I thought I was going crazy. It started with and occasional high pitch ring in either one of my ears and was soon accompanied by vertigo. I would be carrying on a conversation and the next thing I know I’m almost falling over. After a little research, I realized that I was suffering from tinnitus, a common malady amongst returning combat veterans. I had known since returning from Iraq that I suffered from diminished hearing, especially when trying to isolate sounds, like when my wife was trying to talk to me while the TV was on…(Insert your own joke here), but the tinnitus was starting to affect my quality of life. Even though there’s not much I can do about fixing my hearing issues, it got me thinking about what I could do to keep them from getting worse.
I have always been diligent about using hearing protection, but I preferred the plug type protection over the muff type protection because, to be honest, muff type protection was always uncomfortable for me. Not to mention, the environment where I teach is usually very warm and muffs can be downright miserable when its over a hundred degrees on the range. The downside, of course, was that with the plugs in, advanced drills that required shooting, moving and communicating were problematic and communicating with students while on the line was an exercise in futility. There is also some recent research that shows that while plugs are effective at blocking noise, they might not completely mitigate hearing damage since they still allow vibrations to enter the inner ear canal. I had tried some inexpensive electronic headsets and been very unimpressed, so I looked at the expensive electronic over ear sets like MSA and Peltor as luxury items, not really a tactical necessity. I was wrong.
About a month ago, I bit the bullet and purchased a set of MSA Supreme Pro-X hearing protection and it has been worth every penny. The MSA Supreme Pro-Xs are rated to -18 NRR and for work on open or partially enclosed ranges, I’ve found them to be very effective for blocking out gunfire. However, on a fully enclosed range, I double up, using plugs and the muffs, as the sound on an enclosed range is more intense. For most of the training that I participate in, whether as an instructor or as a student, the advantage of being able to communicate effectively without taking the protection on and off has proven to be not only a time saver, but also allows me to be more effective as an instructor on the line since I can turn up the volume and take full advantage of the stereo speakers when talking to students, even during live fire strings. The fact that the speakers are in stereo also allows me to quickly orient myself when someone is trying to get my attention on the line.
The gel cups that provide the seal around the ears are the most comfortable of any that I’ve ever experienced, and provide a positive seal, even around heavier framed sunglasses such as my Oakley Gascans. The outer plastic cup is low profile enough to not interfere with my cheek weld while shooting long guns and can even be comfortably worn under most helmets. The controls (power, volume up, volume down) are well placed and easy to manipulate, even when wearing gloves. The headband adjusts easily and stays put, unlike some inferior brands of earpro that like to work themselves into all sorts of strange, lopsided configurations.
The provided pad on the headband was adequate, but since I wear these every day, I wanted something with a little more cushion. OC Tactical manufactures an awesome replacement band that is constructed out of tough, coated 330D or 500D cordura instead of clothing weight material for better wear resistance. They also use foam backed Dri-lex on the underside for added comfort and moisture wicking capability. The binding on the edges is done with double folded cordura instead of webbing and a 5″ piece of loop comes standard on top for a name tape, so that they don’t wander into someone else’s range bag. They also come in a myriad of tactical colors and patterns, including Multi Cam and ATACS. During a recent late fall heat wave, I was glad to have that extra padding and moisture wicking capability.
Hearing loss and it’s associated problems are going to be a part of firearms training until someone successfully gets OSHA to override the ridiculous prohibition on suppressors, so be proactive. I’m sorry I waited as long as I did, don’t repeat my mistake. Invest in your health and well being, buy a good set of electronic EarPro.
I’m in tha same boat. Too much gunfire and flash-bangs, not enough hearing protection over the years.
I’ve been using the MSA Sordins for a few years now. I wish they had been availble at the start of my SWAT career and not towards the end. Awesome bit ‘o kit.
I also use the muffs and plugs combo, often even on the outdoors range, especially when we do carbine training. I can turn the volume on the muffs up so that I can hear well through the plugs, but get max protection from gunfire noise.
Great article, its good to hear someone talking about the things I work with my patients and shooting buddies every day. Many of my patients have tinnitus and all of the symptoms that you are describing. ( On a side note u may want to look into something called Meniere’s disease) There are a few things that I believe you could do the help with the issues you are having.
The major thing that people do not understand about tinnitus is that THERE IS NO SOUND. It is your brain searching for something that it once had. Think about it like this, soldiers who have been injured in combat and lost limbs can still feel those body parts itching. This is called Shadow pain. The same thing is going on inside your head. You stated that you have diminished hearing well your brain is trying to find the sounds it once was able to receive.
Now I know no one wants to hear this part, but hearing aids about 60 percent of the times are able to reduce if not completely eliminate the tinnitus and help with the hearing loss. This happens because we give the brain what it wants and the ringing goes away. The next step are maskers, these create a sound in the back ground which keep the brain busy. They are more difficult to get right and you need someone in your area who really knows what they are doing.
Lastly I would like to pass on what I tell my shooting buddies every day. Ear plugs are almost a total waste when it comes to protecting your hearing nerve from anything louder than a .22. Ear drums can be fixed, but once your hearing nerve goes its hearing aids or bust for you. Hearing loss can be a funny thing for some, but every day new research comes out about the link between hearing loss and dementia and many other brain issues later in life. The muffs are actually a much cheaper option then hearing aids trust me.
I wear Peltor electronic muffs now. Too much shooting in the past with either none or minimal protection and now my ears ring all the time. Really bad when it is quiet and I’m trying to go to sleep.
Excellent read Jeremy! You know, it’s the seemingly little stuff that makes the huge differences, and that most people overlook. I liken it to optics on a rifle. People usually cheap out on the optic, and even if they don’t, a lot of times they cheap out on and don’t pay much attention to the mounting hardware. I’ve always wanted to try the MSA Sordin/Supreme Pro line of earpo. For the past few years, and currently still, I use the Peltor Tactical Sports. Best $100 I’ve spent on anything. Excellent hearing protection, very comfortable, good sound quality for the amplified sound, durable as heck, and long battery life. Outdoors, I may not double up with plugs and muffs all the time, but indoors I always do.
John Kendell, excellent post. My dad had Meniere’s disease and later suffered dementia. I always suspected the lack of involvment in the world caused by his hearing loss triggered or exacerbated his dementia.
As you might expect, I’m very aware of hearing protection. I double up when on the range by myself and use high quality electronic gear when training or being trained. That said, this thread encourages me to double up always.
Thanks and be safe.
The MSA muffs are absolutely the way to go. I started out with a pair of cheaper Peltors (the Tac6S, I believe), which crapped out after less than a year. I finally sent the coin on the Pro-X with the gel upgrade, and never looked back. Audio quality is far better, the ear seals are infinitely more comfortable, and there’s no annoying “clipping” sound as with the Peltors.
There is no doubt in my mind that good quality muffs like these are a necessity if you spend a serious amount of time on the range.
Gentlemen,
Thank you for the wonderful comments. Reading these intelligent, informative posts makes me glad to be part of the MSW community.