I use Peltors (the black and red 29db model) when operating TS and planer, and the soft "latex/rubber" plugs (not foam) on smaller equip.
Good advise on this post. Hearing protection is underutilized in most home shops and that's a shame.
Bill
Member
I use Peltors (the black and red 29db model) when operating TS and planer, and the soft "latex/rubber" plugs (not foam) on smaller equip.
Good advise on this post. Hearing protection is underutilized in most home shops and that's a shame.
Bill
On the other hand, I still have five fingers.
Contributor
If you talk to people who are deaf, you will find that their experience with tinnitus is very individual and variable. Even my own experience has changed and changes over time..
2 almost 3 years ago when I awoke suddenly deafened, I had a very strange tinnitus experience. For over 3 months what I heard was the voice of a male singer like Vic Damone or Frank Sinatra holding that last note in a song. Every waking moment....that last note..........holding it. I was envious of the lung power of this guy who ever he was. Eventually it went away.
Following CI surgery, I had a short period of time where I heard the roar of a freight train......
My everyday tinnitus is a hum of sorts that varies in frequency. Once I put my sound processor for my CI on my left ear and my HA on my right ear it tends to decrease and often goes away.
There are all sorts of "ideas" as to what causes tinnitus..... allergies ...... air pressure changes form weather fronts...... too much salt....too much caffeine........ stress ..... all sorts of ideas ....
The main thing to take away from this thread is wear hearing protection.....wear eye protection...... and be safe.......
Ken
So much to learn, so little time.....
Member
Couldn't agree more with all of you. Min tinnitus came from 30 years of carpentry with no hearing protection till the very end. In the years since, I always wear hearing protection in the shop. The hardest part for me is going to sleep; the ringing seems to coincide with the beating of my heart, so isn't steady but has a rhythm.
Member
Like I said before, I've picked out about 5 distinct frequencies. Mine are all clear, constant tones at those frequencies. No pulsing, roaring, hissing, chirping, ringing or any of that other stuff, just clear tones, but generally at frequencies higher than what is common in most music.
Member
Hi All
Thanks for all the personal stories of hearing loss/tinnitus...... I still have pretty much all my hearing and your stories are a good kick in the pants to remind me to use hearing protecton in my basement workshop.
hope the aggravation that comes with hearing loss/tinnitus lessens for all of you
michael
Member
I just want to say that if you've ever felt like you're wasting your breath, you're not. I am a person who has been told things like this from other people in the past, and took heed. I protect my hearing as much as I can. Coming on 40, I still have generally no loss. It is because of stories like the ones you all are telling, that I credit for that good fortune. Thank you all for your concern on this!!
Member
It is kind of a coincidence that this topic came up when it did. I am wearing a dosimeter for hearing and noise detection today around the shop.
I lost a good portion of my hearing and got tinnitus in the Army. They used to tell us to take out our hearing protection in the Infantry so that we could hear the commands during movement ranges, (Of course now they have seen the light and force the troops to wear them). As a result, I now have bilateral hearing aids (which cannot be worn in the shop because they act like giant microphones).
Yesterday I spent five hours going around the shop with a person from the audiology department checking the noise levels of all the machines in the shop. Today everyone in the shop is wearing these dosimeters to see what the exposure rates are for different individuals that work for me. It is sometimes tough to get these guys to understand the importance of hearing protection. Usually I just have to point to myself and explain that you don’t what to walk around in your late forties like me saying, “What, what, what” every time someone talks to you.
I can post the reading I got from all the tools if anyone is interested.
Contributor
Hearing protection isn't taken seriously until it's too late.
Between high school and college I worked for a year in a big press room as a shear operator.
Day 1 I asked for ear muffs, and wore them for the entire shift, took a lot of teasing from the older guys, who were so deaf I would just smile when they teased me about my ear muffs.
I even wear ear plugs when riding my motorcycle, if you don't the gradual loss of hearing goes un-noticed.
Glad to see a post about this, we need to be careful in the shop...........Rod.
Member
I'm very interested, John.
I'll reiterate how much I appreciate all of the reminders here. I too have all of my hearing at 32 years old. My dad is a doctor and used to always be on my case about loud music. I played in a band in highschool, and routinely after the end of a jam session, it would sound like there were pillows over my ears. From what the old man tells me, the effects of hearing damage probably won't show up for another decade or two. So I might already be in trouble.
I'm utterly shocked by how many of you have serious hearing loss. It's pretty upsetting actually- sorry guys. It sucks... My hearing protection will be on at all times from now on!!
Member
Great information.
I'm lucky. I have no hearing problems after 20 years in commercial woodworking with no protection when I was young.
Now I'm 62 and way more health conscious. I use ear plugs when routing for more than a couple minutes, but that's it. I wear a dust mask when doing real dusty stuff.
Ear plugs are way more comfortable than a dust mask, so I'll get in the habit of keeping them in all the time.
Moderator
Wow. What a wakeup call. I havent worn ear protection ever. I will start tomorrow... Thanks for the scare.
Contributor
Sorry about all you guys that have hearing loss to the point it affects your daily lives. The general rule of thumb for knowing if protection is needed is that if you can't carry on a normal conversation without elevating your voice then you need hearing protection. I have my hearing checked annually by my employer and have fared pretty well over the years. I wear plugs or muffs when around loud machinery or in the shop.
Contributor
You know, I've become addicted to hearing protection. I have Peltor Worktunes hung over the mower and in the shop. I just don't feel comfortable without my Peltors on tuned to NPR.
I've even taken to wearing my Bose Quiet Comfort noise cancellation headphones when I work on the computer. It cancels out the computer fan and window AC.
[OP]
Contributor
Good call, Prashun!
[OP]
Contributor
Bump...
Even if you already have hearing loss and/or tinnitus, you still need to wear hearing protection! The damage might already be done, but you'll absolutely make it worse by not wearing hearing protection. If you hate wearing big ear muffs, at least put some little foam plugs in. It's better than nothing. Tinnitus is not curable and very hard to treat! I've been trying a bunch of different drugs and therapies, but ultimately there's not a damned thing I can do about it. I'm only 42 years old and have the high-pitched, hissing type of tinnitus that doesn't come and go -- it's there 24 hours a day. It's hard to sleep, and hard to concentrate. Some days, it even makes me feel physically ill!
Again -- PLEASE wear hearing protection, even if you're just banging a few nails with a hammer!! You won't know you have a problem until it's too late.
- Jason
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