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Nitromater

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Hearing problems.. again

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I’ve been dealing with a severe hearing loss in my left ear for several years after it was damaged by an unexpected TF throttle whack.
But, this past December my Medicare advantage plan got me a nice set of hearing aids.
I wish I didn’t need them but they do help.
Moral of the story? Wear ear protection at the races!
 
I wear earplugs always but it was a concert that really messed up my hearing 20 years ago. Last week in Phoenix I noticed that earplugs are not enough and I'm going to buy a set of earmuffs and will wear earplugs under those at the Gators. Maybe it was where I was standing but it was too loud even with plugs in.
 
Foam ear plugs really don’t cancel enough nitro volume to make them feasible anymore.
I went to a shooting supply business and picked up a putty-like mix that molds into your ears. You let it sit for a few minutes and it retains its shape.
I used them for the first time this past weekend and they did a really good job.
6A7D62B0-7394-410B-8074-88D465BF0019.jpeg
 
I have custom fit ear plugs (probably have mentioned that before). From what I've heard, Racing Electronics will fit you for plugs at the track. I saw my audiologist to get Westone plugs.
 
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I've had two sets of Hearing Aids the newest set is 5-6 yrs old. My experience is all they do is turn up the volume of everything nearby. If I'm around three people talking near me, I can't understand a dam thing. What's others experiences?
 
Butch said:
I've had two sets of Hearing Aids the newest set is 5-6 yrs old. My experience is all they do is turn up the volume of everything nearby. If I'm around three people talking near me, I can't understand a dam thing. What's others experiences?
Click to expand...
Mine have adjustable volume. If I have them too loud I have trouble picking out individual voices when the ambient noise is high. When I get around a lot of people I just turn them down.
 
Mike said:
A while back we had a discussion about the loss of hearing and I found this article today. This guy is going through hell.

racer.com

Former GT racer Wolfgang Reip urges the industry to confront acoustic trauma

Wolfgang Reip — winner of the European GT Academy in 2012, the Blancpain Pro Cup Endurance GT Series in 2015 and the Bathurst 12H in 2015 — thought he would be racing the rest of his li…
racer.com racer.com
Click to expand...

Time, again, to talk about hearing and hearing damage

The sad part of this hearing problem is, engine noise is one the best things about drag racing.
nitromater.com nitromater.com
 
I might try those out Ted. Ive gone from using the ones that come on the orange band and they are alright but I actually had one vibrate out a few weeks ago in Pomona. That sucked. I bought some ones from 3M at Walmart that night and seemed to work much better but my trouble with them is they irritate my ear. I may just suck it up and go get molded plugs although Im afraid of spending the money and losing them the first day.

I've noticed I am definitely more susceptible to actually hurting without plugs in, high pitched blown alcohol engines are the worst for me. I walked out of the tower today at the divisional without my plugs in during top dragster right as one did a burnout, had to quickly plug my ears. I dont think I have ever had to do that before.
 
I wear earplugs all day at the drags. Does cause some irritation at the end of the day when I pull the plugs out. For me, sitting up in the top row of the grandstands works best for dealing w/ the noise, especially nitro cars. BTW, did you ever notice how many gray haired drivers there are these days, especially in Sportsmen classes? Would be curious about what types of ear plugs they use.
 
Butch said:
I've had two sets of Hearing Aids the newest set is 5-6 yrs old. My experience is all they do is turn up the volume of everything nearby. If I'm around three people talking near me, I can't understand a dam thing. What's others experiences?
Click to expand...
I have pretty much the best (yes, expensive) hearing aids, my second set. They actually do much more than turn up the volume. There’s a mode to understand speech in noisy settings, a music mode etc. Volume is adjustable. They work well. Having said that, it’s the nature of hearing loss and how the signals work with the brain that causes the issues in crowds or noise. I have used industrial style muffs at the races for 10 years. Should have been 30.
 
DanTheFan said:
I have pretty much the best (yes, expensive) hearing aids, my second set. They actually do much more than turn up the volume. There’s a mode to understand speech in noisy settings, a music mode etc. Volume is adjustable. They work well. Having said that, it’s the nature of hearing loss and how the signals work with the brain that causes the issues in crowds or noise. I have used industrial style muffs at the races for 10 years. Should have been 30.
Click to expand...
I'm planning on buying a new set this year. What brand are you using?
 
I don't know how my dad does it, he refuses to wear any sort of ear protection at any event we go to yet at home if I raise the volume on the TV he says "It's too loud you need to lower it."
 
Wish I had worn ear protection in the 60's when I was many times on the starting line helping a top fuel car. Guess I was too dumb as we were required to wear them where I worked in high noise areas.
 
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