Can You Hear Me Now?
November 22nd, 2008 by Syd
Our Lady of Exquisite Eloquence, Brigid, has another winner with:
Can You Hear Me Now?
You know your social life could use a little perking up with you meet up with a guy and he says "Did you bring protection?" and you know he’s talking about eyes and ear.
Most weekends that I don’t get called out to work, I usually meet my friends at the range or at one of the Fish and Game matches. Most ranges won’t allow shooters out unless they have both eye and ear protection, but I’ve encountered several shooters outdoors in the field, chasing birds or game, that wear nothing to protect against the dB’s of shotgun blast.
The sound of gunfire is the most hazardous non-occupational noise to which adults are exposed and can be a cause of noise induced hearing loss. The damage happens to the microscopic hair cells found inside the cochlea. These cells respond to mechanical sound vibrations by sending an electrical signal to the auditory nerve. Different groups of hair cells are responsible for different frequencies (rate of vibrations). The healthy human ear can hear frequencies ranging from 20Hz to 20,000 Hz. Over time, the hair cell’s hair-like stereocilia may get damaged or broken. If enough of them are damaged, hearing loss results. The high frequency area of the cochlea is often damaged by loud sound…
Read the whole thing here.
Believe me, it DOES cause hearing loss!
I have been shooting for 30 plus years and I have a 70%hearing loss in one ear and 50% in the other.
Hearing aids won’t help because of the cochlea damage.
As a range master in the Navy I had on occasion not used hearing protection in order to hear requests for help.
My stupidity has cost me dearly.
I still shoot but ALWAYS wear hearing protection to keep what I have left.
Yep, I have permanent tinnitus. Drives me crazy sometimes but I have learned how to shut it off most times.
Half my friends can’t hear but it’s from lack of using ear plugs while riding motorcycles. Now my wife is battling me about wearing them when or if we take another long trip. If, because “if” she refuses then we simply don’t go. The helmet thing isn’t even part of this conversation but same thing goes for the added noise they stop. Only upside of getting older (53) is the wisdom gained along the way…….still learning though. Also worry about all the little grommets with iPods blasting 24 /7.