinitis. Severe.
Mostly from thinking I was being funny and being right next to some blasting back when I was 12.
My ears rang severely for years. Today, they ring severely.
In my case, hearing aids won't help.
I always wore hearing protection, except for that day.

[RayinNH]

Marty, I have a pair of Siemens hearing aids, the model name is Cielo Life. They are the digital version, behind the ear with a clear plastic tube that runs to the ear. Cost was about $3000 dollars a couple years ago. I very seldom wear them because I own a welding shop and listen to noise all day long (welding machines, air compressors, air and electric grinders). What hearing shooting didn't ruin, metalwork has. They help a lot in quiet situations. In busy settings like restaurants they just amplify the noise...Ray

[NHlever]

I have Siemens hearing aids too. The last couple of pairs I bought cost $3000, and $4200 respectively. Hearing aids do help, and do allow me to function well most of the time. It is never too late to protect what hearing you have, and never wrong to use the aids if you need them. I am considered hearing disabled, and they sure still help me!

[462]

Yep, severe tinnitus with three different frequencies going at once, and 30% hearing loss in both ears. Hearing aids won't help me, as well.

The local Costco gives free hearing tests. Check with the VA, if you think it might be service related. Mine was.

[nicholst55]

The VA gave me a MicroTech hearing aid, and it does work very well. I've gotten out of the habit of wearing it; guess I need to get back in the habit.

If you happen to be receiving VA compensation for anything, get an appointment at the audiology clinic at your local VA hospital. They should provide one/two as required, for free. My hearing loss is not attributed as being service-connected, although most of it is, and my hearing aid was provided at no cost.

[jdgabbard]

I have been in the service for quite some time. Upon my arrival home from Afghanistan this last time I knew I had some significant hearing loss. I could only hear about half of what I should have heard in my right ear. The army tried to tell me my hearing is fine. But I know better. And the VA just really doesn't care about it I don't think.

I too have been curious about a hearing aid. While I'm still a very young man. (Actually in my late 20s) I have noticed my hearing coming and going in the right ear. What I have left seems to go completely away for maybe an hour or so, then comes back very suddenly. This morning I awoke to, among other problems, no hearing in my right ear. Its more like a humming or a very low tone ringing... A hearing aid probably won't help it. But its nice to log on and see that you fine gents even have information on that. Once I get it checked out I may have to look into it a bit further. Though I hope that is not the case...

[Bret4207]

If tinnitus is a constant mild ringing in the ears then I have that, plus I can't hear anything over background noise it seems. No hearing aids and none likely in the future. I try to remember to use muffs or plugs on the tractors, running saws, etc. but I'm not real good at it.

[StarMetal]

If tinnitus is a constant mild ringing in the ears then I have that, plus I can't hear anything over background noise it seems. No hearing aids and none likely in the future. I try to remember to use muffs or plugs on the tractors, running saws, etc. but I'm not real good at it.

Ditto, same thing here Bret. No hearing aids here either. I've seen too many become dependent on them and actually become worse. My hearing went from explosives as a teenager, very loud industrial jobs, and of course shooting.

Wonder if the VA covers hearing aids? Anyone know, especially if your military job was in a high noise area?

Joe

[462]

jdgabbard,

Don't give up on the VA. Initially, I was given incorrect information and the run-around. Finally, I got in contact with someone who was not the typical bureaucrat, and he told me to go to the VA web-site and fill out a disability application. That got the ball rolling and an appointment was made for testing. The entire process took 6-months with another month for test evaluation and a decision.

StarMetal,

My tinnitus and hearing loss are both service connected, but the VA gave me a disability rating for the tinnitus only. They provided no explanation as to why the 30% hearing loss was not covered.

I've learned to live with the tinnitus, but the hearing loss is annoying. My wife's mumbling has increased, the last couple years, and it's very difficult to dicipher what the grandkids are saying.

The VA, in many cases, will cover hearing aids, but in my case, they would actually make things worse by creating an echo effect.

[Echo]

I woke up deaf in my right ear one Saturday a couple of years ago. Went to the VA, got checked, 30-50 db down in my right ear (and the left ear not too great, either), and a new second tone in my own tinnitus, but only in the right ear. Got (free) Siemans digital hearing aids - but they didn't improve things. Nerve deafness, so hearing aids won't help. Traded them in on another set, and basically the same story. Maybe improved the sensitivity, but also increased the distortion, so net effect was negative. Will try them for range use, as I can easily turn them off while shooting a stage.

I look on the bright side. Right side deaf. When I drive the car, SWMBO rides on my right side. Elaboration unnecessary...

[Rocky Raab]

Picking a hearing aid is not like picking a new truck. It takes a trained (and sometimes gifted) audiologist to determine the exact make, model and tuning to match your personal loss.

Surprisingly, Costco has about the best hearing aid program out there. They give a much more comprehensive series of tests than most chain hearing aid places (which I urge to you NOT use) and they can supply you with the brand and style that suits your own case best (unlike a chain place which can only sell you their own, whether it suits you or not).

Costco also has very low prices, a superb warranty, and even free batteries.

How much? You might get away for under $1000 a pair - or spend as much as $5000 per ear. The difference is in your hearing needs, not in the supplier.

[DLCTEX]

Guns, artillery (105's and 155's), very loud industrial jobs, but the most damaging was as a teen ager I was in a car with other teens on New Year's Eve popping fireworks and a fellow who had an amazing propensity for doing something dumb held onto a string of black cats out the window as we drove down the street. One came into the window and landed in our pile of fireworks in the back seat, setting the whole pile off. I heard the first three pops, each one less loud, and then a steady loud ring. I could feel the concussion, but the only sound was the ring. Several landed on my shirt collar and exploded, burning the skin on my neck to a second degree burn. By the time we could stop and bail out, I was in the back seat of a 2 door car, the smoke was so thick I couldn't see may own nose, let alone breathe. The back seat caught fire and we removed it to put out the fire and save the car. I have had tinnitus since that day that has only stopped for a short while on two occasions. All things considered, my hearing is doing pretty well, although my wife would argue that point.

[wallenba]

Got tinnitus too, don't need hearing aids yet but it keeps me awake at night if I don't turn a fan on in the room.

[bigdog454]

iT'S NOT ME; my wife and friends just mumble.

[Larry Gibson]

I'm on my third set of hearing aides and also use Walker tactical ears and now Sportears for hunting. My hearing loss is service connected and I also have tinnitus. The VA doesn't pay for hearing loss because it is also an aging related loss. However a hearing loss rating may provide very good hearing aides for you. The VA does pay for tinnitus. I've had hearting aides for about 5 years and the third pai are absolute amazing and very expensive. The VA said they'd run around $6,000 on the civilian side. They are "PHONAK"s and are behind the ear with the plastic tube running into a very well molded earpiece. They are digitally and programmed to my specific hearing loss.

I made all sorts of excuses not to wear the first two pairs; uncomfortable, only amplified noise etc. Mostly I was just unwilling to get used to them. The VA doctor had a very good discussion about all of that will me and also said i would be amazed at the advances made in hearing aide technology with the new pair. When you've been as deaf as I have (probably we have) for as long as I have the world is a very noisy and disturbing place when you can all of a sudden hear. The brain also wants to focus on the loudest sounds which can make getting used to aides even worse. I made the decision when I got these to wear them all the time and to get used to them. The newer ones with the better technology amplify as the old ones did. However they also take the sounds in your hearing loss range and put them into the range of your hearing. The difference is truly amazing.

How well do they work? Let me tell you a couple instances. Only a day or so after I got them I had to go to Camp Lejeune to train Marines. Over by the SOTG combat town the marines were supposed to attack at 2000 but were tied up crossing the bay in their boats. so we were still waiting at 0100. I was standing there when I noticed I was hearing something I hadn't heard in 25+ years....crickets! Since then as I have gotten used to them and the brain doesn't focus on the louder noises so much I can hear birds chirp and squirrels bark. While hunting the last couple months I could hear deer stomp and elk whistle. All sounds I had not heard in a very long time. Yes you can say I am "dependant" on them and I'll take being able to hear any time thank you and if that is “dependant” then so be it.

We have to understand that everyone with no hearing loss hears the same loud noisy world we can now hear. The difference is they have had all of their lives to get used to the noise and for their brains to adjust to focusing on what they want to hear. We on the other hand have spent a lot of years getting used to going deaf so hearing again is a whole new world to get used to again. We have to go through an adjustment time getting used to all the noise again. It’s been several months for me now and I think I’m almost there. I am so thankful I can hear all of those sounds again, even my wife:-)

There are some draw backs though. Have you ever notice that around loud machinery hearing protection is now advised? So if you have your aides on around that machinery it is very, very load and can even hurt….well duh! You have to learn to take the aides off or turn them off (I can) and put on ear protection. You haven’t in the past and that’s why you keep getting deafer. I learned real quick to turn my aides off the first time I turned on my drill press. I relearned that lesson when I turned on a skill saw. The PHONAKs I have will shut off at a certain decibel but there is a air hole in the well molded ear pieces. This gives them about 60-70% attenuation of foam ear plugs. Not great but they work well if I’m going to run equipment for a short time or shoot just one or two shots (rifle only as I still will use ear plugs or muffs with handguns) while hunting. I also take the aides out when mowing the lawn and running a chainsaw, etc. and use muffs. Everyone with regular hearing is supposed to do that so why not us deaf guys too? I am doing all I can to save the little real hearing I have left. At the range I also take the aides out and use foam plugs and muffs.

The batteries in mine last about 7-9 days with them on perhaps 16-18 hours per day. I also get free batteries from the VA. I apologize for the length of this post but I feel if you have hearing loss and really want to hear again then I recommend a very good set of hearing aides be gotten. I also suggest you go to a doctor who specializes in hearing loss instead of a salesman to be tested and to have the hearing aides adjusted for. If you are a vet then file a claim or re-file for service connected hearing loss. You must justify the loss which if you’ve been in a war or in combat training isn’t hard to do. If you were in years ago before hearing protection was understood and fired weapons, rode in track vehicles or few a long time in military aircraft it isn’t too hard either. It is worth the effort. If you’re not a vet then mortgage the house, take out a loan, sell the kids or (GASP!) sell some guns and get the best digital hearing aides you can. It is so wonderful to be able to hear again I can not express it well enough. Who knows…I might even enjoy talking to Joe sometime……….

Larry Gibson

[StarMetal]

What brand are they Larry?

Joe

[JohnH]

Did you mean whadjasay?

Eh?

Will you stop mumbling?

Woman, you have to look at me when you talk to me. Chattering while you're walking away will not get a response other than "What?".

Thought to self.... If I didn't understand it, I'm free to ignore it. Now I know why the old folk never wore their hearing aids, or were always saying "Just a sec, let me turn this dadblamed thing up"

All that said, the most bothersome part of this are those moments when she is upstairs, I am downstairs, the TV is blaring and I hear her plainly say, "damned that ol' fool..." To which I reply "I heard that!!!" To which she replies, "Heard what? "

"Calling me an old fool" says I.

"So why can't you hear me when I ask you to do something?"

"Damned ol' bat", I mutter under my breath.

"I heard that!"

[geargnasher]

Joe, looks like you need GLASSES, not hearing aids!

Larry said PHONAK brand, twice.

Gear

[StarMetal]

Joe, looks like you need GLASSES, not hearing aids!

Larry said PHONAK brand, twice.

Gear

Gear you're right, I need both. Actually I need a cataract operation.

Gear pm me about the lube we discussed, have some stuff to tell you.

Joe

[Adk Mike]

I have one in each ear. I can't imagine life with out them. Anyway lived on a farm as a kid shooting and straight pipes on OLD Tractors. I only shoot today with hearing protection unless I'm hunting. Mike

[Bucks Owin]

Been shooting almost 50 yrs and played live music for 20 of that. Also raced motocross for a decade. Still hang around the dragstrip a lot. All loud pastimes! Now I'm 56 with bad tinitus in both ears, pretty much constantly, louder after open muzzleblast or open headers. Little hearing remains in the left side and not much "high end" defination on the right. I like to watch people speak to me as most of us with such lousy hearing tend to learn lip reading to some extent. One get's tired of saying "huh?" all the time! I didn't start getting serious about ear protection until about 10 yrs ago which was WAY too late. Also found I couldn't get used to a quiet "whump" muzzleblast with headphone type protectors and don't like the foam thingies in my ears. My own solution was to stay with the headphones but I drilled a 1/4 hole in each side. Kills most of the blast but I don't have that spooky "no blast" effect like before. My way is kinda dumb I guess, but works for me....(far too late!) Read and heed you whippersnappers! Tinitus is a drag...Dennis :|

[Freightman]

I woke up deaf in my right ear one Saturday a couple of years ago. Went to the VA, got checked, 30-50 db down in my right ear (and the left ear not too great, either), and a new second tone in my own tinnitus, but only in the right ear. Got (free) Siemans digital hearing aids - but they didn't improve things. Nerve deafness, so hearing aids won't help. Traded them in on another set, and basically the same story. Maybe improved the sensitivity, but also increased the distortion, so net effect was negative. Will try them for range use, as I can easily turn them off while shooting a stage.

I look on the bright side. Right side deaf. When I drive the car, SWMBO rides on my right side. Elaboration unnecessary...
I woke up deaf in my right ear several decades ago, let it alone until I started having head aches then went to the hearing center. He sent me for a MRI and found a tumor on the acoustic nerve. Had to go to Houston as no one did the surgery in Amarillo. To make a long story short be sure that you do not have the same as it can cause death.

[silvertip47]

I have the same problem, have to wear hearing aids, and they are kind of a pain. Still it helps to hear the grandkids. Every body I know seems to think I lost alot of my hearing from shooting, but I wore ear plugs and muffs most of the time. Alot of my hearing lost comes from work and the cheap ear plugs that do not seal. I work around high pressure gas and engines that produce from 1000 to nearly 3000 h.p.. I have Beltone hearing aids and they about $3000 each. This is my 3rd or 4th different brand, better than than the others. Hope this makes sense, main thing is wear ear protection that fits the ear properly.