Anyone else use hearing aids

[RayinNH]

Thursday morning I went for a hearing test. The audiologist told me I had severe hearing loss. He asked me if I knew how it might have happened, seeing that I'm only 51. I said sure, shooting and 28 years of metalworking. He had to add 40-70 decibels of volume for me to hear some of the sounds. Turns out he is a sporting clay shooter. When I started shooting real firearms in the late 60's hearing protection wasn't that easy to find. About the best thing you could find was the filters of off cigarettes to stuff in your ears. Usually you went without. A couple hours of shooting a .270 Winchester would translate into about three days worth of ear ringing. Now hearing protection is available everywhere from sporting good and hardware stores. I've even seen the foam plugs at store checkouts right along side the emergency condums and breath mints. What the foam plugs have to do with the other two, I haven't put that together yet. Now off course hearing and eye protection are mandatory at the range I frequent.
The other thing that has ruined my hearing is work. In the early years as a carpenters helper listening to table and circular saws wining a good part of the day. Now it's metalworking. Fifteen years spent as a blacksmith beating on an anvil most of the day. During that fifteen years and up until now,28 years total it's the noise from compressors and air tools, drills and grinders, both electric and air, and the crackle from MIG and stick welding. Now of course I wear the ear protection as often as possible.
Take heed you younger guys and wear ear protection when doing noisy stuff. To puy it in easy to understand terms,the cost of those hearing aids would buy approximately 45 Mosin Nagant rifles. Yup a whole pallet of them...Ray

[felix]

Rock and Roll bands, across the board, are far worse than these power tools. It wouldn't be so bad if they did not amplify that crap all over a stadium or auditorium. 80 db seems to be the normal sound 100 yards away from the nearest speaker with these bands. No wonder kids can't hear when they reach 35. Once I found that out, I won't let my kids go to them anymore. ... felix

[MT Gianni]

Ray we get tested anually at work andf have found that if there is a major change ,, then waiting two weeks and go to a non company tester, such as a professional audiologist frequently fixes things. Our hearing goes down hill at birth and we need to take care of it but in my unfortunate experience hearing tests vary widely in application and accuracy. Some variables are the size of the room, outside noises, colds, claustrophobia, even whether your jaw is closed tightly or slightly open. My hearing losses are due to many of the same reasons and are deficient in certain pitch ranges usually the ones we speak in. As of a few years ago, hearing aids amplified all noises not just certain pitches so if the background noises prevented you from hearing clearly they were amplified also. Good luck with your choices. Gianni.

[crazy mark]

Interesting this topic just came up. I have had 2 hearing tests in the last 1.5 years. Basically my left ear is shot. Room full of people talking is really bad. Audiologist told me not much can be done for my left ear. My right ear is about where it should be for my age (55). A fellow worker wears hearing aids and says they don't help in rooms with lots of noise. My Grandfather also complained of that. 40 - 70 is a lot of DB's to add I have used hearing protectors for years when shooting but I work and have worked around noisy equipment; Chillers, air compressors, boilers, turbines and other such equipment.
Hope they can help you. The new digitals aren't the cure all fix-all people hope they are. Mark

[NVcurmudgeon]

I started shooting in the fifties. By the late fifties it became common knowledge that we needed something better than .38 Special (.30 Carbine for little guys) empties or cigaret filters. How many of you remember Lee Sonic Ear Valves? (Not the reloading tool manufacturer.) Then ear muffs took over, but it was too late for many of us. I don't mind being about half deaf at the age of seventy. It furnishes a convenient excuse for selective hearing. If my wife talks at me from a distant room, I don't have to answer, because she knows I can't hear. If it's important she'll come to me, or simply wait until I wander into the room she is in. Between selective hearing and refusal to own a cell phone, you would be amazed at the amount of nattering I get by without hearing.

[Frank46]

Ah, selective hearing my wife has accused me of that many times. I worked in a power plant, oil farm and LNG plant. Boilers, turbines, steam pumps, gas turbines. my ears ring more than church bells on sunday. I will probably have to get one of those new fangled hearing aids soon as lately my hearing has gone way down hill. Heck I even wear my rifle range ear muffs when cutting grass with the john deere tractor. Frank

[nelson133]

Don't they sell those ear condoms to prevent hearing aids?

[Four Fingers of Death]

Whatttttt? I have serious hearing damage, through a number of causes, no doubt mostly shooting, both army (infantry and tanks) and private gun and machinery usage.

I haven't resorted to hearing aids yet, I tried my old man's and they seemed to hear someone putting a cup on a saucer in the next room like a rifle shot, but I couldn't hear the TV that was in front of me. Probably better stuff around nowadays. I now wear ear protection whenever, even mowing the lawn and doing the edges.

The two most annoying things are the fact that everybody thinks you are a dill and when you dont hear something and ask them to repeat the one word you missed, they will repeatedly insist on repeating the whole sentence and their voice will trail off at the same point., EG,

JOHHNY!! (VERY LOUD) DID YOU PUT THE (LOUD) (voice trails off a little) Blah blah in the trash can (you usually recognise the thing they are talking about, ie, the trash can)?

Question by deaf old shooter: 'Did I put what in the trash can?'

Answer: JOHHNY (EXTREMELY LOUD THIS TIME!) DID YOU PUT THE (VERY LOUD) (Yeah you guessed it, voice trails off a little at the same point) Blah blah in the trash can?

Answer 'Yes Dear' Thinking "what in damnation is that woman prattling on about?"

If you live with someone who has a hearing problem repeat words not sentences, listen to what deaffie is saying (after all, you are the one with the good hearing). Mick.

[trooperdan]

How many of you remember Lee Sonic Ear Valves? (Not the reloading tool manufacturer.) Then ear muffs took over, but it was too late for many of us. .

I remember those "ear valves" very well! I was on the air defense rifle team in the early '60s, shooting mostly M-14's and M-16's six days a week. We were issued those Lee ear valves. I remember they had an odd little "sprong" after each shot so I guess they were doing something.. just not very much! I'm just marked my 65th summer and I say "huh" quite a bit these days!

[RayinNH]

My wife went with me to the audiologist. He was glad seeing that it was her voice I was going to hear most often. He had her stand behind me about 5 feet and had her say 10 words. I missed 8 of them. The vowel sounds I could hear, the consonants gave me trouble. Words like face sounded like faith. The hearing aids I got were the digitals that go behind the ear with a clear plastic tube and rubber end that go in the ear. There is a cable hookup on them that he connects to his computer so that they can be programmed for the particular hearing range that I lost. Music sounds terrific but when I talk it sounds like my head is in a bucket. All in all they seem to work pretty well although I haven't been to a noisy restaurant yet. I went to visit the folks yesterday, my father is 91 and my mother is 84. Both deaf as a haddock. The first thing I did was pull the hearing aids out. My father says " Is the TV too loud". My reply " Yes I'm not that deaf". My ears feel like the're going to bleed whenever I visit them.

About a month ago a friend of my son, who he hadn't seen in about a year, came to visit. I could hear him approaching from about 2 hundred yards away(BOOM, BOOM, BOOM). As he pulled in the drive the windows started to rattle. He was proud as could be with his sound system. He did admit that he replaced the windshield a couple of times though.:roll:He'll be sorry some day...Ray

[SharpsShooter]

Ray,

I have worn hearing aides since the early 70’s. I lost a good percentage of my hearing due to an accidental firearm discharge in a confined area. I was not the shooter, but my left ear was in close proximity to the muzzle of the large caliber weapon when it was fired. My hearing loss is concussive nerve damage wherein the nerves were damaged by the blast and then scar tissue formed over the nerve endings rendering them less effective. I started out with the “in the ear” analog type and wore that type for many years. They are incredible devices, but do have their limitations. Follow me along on this; amplification is a good thing to a degree. Speech discrimination, however, is the absolutely most important area of hearing loss to get help with. You can have a hearing aide that amplifies 60+db, but if it does not provide you with specific frequency range of audio that you have lost, it is only a loud noise in your ear. I now wear “behind the ear” digital models because as I have aged the effects of the damage have somewhat accelerated. The digital models of today are incredible and can be programmed to your specific needs and some even have user selectable presets that allow you to change what you hear with a flick of a switch or use of a pen sized remote control. Research is being done now on an implantable aide that will be a significant improvement over anything out there now.

If you do have a hearing loss, the old adage “you don’t know what you are missing” is very true. If you are not convinced by the tests thus far, get a second opinion. Hearing aids don’t make you stupid because you ask folks to repeat themselves. All that has occurred is you have missed what is called a “key” word in the conversation and cannot make sense of the words you did hear. It does happen and the folks that just parrot the same phrase repeatedly in an attempt to get you to understand just make it worse, because you cannot pick up the “key word” due to your speech discrimination ability and then you get frustrated and that creates a bad environment to listen.

Hearing aides are NOT magic. They are an aide to a failing ability of your ears. They do not make you superman capable of hearing a mouse pass gas at 200yds, but they help in so many ways that to ignore a problem of hearing loss is to cheat yourself.

I can tell you this stuff because I have lost 85% of my hearing in the left ear and 65% in the right. I cannot talk on the phone anymore because although I can hear the voice (with my aides in) I can’t tell what is being said due to my ability to discriminate the consonant sounds of our language. I now rely on a great deal of visual cues to help the conversation along. It works and I still work too. I have been a professional broadcaster for over 23 years now. Yep, I used to be a DJ, but have graduated to management and don’t to deal with the “on air” issues anymore.

For those of you that live or work with someone that wears hearing aides here are a few things to remember;

1. Speak face to face with the person, and not with your head turned away from them. Likewise do not call out to a person if you are in another room of the house or on different levels of a building.

2. When speaking, try to make sure there is nothing in your mouth that could obstruct your vocal waves when you are speaking to the hard-of-hearing person. We were all taught by our parents to “not talk with your mouth full” and it still applies.

3. Lower the volume of the TV, radio, or any machine that makes noises (such as a fan, motorcycle, etc) to prevent any disturbances that may prevent the person from hearing you properly. Items like these create “auditory distractions”. If your voice is the same level or lower than the background noise it renders the aides ineffective

4. Do not cover your face while speaking with the person. Make sure that your face and your mouth is totally unobstructed while you are speaking directly to the hard-of-hearing individual. Visual clues are important to us all, but are even more so to the hearing impaired

By following some of these common sense guidelines, you can help promote a better environment for your fellow person to live in and be understood.

Here are a few statistics for you;

- Hearing loss is the number one disability in the world.
- Hearing loss is the most preventable disability in the world.
- Number of people who need hearing aids: 25 million
- Number of people who own hearing aids: 5 million
- 15 of every 1000 people under age 18 have a hearing loss.
- Nearly 90% of people over age 80 have a hearing loss.
- The hearing aid is the second most widely used assistive technological device after the walking cane.
- 3 out of 100 school children are affected by hearing impairment.
- Barry Manilow was recently sued for giving a concert-goer a noise-induced hearing loss. He settled the suit by donating $5,000 to the American Tinnitus Association.
- Percentage of inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame who are hearing-impaired: 60%
- Former President Ronald Reagan incurred a noise-induced hearing loss from firing pistols in the movies.
- Etiology:
- Noise: 33.7%
- Age: 28%
- Infection or injury: 17.1%
- Birth: 4.4%
- The famous Siamese twins, Cheng and Eng, who toured the U.S. in the 50s, had a "trilateral" (3 out of 4 ears) hearing loss due to noise exposure during hunting.
- Percentage of people who lose their hearing before age 3: 5.4%
- Percentage of people who lose their hearing between 3 and 18: 14.2%
- Percentage of people who lose their hearing at age 19 and over: 76.3%
- Every seven seconds, a baby boomer turns 50.
- As a result of the aging population, between 1990 and 2050 the number of hearing-impaired Americans will increase at a faster rate than the total U.S. population.

Ray I spotted your post saying you already had the hearing aides after I posted this message. the bucket sound when you talk is a easy fix...tell the audiologist and they will make a simple adjustment

[montana_charlie]

I have some high-frequency loss in my left ear due to a close mortar impact in Vietnam, but I don't feel 'impaired'. Hearing is still quite good (at 60) on the right side.

He was proud as could be with his sound system.
I was sitting at a red light in Great Falls last week, waiting to make a left turn. It's a complicated little intersection, and takes quite a while to go through the whole signal cycle. After a bit, an early-twenties type pulled up on my right...but I had already felt him coming.

When I first noticed the 'BOOM -- Va-BOOM' vibration, I thought it was caused by something going haywire in my pickup. It gradually turned from vibration to sound as the guy pulled up beside me...windows down and pumping it out.
His 'baseline' actually drowned out my 'Michael Gallagher'.

When I used to bowhunt a lot, I always kept some skunk scent for masking. I still have a bottle of it. If it weren't so nasty to mess with, I would load some up in a water pistol - to carry along for those who insist on 'sharing' their music choice with the world.
A couple of squirts on the upholstery might induce them to keep their windows rolled up...after they burn that car and buy a replacement.
CM

[floodgate]

Ray in NH (and all the rest of us):

Rule 1: PROTECT YOUR HEARING (whatever is left of it);

Rule 2: Get GOOD hearing aids from a GOOD audiologist (ask around your local Senior Center for recommendations) AS SOON as you detect any hearing loss. Yes, they will cost as much as a pallet-load of surplus Mosin-Nagants, but they'll be worth every penny.

[You can skip the rest of this, unless you have hearing loss; I preach a lot on the topic] Even the best hearing aids will not completely restore your hearing, as you will have lost some of the "skills" needed, like focusing on one conversation among many at the range or clubhouse, but the sooner you start, the better off you'll be. The "computer" in your head is a big and complex part of the system; for instance, I have a processing "time lag": if I hear an unfamiliar word - however clearly - it takes me a fractional second to interpret it; with unfamiliar music I am always about a measure behind and thus cannot really follow it. My wife - in her mid-70's - still has hyper-acute hearing, and it was a point of real stress before I got my aids (now, all is serene on that score). F'gosh sakes, DON'T be macho about this.

One other point, get the best aids you can afford, but with NO (or a minumum of) external controls. The on/off switches are the first to go (open the battery door to "park" the aids when not wearing them; and new doors are a snap-in replacement if they wear out), and an external volume control will have you fiddling with it forever, trying to get it "just right". Been there; done that.

OK, end of rant - but feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.

floodgate

[nighthunter]

Floodgate ... you mention not haveing to read further unless I have hearing loss. I was a gunners mate in the navy in the early 70's and have severe hearing loss due to nerve damage from shooting the naval guns with no hearing protection. I recieve disability for it but would gladly give back all the money they have ever sent me if I could recover my hearing. The worst part of it is that my last pair of hearing aids cost $5400 and I lost them. I do not know what happened to them. They just disappeared. This is definately a hearing loss. They were of the newer digital class of aids that are programable for individual needs. They were a definate help. I did not always use them on a daily basis and one day I went to put them in and they were not there. I still have the individual cases for each one but no hearing aids. I simply can not account for them.
Nighthunter

[floodgate]

nighthunter:

I can relate to that! I was weedwhacking the frontage and got into a nest of those nasty little red-and-black ants that sting like crazy; yanked my Peltor hard-hat/earmuff/visor combo off and flipped one of my brand-new $3000 aids off into the brush. Searched until dark - no joy. Called my audiologist the next morning; she asked did I know I had a one-year warranty, no-cost replacement for loss? She was ready to order it, but I said I'd better take one more look - and Lo! there it was, in plain sight, not 3 ft. from where I'd been standing. Even so, she said it was too loosely-fitted, took a fresh ear-mold and had it re-mounted, all at no cost to me, and only a couple of days to get it back. So, check your warranty, you might just luck out.

Doug

PS: I now wear mine, all day, every day, everywhere I go. I DO remember to take them out before showering, but that's all. Pretty used to them after ten years or so and two upgrades (and I keep my previous pair as spares). I have a small 2" x 3' zipper kit that lives in my pocket with stuff to clear out wax accumulations and a pair of spare batteries.

[SharpsShooter]

I have a small 2" x 3' zipper kit that lives in my pocket with stuff to clear out wax accumulations and a pair of spare batteries.

Sounds like my kit as well. I also have in the kit a ziplock sandwich bag to upt the aides into if I get caught in a rainstorm. I used to never wear a hat, but
when I got the BTE's (behind the ear) I figured since they cost more than what I drove to get there, I had better plan on giving them shelter from the elements.

Something else Ray, prespiration a.k.a. as sweat can and will drown a hearing aid. Usually, it will self correct if allowed to dry in a reasonably dry environment. I have this problem most when working outside during the high humidity months. Common sense will tell you when you can do without them during the hot weather.


SS

[sundog]

Huh? Whadasay?

[nighthunter]

Floodgate .... I checked .... The replacement warranty has expired. But the good news is that I'm due for a new pair in April. Oh well .... I guess she has to get used to the selective hearing for another 6 months.
Nighthunter

[carpetman]

A guy got hearing aids and was telling his friend they were the latest state of the art and he doesnt miss a word now. His friend asked "what kind are they"? He looked at his watch and responded "12:30".

[jaystuw]

Hi guys, I did some pre-ear muff era shooting, then 4 years in the infantry and after that 27+ years as a electric utility lineman, which means my hearing is not the best. I still have 4 years to go before retirement (or more, depending on how much I have to help my kids).So I need to be careful with my ears. I shoot mildly loaded cast bullets out of rifles,with double ear protection(muffs/plugs)-not much risk there. But what about my broomhandle mauser? Thats the one I really want to shoot,and even with cast bullets it's going to be loud. Add to that a high amount of shots per outing-say 100. What do you guys think? Can I get away with it by using maximum hearing protection or should I just stick to the rifles?

jaystuw

[crazy mark]

Believe it or not my audioligist said rifles hurt the opposite ear. Pistols aren't as bad for some reason according to her. That said I would take as much precaution as possible. Mark

[Jon K]

Jaystuw,

Get your hearing tests, if you need hearing aids, get them now. When you retire, health insurance benefits change. If you have a hearing aid benefit now, make sure you will have one when you retire.

SharpsShooter hit the nail on the head, once we have hearing loss, we intuitively read lips, even if we are not aware of it. When I first went to the audiologist for hearing test for my hearing aids, she kept saying "stop reading my lips, and pay attention to the test". I didn't realize I was doing it.

All have very good advice, once the hearing loss damage is done, you can't get it back. Hearing aids help, but aren't as good as the real thing!

Jon

[PatMarlin]

I've got 25 years in the music business behind me, plus shooting, and somehow I made it with pretty decent hearing at 47, but I wear plugs doing everthing.* Inner and outers when shooting.

I think one thing that saved my ears is I aways played with my amps shooting below the neck, never ear high, and when I worked in the studios in later years, I worked no louder than 85 db in front of the near field monitors, and just quit when my ears got tired. Most guys would not. I caught a lot of flack for that.. :mrgreen:

I've been thinking about investing in those digital ear inserts for hunting.

[jaystuw]

Thanks guys for the advice, looks like I'll have time to get it taken care of. I just recently got the newsletter/info sheet that comes with the quarterly 401k rundown the company gives us. their recommendation-DONT RETIRE!,WORK LONGER. great, just what I wanted to here. It seems 55 is considered to early to retire - most people won't have enough money to make it with increased medical cost, inflation, cost of living increases ect. So it looks like working longer is going to be the norm. I cant say Im very excited about it . I would rather be hiking,shooting , camping and all that stuff instead!

jaystuw