Guest Post - Hunting and Hearing Loss

Hi my name is John O'Connor, I am a father, outdoorsman and passionate about living a healthy lifestyle.  Over the past few years I have become more and more interested in hearing loss.  My father and grandfathers, who are and were all hunters, are affected by hearing loss.  I feel that there is a general lack of understanding around the issue and it is our job to spread awareness where we can.  Check out my new blog at bloggingwjohno.blogspot.com!

The Relation Between Hunting and Hearing Loss

Most people do not realize that hunting is often related to hearing loss in a large number of individuals. While hunting season may be a pleasurable activity and time for those who enjoy the hunt, the vast majority of these people are not protecting their ears in the way that they should. My father who has been hunting for many years has been affected by hearing loss since I can remember.  Although not the only cause, hunting has placed a lot of stress on his ears.  At the age of 75 he still likes to get out and shoot but uses hearings aids to amplify sounds and always remembers to wear his hearing protection to ensure he is properly protecting his hearing. The National Shooting Sports Foundation has recommended that those who participate in this recreational sport wear ear protection at all times. They know and understand the dangers that a sport like hunting has on the ears. It is important to protect the ears because once the hearing has been lost then it is gone forever. 

So how does hunting relate back to hearing loss? The fact of the matter is that any type of shooing sport, particularly hunting, is noisy. The loud activity can put a strain on the ears. The noise that comes from these guns during hunting is extremely loud and can cause serious exposure to the ears, leading to damage. The damage that the firearms can cause during hunting include temporary hearing loss, permanent hearing loss, constant ringing of the ears, also known as tinnitus, and gradual hearing loss which means that the hearing will begin to go over a period of time, getting worse and worse as the months and years pass on by.

There are a great deal of hunters like my father who have spent most of their spare time participating in shooting activities and sports but are now suffering from hearing impairments because they did not take the proper precaution to protect their ears and themselves from the loud exposure of the firearms. When an individual cannot hear well, they are putting themselves at risk no only while they hunt because they cannot hear what is going on around them but also in everyday life. It is for that reason that my father chose to get his ears checked out to figure out what the problem was. 

For those who are considering participating in hunting or other shooting activities but still have good hearing, prevention is the key.  The typical hunter fires about 18-20 shots at game but he or she take roughly 1,500 to 2,000 shots annually at the range in preparation for the season.  Whether out in the woods or practicing at the range there is hearing protection available that can best suit your needs.  There are earplugs that have been designed specifically for those who participate in shooting activities. The earplugs protect the ears from the loud noise and prevent the individual from suffering from any damage that would be caused. It is also important for hunters to get an annual hearing test performed by their primary physician. Keeping the ears in best health and good shape is essential, especially when participating in a sport that requires good hearing to keep aware of surroundings while hunting. For those who have been hunting without earplugs, it is time to start wearing them and protecting the ears or otherwise suffer from the consequences, which includes years of damage to the ears, that often leads to permanent hearing loss in the near future.