Am I going deaf?

[ladybird]

I'm not sure if it's something that has been coming a long time or if it's the combination of the new pipes and the bad weather, but I have really noticeable tinnitus on my left hand side (incidentally also the side I got hit on in the accident).
I've started wearing earplugs every day on the bike now, as opposed to just the odd occasion, to see if it makes it any better (well, it can't make it worse).
I'm sure a trip to the doctor will be necessary at some point, but is it just one of those things that 13 years of biking causes and I'll just have to live with it.

[dunlop0_1]

Had that damn ringing in both ears now for about 6 years. Their are plenty of people who claim to have a cure, but there aint one. The only thing your doc might do is send you for some tinnitus re training therapy, which is help in adjusting the way you hear the ringing. I just got used to it i suppose.:grump: Happy days eh............

[Gilps]

You have to be real careful with your hearing. Once it goes there's no getting it back. Every little bit of deterioration is permanent. I've lost a bit of my hearing due to noise in my factory and noisy lids on bikes. I always wear earplugs now. Those custom made ones are very good.

[JerryXt]

Gilps, I've heard a lot about custom plugs - where do you get them?

[Thumper]

I dont get on with earplugs at all, almost makes me feel claustrophobic on the bike not hearing much. With loud pipes and a 9 vent Arai I only have myself to blame if things go wrong.

Ladybird, go see your doc asap, the accident may have done something like perforated your eardrum... possibly not but always worth getting important things like this checked out. Hope it gets better for you.

[Nickj]

Tinnitus, if you work in a noisey environment or go to a loud gig (Fond memories of motorhead etc and ringing in ears for days) and then have the ringing in ears it's damage to hearing.
If there's been an injury then could be additional damage, slam one side of a helmet across your ear is rather like getting a flat hand slap over the ear. Get it checked out and tested.
Helmets do generate lots of noise and will stuff hearing, I have some plugs errrr in my pocket though! LOL Should know better

[Will]

If you don't wear ear plugs it is an almost 100% guaranteed certainty that your hearing will be permanently damaged.

I find earplugs great; things are just so much quieter; easier to concentrate without all that noise 'thrumming' around in one's head; longs trips would be totally unbearable with them.

Everyone's ears are different but I use those cheap throw-away Earsoft thingies - the only down-side is that I get through vast numbers of them as it it best to use new ones every ride; but a few pounds spent every month protecting one's hearing is a no-brainer, is it not?

:-)

[Gilps]

Gilps, I've heard a lot about custom plugs - where do you get them?

I use these ones when I go shooting as they have a valve in which lets you hear speech, but shuts when the gun goes pop.
http://www.greenleopard.co.uk/
A gunsmith will also do you some without the valve for bike use.

However, I got me some for the bike at one of the shows. They took the mould at the show and sent them on about 1 week later. Can't rmember what make they were though. Much better than using the disposable genereic spongy foam things that you can get. Cost about £45 for the bike ones, and £75 for my shooting ones. They can also do them with built in ear phones for listening to music.

[katana]

Maybe time to get you ears cleaned. I did and it helped. Need to go and get it done again as things are getting a bit fluffy.

Oh and no one replied with pardon.

[gremlin]

there was an article written in one of the bike glossies about this, apparently its down to wind noise and pressure within your helmet. also mentioned that for every decent ride-out, (cant remember the time or distance involved) the average biker looses 0.01% of his/her hearing. that is permanent loss !! alarming statistics, but it would account for me not hearing mrs G when she tells me slow down when she's pillion :biggrin: :biggrin:
Mr G

[Will]

there was an article written in one of the bike glossies about this, apparently its down to wind noise and pressure within your helmet. also mentioned that for every decent ride-out, (cant remember the time or distance involved) the average biker looses 0.01% of his/her hearing. that is permanent loss !! alarming statistics, but it would account for me not hearing mrs G when she tells me slow down when she's pillion :biggrin: :biggrin:
Mr G

Think it is in the latest Fast Bikes.

[gremlin]

i havent bought that comic for years :toilet: :toilet:

[Guzzirider]

I thought I was going deaf, and all those years of noisy Italian bikes and loud metal had taken its toll. Went to my GP, had a look and said it was earwax.

Got some Cerumol ear drops from my Chemist which dissolved the wax plug no problems.

[Scotty]

ahh ear plugs eh

Im semi convinced my hearing is a bit **** to begin with, and starting out with an old MX helmate persuaded me to take up earplugs almost from the off as it were and after about 5 years im just about used to them in fact I actually bought some the other month (current workplace doesn't seem to have any to scrounge) was suprised at the expense £20 a box or something
could well look into the moulded ones when i run out next time

[gremlin]

I could have sworn Machine Mart did the squishy ones really cheaply but having flicked through the tool porn catalogue I can't find them. I have tinnitus all the time but the loud cans drown it out nicely! I must admit I'm getting more wind noise in my helmet these days so I guess it's time to look for a new one.

[claicerrig]

Pm me your addresses and i will send some packets out in the post

Clai