Topic: Will someone answer that phone?!! A rant on noise and hearing.

[demon78]

Ahh the music of the spheres, I pick up mine in the Airforce working on the flight line around big powerful piston engines and jets with short tail pipes (it was the era of hearing protection was wimpy) after that engine test cells, sand blasting, metalizing, reverse cone megaphones, wind noise various bikes, with and without helmets now if I could only modulate it, perhaps a trumpet solo by Miles, Dizzy or even Slide Hampton. Have any of you guys & gals tried a tone generator to cancel out the frequency you hear?
Bill the demon.

[super pasty white guy]

I've had mine for ~ 10 years now.  It's a fairly mild case... I don't usually notice it during the day, but if I pay attention it's obvious.  I really notice it at night, when it's quiet.  I feel lucky that it's not a constant irritation, but wish that I could listen to the woods without the ringing. 

It's been earplugs for me most of my adult life.  pretty sure that shop time and power tools is what did it to me.  I've also got a pretty good sized "notch" of hearing loss as well-  Pretty sure that's the frequency of my ex's voice.   

I've tried a lot of earplugs, even a pair of acoustically tuned ones for concerts, but a couple of years ago I got a pair of custom silicone earplugs made up a a bike show and I'll never go back to foam for serious ear protection.  If you haven't tried them, they're worth the 60 bucks or whatever they're charging.

It's been said already, but every loud noise causes damage and that damage adds up over time.  Take care of those ears everyone.

spwg

[MCRider]

I've had mine for ~ 10 years now.  It's a fairly mild case... I don't usually notice it during the day, but if I pay attention it's obvious.  I really notice it at night, when it's quiet.  I feel lucky that it's not a constant irritation, but wish that I could listen to the woods without the ringing. 

It's been earplugs for me most of my adult life.  pretty sure that shop time and power tools is what did it to me.  I've also got a pretty good sized "notch" of hearing loss as well-  Pretty sure that's the frequency of my ex's voice.   

I've tried a lot of earplugs, even a pair of acoustically tuned ones for concerts, but a couple of years ago I got a pair of custom silicone earplugs made up a a bike show and I'll never go back to foam for serious ear protection.  If you haven't tried them, they're worth the 60 bucks or whatever they're charging.

It's been said already, but every loud noise causes damage and that damage adds up over time.  Take care of those ears everyone.

spwg

Contact info on the custom silicone plugs. manufacturer, source etc.?

[super pasty white guy]

Sorry, I don't have a contact.  I had mine made at the Int'l motorcycle show at a booth run by an audiologist.  Her practice was in florida, but the printing has worn off the case so I don't know the name.  There's been one at each year I've attended, so I'd bet you'll find them at most shows.  you could check the yellow pages and go to an audiologist to have them made.  there are also kits that let you take a mold of your ear and then ship off the mold to have plugs made-  those seem to be expensive (http://www.webbikeworld.com/Earplugs/ear-plug-review-2009.htm#comments).

doing it at a show's probably the least expensive way to do, if one is close to you.

spwg

[MCRider]

Sorry, I don't have a contact.  I had mine made at the Int'l motorcycle show at a booth run by an audiologist.  Her practice was in florida, but the printing has worn off the case so I don't know the name.  There's been one at each year I've attended, so I'd bet you'll find them at most shows.  you could check the yellow pages and go to an audiologist to have them made.  there are also kits that let you take a mold of your ear and then ship off the mold to have plugs made-  those seem to be expensive (http://www.webbikeworld.com/Earplugs/ear-plug-review-2009.htm#comments).

doing it at a show's probably the least expensive way to do, if one is close to you.

spwg

Thanks. I've never been to an audiologist for this, just an ENT. I may invest some bucks.  I don't expect improvement, I'm just trying to delay getting worse.

[Don R]

I never hear it until I read this thread, 

[wannabridin]

anyone tried this?  http://www.quietrelief.com/

i've heard it works!  and i just ordered some of these http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EPQ3H4/ref=oss_product for when i ride, and MAN do they make a difference!!  if anyone would like to try a pair that really needs them, shoot me a PM, i'll mail you a pair to try.  i have 40 pair for $11, so i can spare a couple pair here and there for those wanting to try something new!  and i've heard they're the BEST on the market!  WAY better than custom fit ones!

[TwoTired]

Those molded earplugs can also be gotten at gun shows.  That's where I got mine, at an SF Cow Palace gun show many years ago.

My tinnitus, is infrequent.  Trying to emulate The Who in the 70's was probably the primary cause.  Fortunately, my guitar amps were only 200-ish watts.  Though there have been plenty other loud noise sources to contribute.  And as said, the damage, is cumulative,  Drag races, airplanes, chain saws, etc.

I'm fortunate that when I do get episodes, they only last a few minutes now.  The longest was 3 days.  Which was enough to put the scare into me and be watchful for the future.

[GammaFlat]

Thanks for the heads up MCRider.  I went to the piano and you're dead on - 10th key from the right - hey, maybe my pitch isn't as bad as I thought .  I have been careful with power tools and music for the last 15 years or more but I think I'm paying for previous sins.  I had thought that earplugs would be a good idea but never have on a bike  . 

My brothers and I are getting bike to bike communications soon and I'll be wearing earplugs from "hear" on out on my bikes even with audio feeds.  My eldest brother flew C130s back in the late 70's and early 80's and was the only pilot he was aware of that always used earplugs under all the other headphones and crap.  Among all his pilot friends, he's the only one with reasonable hearing left. 

[wannabridin]

i'm telling you guys, these ear plugs are amazing!!!  NRR of 32, and you can wear them ALL DAY!!  only problem, is that if you DO have a ringing in your ears, then ear plugs accentuate this heavily, blocking out all sources of white noise...  i'm only 26, and i like my hearing, as i've been told by multiple doctors that it is well above average for a 26 year old, even for someone in their teens!  go me!  an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure??   

all you old times taught me that lesson long ago

[bwaller]

I see I'm not alone in this tinnitus game. My case is unchanged in over twenty years, not getting any worse thankfully. As was mentioned, alone in a quiet house can be quite aggrevating. I find it difficult wearing earplugs too.

Being young & stupid and into racing, plus those damn two stroke expansion chamber stingers. They absolutely are to blame. 

Like so many others, all I had to do was protect my hearing when it counted, and not be so bloody macho.

[Brown Bomber]

     My tinnitus came on after a case of the mumps when I was 15. Way too late to get the mumps, by the time your 15 your bones are too developed to allow for the swelling, and it backs up into your inner ears, and damages the hearing nerve, this weakens the muscles that keep your eardrum tight, and allows the eardrum to wobble. This causes the inner ear to vibrate, and ring like a tuning fork. Since it is the result of nerve damage I don't see how it could be repaired.
     I feel your pain, I've had to deal with it for over 30 years now. I wear ear plugs when I ride on the highway, since I don't have loud pipes, it's the wind at speeds that is bothersome.