It is important to be safe when hunting and it’s a subject matter that we have covered before here. So today, we are going to look at the importance of keeping your hearing protected. Any type of loud noise can damage the ear, especially over time when you’re hunting. You may have already looked at ear plugs and ear muffs, however, if you haven’t, then you must take a look at the ways in which it could assist you. Certain problems that could arise from inadequate protection of your hearing is:
Tinnitus
The prevalence of tinnitus increases with age, although even young people and even children can get it. It occurs more in adults, due to its connection to the aging mechanisms of the ear and the hearing impairments that come with age. However, it can manifest through a number of reasons; one of which is loud noises. When we are exposed to loud sounds that we encounter through hunting, you could be slowly damaging the hairs inside the ears. When the sound is very loud, it leaves a resonating ringing in the ears and on the odd occasion, the ringing doesn’t leave us! That is why it is important to wear muffs or plugs when shooting, so that you can enjoy the sport without having to compromise on your ear health.
Hearing Loss
This is the most common type of hearing loss. It is a hearing loss that may very well be permanent to one degree or another, occurring when cells within the inner ear or the auditory nerve itself are damaged, which weakens or completely prevents the transmission of signals to the brain. This can in fact be caused again by loud noises such as explosions or shots. By looking at hunting hearing protection, you can be sure that you are actually keeping yourself protected. It’s important to look at types of headphones and plugs because they do keep a great deal of noise out.
There are 2 types of anti-noise headphones:
- Active
- Passive
Noise-canceling headphones are very effective when used while working in noise, riding a motorcycle, mowing the lawn and more. It is very important to ensure a complete seal between the headphones and the ear. Earplugs are adapted to the size of the ear and give a greater and better attenuation of the noise. They are light and small and offer good protection for workplaces for noisy workplaces like factories, airports and malls. The goal is to find the earplugs that are optimally fitted that are comfortable and easy on the ears so that you can continue hunting and are not inhibited by the type of protection that you’re wearing. In addition to your ears, you should also consider protecting your eyes from any poor weather or debris as you’re trekking outdoors. Wearing protective glasses or goggles is something preferable but there is something known as shooting glasses that are made just for this type of issue. Be well prepared and enjoy your hobby!