Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ears)

[tenring]

Shoveling ear corn into a hammer mill when I was a kid, mowing half a dozen yards for spending money, skill saws, tractors with muffler
taken off, bomb dump blowing up in my face during Vietnam Tet of '68 [7 kiloton blast wave], too many other sounds to recall, icing on the cake was years later with family dog barking one morning wanting to go out, instant hearing loss and loud tinnitus came out of nowhere. It accumulates over the years.

Largest category of disability payments from WW2 is from hearing loss or tinnitus, got so bad a number of years ago got into the VA system and now cannot hear s*** without hearing aids. When I go to the range, I take off my hearing aids, stuff soft foam protection in my ears, then put on standard ear muffs to keep what little hearing I have left.

You just don't realize you're losing your hearing until the damage reaches the breaking point, and then it's too late. It will never come back.

 

[ryanbr]

Mortar rounds, high powered rifles, farm equipment ect. some days worse then others, background noise helps me the most. Bedtime when its quiet is the worse, usually go to sleep with TV on.

 

[wtburnette]

Similar to ryanbr, mortars and M-16's when I was in the service, loud music live and in headphones and other causes I guess. Have had it for as long as I can remember... https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/members/ryanbr.html

 

[Winamac]

Just wondering if anybody else has a mild case of ear ringing from shooting over the years? Is there anything you do to help relieve it?
Hoping I'm not the only one out there.

Yes...I have Tinnitus...not exactly mild though. Constant ringing in both ears brought on by my time in the military. 30 years of it. The VA has me in hearing aids as it is service connected (rifles, mortars etc...). Like others have stated on here I struggle with hearing conversations in crowded areas. I sleep at night with white noise(bathroom exhaust fan and small free standing fan running) to drowned out the ringing. During the day I am just used to it I guess? Been told by the VA not much can be done for it.

 

[T.Lex]

Growing up, when shooting we almost always had ear pro. Mine is more from loud music (including some time doing sound checks from the board) and outdoor power equipment for summer jobs. And one stint in a factory.

Mostly the loud music.

 

[Expat]

Been told by the VA not much can be done for it.

I recently tried some "cure" that is being peddled on Amazon... no joy.

 

[gregkl]

struggle with hearing conversations in crowded areas. I sleep at night with white noise(bathroom exhaust fan and small free standing fan running) to drowned out the ringing. During the day I am just used to it I guess? Been told by the VA not much can be done for it.

That's me also. People at work don't understand why I have problems working in a cube farm. When everyone gets to talking, I can't carry on a phone conversation. I often leave and go outside or to the conference room.

I also get the occasional clicking sound. I assume this is the cicada sound? Doc said that was part of it. Ironic thing is, my hearing is great in all areas but the way upper frequencies. There I have a little loss.

All of this put together keeps me out of noisy bars/restaurants, concerts and other noisy environments.

 

[BStarkey 46947]

Cicadas heard here. Hearing a conversation in a crowd is difficult.

 

[JettaKnight]

As an amateur audio engineer, my hearing is important. I don't care if people think I'm a wuss for wearing earmuff while mowing or earplugs when motorcycle riding.


And thank you all that served in the military and now endure a chronic and invisible disability now.

 

[IndyTom]

I've had it since I was a kid (large speakers, loud music, at a guess) and my worst nightmare was having to go to the bathroom late at night. The silence just amplified the ringing to an obnoxious level. Not as bad these days or I just got used to it.

 

[Trigger Time]

Yes...I have Tinnitus...not exactly mild though. Constant ringing in both ears brought on by my time in the military. 30 years of it. The VA has me in hearing aids as it is service connected (rifles, mortars etc...). Like others have stated on here I struggle with hearing conversations in crowded areas. I sleep at night with white noise(bathroom exhaust fan and small free standing fan running) to drowned out the ringing. During the day I am just used to it I guess? Been told by the VA not much can be done for it.

I'm in the same exact boat. I dont wear my hearing aids like I should and thats on me. In a room of people sometimes I'm lost trying to have a conversation if I'm not looking directly at the person I'm talking to. Having hearing loss and also not being able to pick up certain tones of words, will make you shy away from people. You miss a lot
I cannot sleep in silence. I have to have a TV running or like in a hotel room the AC going is sometimes enough if its loud.

 

[Leadeye]

Old age for me, or I'm just ignoring those who are talking.

 

[mcapo]

My origins: Holding a squat switch on the right main gear of an F-4 Phantom, sitting in a concrete arch hanger for a double engine, stage 10 Afterburner run up for generator checks.

Ear plugs and com headset on.

I came to laying on the ground with the pilot saying " Chief, are you still there? Chief, are you alright? "

Mine is a high pressure steam escaping sound but thankfully, loud R&R masks it real well !!

That has to be an experience!!

 

[ECS686]

Over exposure to B 52G, KC 135A models as well as small arms did my hearing damage early in the USAF. It's gotten a little worse as I approached 50. Ringing seems to be worse at some times then non existent at others unless I'm just so use to it I block it out

 

[deo62]

30+ years ago did 4 years in artillery in the 11th Cav, no hearing protection then. Hearing aids from the VA don't help, just got used to non-stop ringing. Can't go into crowds and have any kind of a conversation. On the plus side, I'm not bad at reading lips!

 

[sloughfoot]

Years of shooting and explosions. I am an old EOD guy....I had a pipe bomb in a school locker go low order while I was working on it in a Middle school in Minnesota. I can still smell it. The ringing is constant. It can be maddening sometimes. VA says it never happened because I did not get injured in a combat zone. For me, and plenty of buddies, the USofA was a combat zone. I carried my GI 1911 every day. We averaged two IED's a day in my 8 soldier unit....In Minnesota. In 1971 to 1973. The same names from my youth are popping up again....But that is a different story.

What many don't realize is that even they are muffed up when shooting a rifle, the soundwaves can still travel through the jawbone into the inner ear. I have no proof of this, I have only experienced it. When shooting rifles for fun, I use earplugs and earmuffs. It seems to mitigate this effect. But maybe I have lost enough hearing to be sure.... I insist that my grandchildren double up...

 

[Double T]

Calling Nurse Focker?

You rang?

 

[Trigger Time]

I also double up. Foam first and then headset

 

[STEEL CORE]

All the fun years spent with my Uncle Sam has caused mine. The squeal of my Pig or someone else's close by would cause my ears to hurt bad, but not getting killed felt better later. Mine is a low steady stream..........................VA says nothing they can do, and they (VA) must have it bad too, because they don't hear us Veterans worth a $#!+ anyway.

I do like TT does now, foam and headset, and I can hear my ringing now because we are talking about it, other than that its there all the time like my bald spot, nothing I can do about it.

 

[Thor]

Tanks, cannon fire, jets, cannon fire, really big bombs going boom...inside the frag zone, shooting .45acp and 7.62NATO in confined spaces. Regular range trips. A litany of rock bands including The Who, AC/DC, Black Sabbath to name a few.

The ringing never stops and I've been told by audiologists that it will never go away. It's an everyday reality that like pain is just another part of life. It will go away when I die...maybe.