Hearing damage and how to protect against it (gun owners especially)

[Retro]

You'll be surprised what can cause hearing damage and how little exposure to loud sound can cause it.

Guns don't only hurt the target that they're aimed at, but also the shooter and that hearing damage can be pretty much instant, too.

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[Retro]

@Astro What I think you'll be interested in this one.

 

[Astro What]

You'll be surprised what can cause hearing damage and how little exposure to loud sound can cause it.

No, I would not. And it's why I have to wear hearing aids now.
But it is entirely my fault as I wanted to do some practicing under the actual conditions that I might have had to shoot at someone. And eventually I did have to. The weird thing is, that night I remember pulling the trigger, I remember the recoil, but I never noticed the noise of the shots and they did not cause me to flinch. In fact, I can distinctly remember hearing my empty shell casings impacting the ground and in the bed of a truck adjacent to me.
But granted, being able to do that I ended up in the long term sacrificing a majority of my hearing. it's is ultimately no different than those that have been in combat. They don't have the grace of wearing hearing protectors when they are in a firefight.

 

[Retro]

I'm sorry to hear that. Hearing loss is no laughing matter and my hearing could be better too, so I can relate.

I remember going to nightclubs in the late 80s/90s and thinking that the noise level couldn't be safe. It hurt my ears and then everything was quieter afterwards for a while. Wish the internet had been available then as I'd have avoided those places like the plague. It's similar with concerts too, but thankfully I never liked them anyway, so didn't go. I have other, medical, issues too which reduced my hearing quality somewhat.

Thing is, hearing loss seems almost guaranteed in police work since you carry guns and may well have to use them in your duties when dangerous situations arise. There's no putting everything on pause while you fumble for the hearing protectors first!

I didn't realise that guns were quite that loud until I saw this video. Used properly, the internet is a helluva'n educational resource and is something that we tend to take for granted nowadays.

 

[Astro What]

Thing is, hearing loss seems almost guaranteed in police work since you carry guns and may well have to use them in your duties when dangerous situations arise

Well, I have to admit mine started MUCH earlier in life. I was an avowed bird hunter (dove and duck) as well as bigger game. And we never wore hearing protection when hunting as at that time it negatively impacted your recognitions of sounds in your surroundings. That did not so much apply to birds, but wearing hearing muffs presented other issues).
Back in my youth, it was nothing to go out dove hunting for the day and fire off 50 shotgun rounds (not to pat my back, but I'd usually end up with 45+ birds before limits came into effect).

I didn't realise that guns were quite that loud until I saw this video.

A 22LR isn't that bad... but when you put it up to a .45ACP pistol round or a 30 caliber rifle round you find how little it is.
When I worked patrol, the majority of my time I carried either a .40 caliber round or .45ACP. And neither of them are quite.