[anearfull]

Last night my wife and I went out to a local blues bar with another couple. OUCH! … I wonder if my hearing will ever recover? Our table was right adjacent to the band and about 5 feet from a wall of speakers. The sound level was excruciating so I spent a good part of the first set with my fingers stuck in my ears (which looked sort of an insulting to the musicians who were actually very good).

Eventually I took my beer and sat in a toilet stall where the thumping through the wall was down near tolerable levels. I went back to our table between sets and my three companions were laughing at me for being such a wimp. They thought the sound level was “just right” for having a good time but the pain in my left ear told me otherwise. During the second set I went for a long walk outside however I gave up and sat at our table during the band’s third set without plugging my ears.

This morning I’m regretting it. Both ears feel hot and flushed inside the ear canal and my left ear feels like there’s an ant crawling around in it. They aren't actually ringing but everything sounds muffled.

If I ever go back to that bar I’m going equipped with proper earplugs. I’ve ridden a motorcycle for over 20 years and have learned the value of always wearing industrial strength earplugs. I’d no sooner ride my bike without earplugs as ride without a helmet. I’ve tried them all and the best ones I’ve found are these 33 db gems:

http://www.aearo.com/html/products/hearing/earsoft.htm

I could kick myself for not thinking to bring a pair of them with me last night

 

[chadbang]

That really sucks. Protect your hearing at all cost. I now have tinitis because of overdoing it with headphones. Permanent condition. I have to wear earplugs if I just go out into Bangkok. One day a bus blew its horn about 10 feet behind me and my ears rang for two weeks. It's a horrible condition and the first phases of it practically drive you mad. I'm still forced to take xanax to alleiviate its symptoms and some of the stress. Yes, carry earplugs to any concert.

 

[gerG]

You need Etymotic ER20s. Balanced responce attenuators that are only $10/pair. Find them on Etymotic's site, or at headphone.com. Fantastic for concerts.

I used to stuff cotton in my ears at concerts. I could vary the density to accomodate different levels of gain. I took a lot of grief for it, but I get the last laugh.

I was at a Jean Luc Ponty concert many years ago. The sound men kept cranking it up all through the course of the concert (standard trick). I already had my ears stuffed, and was doing just fine. Ponty (electric violinist) was not. He kept motioning to the guys at the console to turn it down. They would drop it a db, then as the stage rotated around they would ramp it back up 3. He finally slomped off the stage, leaving the band there fidgiting. He came back and resumed playing in about 5 minutes. I was probably the only person there who spotted the cotton stuffed in his ears!

Get the Ety filters, you will love them.


gerG

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Quote:

Originally posted by anearfull This morning I’m regretting it. Both ears feel hot and flushed inside the ear canal and my left ear feels like there’s an ant crawling around in it. They aren't actually ringing but everything sounds muffled.

Probably comes from having fingers stuck in them for extended periods of time. They're not used to that kind of treatment either!!!

It is quite possible to damage your hearing in just one night of high volume like you were subjected to!! Hopefully everything will be alright in a few days, and the hearing won't suffer!!!

 

[lextek]

After years of motorcycle racing, air tolols airplane engines and gunshots (82d Airborne). I have a slight hearing loss at 4hz. And that slight Tinnitus. So yes protect your hearing. I always have a pair of the soft plugs in at work. At home I have the big earmuff style for use with various power tools.

 

[elipsis]

what?

 

[Old Pa]

Yup, shooting, power tools, motorcycling all cry out for some level of sound attenuation. I've been referring to ear plugs as "marital aids" for so many years that most of my pals do too.