Special care of most your important component.

[admin_exported]

I'm talking ears here. In the time that I have been a member of this forum, I dont ever remember seeing this discussed, so......

Not wanting to get into medical discussions etc. etc. Just wondering if anyone takes any special care of their ears. I am assuming that most of us would say that we have a fairly acute
sense of hearing, probably better than the level at which doctors would
become concerned about. We all know that as we get older our hearing gradually deteriorates and maybe we need to take some special / sensible precautions to keep it in good condition. I'm not advocating jet washing here..

..just interested in your thoughts.

 

[fatboyslimfast]

Earplugs.

Seriously, for any noisy environment (high-speed Mway journeys, motorbikes, factories, nightclubs etc etc) wear them. I recently took the missus to a take that concert, and using the natty Decibel app on my iphone noticed that even the background (pre-concert) noise levels were around 87db.

That's earplug territory for factory workers.

During the concert, noise levels (and I was in the 4th from back row of the seats) was consistently above 100db, and peaked at 115db.

I dread to think how many regular concert goers are killing their hearing without being aware.

As for things like getting them syringed, it only really helps if there is a wax blockage. If your ears are only normally waxy, you will get a noticable improvement for the short time until the wax returns (normally a couple of days, and normally more than before).

 

[Anonymous]

I have seen ears discussed on the forum before... had them syringed (well they do not do that anymore, more the 'jet washing' method you mention) last year and that made a huge difference (never had it done before).

I feel too old for clubs, I only go to the occasional gigs and the such... most of my ear damage comes through the Ipod and the music I listen to through 'The System'. I have a European Union Limited Ipod... and it drives me up the wall as I need it to be louder (only slightly) for exercise and the like... so I am going to buy a seperate headphone amplifier. This, ironically, will mean that my ears will probably be exposed to louder volumes than if we just got the U.S. version of the Ipod... so I know that I have to be careful.

It is one of those things isn't it? How much credence do you give the health risk... merely living is a health risk (not said fatuously and pub-like manner but as a general statement of fact). So for my ears... I do not do anything stupid and leave it at that... that might not be the same for everyone. The other day the Department of Health issued a health warning to parents telling them that they should not feed their children ham or processed pork/ham more than once a week as it has been strongly linked with bowel cancer... I asked my step-father (an arable farmer who knows about these things) and he said it had been known for a long time that the high level of sodium something or other (my name for it not his) caused a heightened risk of bowel cancer. Nevertheless for a government agency to get to the point where they issue such a warning is telling. I eat ham (the premium stuff - but none the less) all the time... so that is something that I am more worried about than my ears... everything gives you cancer... and it is the ones that you find pertinent to you I guess.

 

[lordmortlock]

This is a subject quite close to my heart. About two years ago I developed acute tinnitus. I'm 33 and I've been going to clubs since I was about 16. On this particular occassion I was at a freestylers gig and something just kind of 'went' in my head and ears. I couldn't hear properly for a few days and although I have full range hearing back now I constantly have a very high pitched screaming in my ears.

It almost destroyed my life at first. Its ok in the day with background noise aroud but at night its all consuming. The more it gets to you the more wound up you become and the louder it gets. One night I actually went and slept by the fridge as the humming it made sort of cancelled it out!

I'm pretty used to it now. Theres no cure but I make sure I wear attenuating ear plugs if I'm in a loud pub, festival or club. People think its really odd - they wouldn't if it had happened to them! Its still bad at night but I play white noise (waves,rain etc)if I can't get away from it. I think its going to be a real issue in the future as kids are going gigging younger and younger for longer.

Theres a great website if anyones interested - don't lose the music.com

 

[basshound]

I work in a noisy enviroment and part of the annual medical is a hearing test,pleased to say my hearing is within normal range for my age. Noise protection is required at levels over 80Db, wonder how many of us listen at over that especially through I-pods etc.?

 

[ElectroMan]

Pardon?

 

[idc]

I know how you feel My,Lud, though not to your extent. I went to a reunion and it was in the noisiest pub/club, not my choice. To hear and be heard involved screaming into each others ears. The next day I woke up to tinnitus. It is only now about 6 months later that I can say I have got used to it. It is my excuse not to go clubbing anymore, shame....

 

[Anonymous]

Sad to hear about so much tinnitus. I'm 29 and have a small degree of it, constant whistling in my ears.

 

[sometimesuk]

I'm really shocked and saddend by the number of people here who suffer from tinitus, I really didnt expect so many people to suffer.

To read Lordmortlock saying he sleeps by the fridge really surprises me, as personally (with my ok hearing) both during the day but expecially at night, I like absolute silence and the noise of the fridge or buzzing of any clocks, in my flat, even with two doors closed really does my head in.

I very rarly go out clubbing, but after going out tonight, I do now have a buzzing in my ears (worse in my right). I think I'm right in saying, ever time this happens a person hearing is slighting damaged, but the buzzing should go in the morning, unless you develop tinitus, then its constant.

One thing I've notice tonight although the thought has occured to me before, is I'm sure my hearing in my right ear is slightly worse than in my left. The only explanation I can think of is, as I've been driving for seven years, and regularlly drive for an hour plus on the motor way, is that, with the radio turned up to cover the background noise, is that with my ear closer to the speaker on my right side, this may have gradually effected my hearing.

I'm do a self check tommorow, but it is worrying, as damage to your ears cant be repaired.

 

[sometimesuk]

Just bought a pair of these:

http://www.hearforlife.co.uk/product_detail.php?ppid=1&catId=1&cname=ER20%20hi-fidelity%20musicians%20earplugs

Read a few reviews, they are meant to just bring the volume down a few notches, and mimic the ears natural frequency response plus you can still hear people talk with them in.

Worth a try

 

[lordmortlock]

Good shout.

They look quite similar to my alpine ones. Mine have a removable filter at the end that can be adjusted to attenuate by either 5, 10 or 15 decibels whilst keeping sound in proportion. The weirdest thing is when you wear them out at a gig it feels like you have to shout to make yourself heard - because you can hear properly you speak at a normal level subconciously and no one else can hear you!

 

[Big Chris]

'Sfunny. I read the title and thought

Rather than