hearing protection
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 2:47 pm
Two friends of mine are just about totally deaf, both Viet Nam vets
and been around guns a lot. Supposedly gun noise is about the worst
for your ears. Even more so than watching short track 2 stroke bikes
with no mufflers racing in an indoor metal roof rodeo arena 30 years
ago. I could not hear for 2 days after those races (which was every
Saturday night in winter).
Criswell
On Feb 6, 2008, at 3:34 PM, David Critchley wrote: > When I was a young soldier, we used to laugh at the wimps that used > ear > protection on the range, and in those M113 Carriers. We stood around > while our guns let go with barrages and though tinnitis was funny > as hell. > Now I can't hear myself laughing about it, I wonder if they can? > There is a ton of information around on the subject of hearing loss, > and the major opinion seems to be that the damage is accumulative, > meaning that the situation gets worse as time goes by, and your damage > does not go away, you just get used to being deafer and deafer. > > DC > > Jeff wrote: > > > Well said Mike. > > > > This is my first post to this list but the subject is near and > dear to > > me. I too have tinnitus. My constant companion since > > 1984. The 72" diesel lawn mower I drove at the golf course didn't > > seem that loud until I rolled into the shop one Friday and couldn't > > understand the radio. The garbled mess I started with settled into a > > high frequency squeal that has gotten progressively louder and lower > > over the years and lately a nice buzz has been added. I don't > enjoy a > > party or a trip to the bar because I can't understand the > > conversations. I hear all the sounds as one big mixed up mass of > sound. > > > > I'm begging you all... get good earplugs, make sure you insert them > > properly and were them anytime you plan on getting up to any kind of > > speed. It's the wind that gets you. It's possible to get >100dB > sound > > levels inside a helmet at highway speeds. > > > > Jeff > > rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggg > > > > "M.M." wrote: > > > > > > > > > > I don t understand the thing about earplugs. > > > > First of all, I don t think the KLR is noisy. > > > > Secondly, I want to hear everything, like my own > > > > engine, is there a car coming from behind, is > > > > Jennifer > > > > calling my name, stuff like that. > > > > > > I understand the damage that noise trauma has done to > > > my hearing. > > > > > > The problem isn't as much the noise from the KLR as > > > much as it is the wind noise. If I could do it all > > > over again I would have protected my hearing much > > > better than I had in my earlier years. Unfortunately > > > by the time I recognized the hearing damage it was > > > apparently too late to undo it. Now I have squeeling, > > > ringing chirping and clicking in my ears.. also known > > > as tinnitus. > > > > > > I always wear good earplugs and my tinnitus still gets > > > louder especially after riding over about 40mph for > > > any length of time because of the wind noise. > > > > > > My hearing has become fragile and I feel it makes me > > > more aware than the average person as to what noises > > > are traumatic to hearing. > > > > > > Believe what you wish but if someday you start > > > experiencing temporary ringing in your ears from > > > noise... be very alarmed if you care to preserve your > > > hearing.... temporary tinnitus will eventually change > > > to hearing loss and permanent tinnitus. > > > > > > As far as hearing my engine with ear plugs in I can > > > hear it fine... and some of the mechanical sounds I > > > can hear detail with earplugs in that I can't hear > > > with them out. As far as cars behind me I find the > > > rear view mirrors and attentive driving more than make > > > up for any reduced hearing with earplugs. As far as > > > being able to hear Jennifer calling... I would want to > > > be able to have my hearing undamaged so I could be > > > able to hear her or anyone or anything else in the > > > future. > > > > > > I consider hearing protection to be essential. I > > > highly recommend it. And not only just for when > > > riding. Any time you are likely to be exposed to loud > > > or nearby noise (baby screams, clapping, whistling > > > concerts, power tools, hammering, road noise and so > > > on). It may seem like it doesn't matter to you now > > > because you don't notice any negative effects yet and > > > maybe for some reason it wont cause you a problem. I > > > wouldn't count on that if it was me. > > > > > > Don't mean to sound like a lecture but my experience > > > compels me to say what I can to try to raise awareness > > > so that hopefully others will not suffer the way I do > > > or cause others to suffer by not respecting others' > > > hearing. > > > > > > -Mike > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________________ > > > Looking for last minute shopping deals? > > > Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. > > http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php? > category=shopping > > http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php? > category=shopping> > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]