hunting with tinnitus?

[firsted]

So, guys, my tinnitus has gotten worse to the point I'm not sure if I could easily distinguish hoof sounds over all the "crickets" in my ears.  Annoying as hell 24/7!  Any of you folks have tinnitus (ringing in the ears) & what do you do to compensate?  I've heard of different approaches/accomodations, there's even a psuedo-surgical protocol, but not too sure about that.  Any help is appreciated.

Eddie Paulsgrove

[Elk whisperer]

Got the same problem gettin worse I dont hear it when I am out shooting . up the hill in Placitas Jeff

[jarhead_hunter]

I have the same problem, plus, hearing loss of 80% in left ear and 50% in right ear from Vietnam service.

So, I use hearing aids turned up to almost max when bow hunting.

That allows me to hear sounds that people with normal hearing can't pick up.

Just gotta remember to turn 'em down when back in camp.

Charles.

[broketooth]

i know how ya feel eddie, i see deer before i ever hear them. ive been a carpenter for 20 yrs, pneumatic tools and power saws have had a big effect on my hearing. but i can read a tapemeasure from 20 ft away so im always lookin hard i think i have also from time to time get a feelin , somethin in my head tells me look around you are not alone out here , and what do ya know, there they are. nothin you can do for hearing loss accept a hearing aid. belltone . game ear and such. im sure im going to be lookin into these devices before to long myself. i do feel your pain bro. ruddy

[vermonster13]

There is no cure and if someone tells you they have one be very wary. I've had it for a few years now and have learned to filter it out, it is hardest when it is quietest. Keep constantly searching with your eyes and keep movement to as little as humanly possible.

[Pete McMiller]

Same here.  I've had it in my left ear for 20+ years and I just live with it.  It started due to blood pressure issues so make sure you have that checked out.  If you have high blood pressure and can get it down it 'might' change the ring tone  

I've also lost 60% of the hearing in that ear so the tinitus is always there.

I try to use my eyes more now.

[Blackstick]

I found the blood pressure tie-in interesting. Where can I research that some more?, as I suffer with both.

[vermonster13]

Mine was caused by excessively loud sound. Blood pressure is the first thing they check as tinnitus can be an indicator of it.

 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tinnitus/DS00365/DSECTION=causes

[hockey7]

I have that high pitched ringing 24/7 also. I can still hear other sounds though, leaves rustling, squirrels jumping through dry leaves. I try to adjust to other sounds when I'm in the woods, and those sounds take the place of the ringing. My ears still ring, but I can hear animal sounds quite well (if that makes any sense).
You lose some hearing as you grow older, and  there's a space in the brain where that hearing was, so the brain fills that space with another sound...ringing. Stupid brain.

Originally posted by vermonster13:
There is no cure and if someone tells you they have one be very wary. I've had it for a few years now and have learned to filter it out, it is hardest when it is quietest. Keep constantly searching with your eyes and keep movement to as little as humanly possible.

Wow, I have never seen this topic in print.  Yes, what Vermontster said is so true.  I have battled this for most of my life.  It got to the point where I can somewhat "filter it out" however, when sitting in the quiet of woods, it can be very distracting. Since age 12, my eyes have been my ears.

[JCJ]

I have severe tinnitus. Surrounding sound has to get higher than 80db before I do not hear the ringing in my ears. I have had this since 2004. It started as the result of an inner ear infection that caused me to lose my balance for 10 days. FOr the first few years it was very disruptive to my life. The main cause is that it affrected my sleep. Today I consider it my little friend that always reminds me I am still alive. It causes difficulty in hunting but the worst is what it has done to my ability to hear when in a large room setting with lots of noise. It is no fun!

[Bud B.]

Originally posted by hockey7:
I have that high pitched ringing 24/7 also. I can still hear other sounds though, leaves rustling, squirrels jumping through dry leaves. I try to adjust to other sounds when I'm in the woods, and those sounds take the place of the ringing. My ears still ring, but I can hear animal sounds quite well (if that makes any sense).

My right ear is worse than my left. I got it from training exercises in USAF firing M60 and M16 blanks.

I can hear some leaf sounds. I miss hearing all the songbirds. If they're close, I can hear them. No problem hearing Blue Jays or crows though.

I've been living with it for 25 years or so. And from what I've researched it's nerve damage so a cure is not likely. I too am skeptical of procedures or other claims of false hope. And it is increased by high blood pressure. If you have tinnitus it can be of some benefit as I have heard my ringing increase and subesquently realized I had higher blood pressure induced by stress.

And if it's related, I can sometimes detect changes in barometric pressure. Almost a weather forecaster so to speak.

I really can tell when the leaves are damp. I don't hear anything but the ringing. And hunting in snow is worst. The snow acts like a sound absorber and almost everything is drowned out by the ringing.

I guess we're not alone. And I guess we just have to deal with it.

Missed a couple of shot opportunities this past season due to tinnitus--deer snuck in behind me and i didn't hear them. It comes and goes, some days better than others.

[Old York]

I had it for a long time, bad, in both ears, then my mother-in-law moved out.

No seriously, some meds really crank it for me like Ibuprofen or aspirin. It ain't fun and
the conventional wisdom sez you're S.O.L. if you get it.  :(

[boznarras]

I have this too. I just recently noticed it. It is like the dripping faucet; once you recognize it, you can't ignore it. I don't know how long it has been there.
I took my blood pressure and it is OK. I do take meds for that. I have used a lot of power tools, not always with good hearing protection and do have some hearing loss. A room full of people talking in the background and I am at a real disadvantage trying to hear certain people with soft voices.
Google research says that sometimes a brain tumor can be involved, and a CT scan is needed to rule that out. Some meds like aspirin can cause it. But beyond these few situations that can be treated, there is not much that can be done.
Gotta go, I think the phone is ringing?

[oldbohntr]

From all I read or heard from doctors in the 40 years that I've had it, is there isn't any treatment for it.  I did find that a quiet environment reduced the ringing over time....so the longer that my hunting trip lasted, the more the ringing let up.  But, back into a noisy environment, and it picked up again!   Eventually, I lost enough hearing in both ears that the ringing wasn't so noticeable.....not that you should find that comforting!!!  

Hearing aids have NOT been a solution for me.......at least with regard to tinnitus.   And they are a pain in the ____ when hunting(I know, I might be putting them in the wrong place, huh?)  Getting them wet makes them fail and invalidates the warranty!  I lost one chasing a bull through heavy cover,and that's not the only time one came out when I was hunting!  It cost me a $500 deductible to get that one replaced, and not all aids are insured!  

People with REAL health problems will not be too sympathetic about our faulty hearing issues, but I've found this one very frustrating for many years.

[bobman]

Interesting about the aspirin I take it regularly

its an aggravating condition I sure wish they could correct

[sweeney3]

Right there with you.  I spent several years as an Infantryman to include some sand time with the associated explosions and whatnot and am now an artilleryman, and I definatly have hearing issues.  I usually just got ahead and go hunting and listen as well as I can through the ringing.  Also look around as much as I can without making too much motion.  Obviously, it isn't always going to work.  It helps that I hunt a lot on my own place where I have a pretty good idea where they will be coming from more often than not.

[firsted]

Thanks for the feedback, guys.  Yeah, tinnitus may not be a truly serious disability but I can readily believe that this constant ringing could lead to issues of irritability, depression, etc.  I use a fan when I sleep & it seems to cover the noise some so I can sleep but I'm pretty concerned about time in the field.  I can see how this could become a kinda serious, monotonous distraction when there's very little ambient noise around.  This'll take some time to get used to & I sure don't look forward to it.  If any of you folks have kids who use Ipods or MP 3 players you might want to convince them to not use ear buds even at lower volumes - I'm sure the buds aren't the sole reason I got it but also pretty sure they contributed.

[reddogge]

I have had it for a long time.  Due mainly to duck and goose hunting with partner's guns going off near me.  I learned to live with it and can deer hunt just fine.  The big problem is understanding someone's conversation in a room with noise in it, especially women, grandchildren, men who are "low talkers".