PROTECT YOUR EARS - ear plugs, hearing loss, deafness

Re: PROTECT YOUR EARS.

I finally got through the hole thread, pfew a lot of double posting, but still there was nobody who uses toiletpaper as earplugs! well i do and even after several hours of practise i dont have the slightest ringing nor pain, but does that mean it's good enough? Or do i have to wait 10 years for the answer? When i put it in the sound is reduced drastically but i dont know if it's completely airtight - would i be able to hear if it's not airtight? i mean can it sound airtight and not be at all and thus harming my ears?

Btw i believe that this is the cheapest of all earplugs, but they are pretty hard to clean though;)
 
Re: PROTECT YOUR EARS.

You need to get proper ear protection. Toilet paper may prevent you from having any pain or whatnot but it does not protect your ears.
 
Re: PROTECT YOUR EARS.

I can attest to what many years of playing without ear protection can do. I have tinnitus, and can only describe it as a constant ringing in my ears. There is no escaping the ringing - ever. Remember going to a loud concert and going to bed that night? Your ears were no doubt ringing (if it was a good concert!). Well, this is what it's like 24/7. It also removes frequencies that you're not aware of. As an example, in my office I have a paper shredder which has an "alarm" when it's full. A coworker was complaining of a high pitched sound that was driving him crazy, only to find out it was my shredder. I couldn't hear it, and it sits right next to me!!!!!! It apparently was in a frequency that has been eliminated or drastically diminished in my hearing.

Please take this thread seriously. BTW, I now wear protection religiously to save whatever hearing I have left....

Saint
 
Re: PROTECT YOUR EARS.

Inspired by this thread, yesterday i tried some of those foam thingies i had lying around - i didn't use to like them because i almost couldn't hear anything through them - but when i popped them in my pearl export sounded all "prokit like", great!!!! I guess it's because last time i played with those plugs was in a different room... well i' ve got a little bit of buzzing in my ears last night but i guess it might be for not fitting them properly....
 
Re: PROTECT YOUR EARS.

I remember having a practice with a local band, to see if I was interested, sort of meet and greet thing. I declined earplugs they offered me because I didn't know some of the songs and didn't want to miss anything.
The volume they played at just for a practice was astounding, It was the only time I've cracked a cymbal because of how hard I was hitting it, and I could barely hear it. After an hour I couldn't hear a conversation 7ft away, it was just ringing.

I get those yellow foam earplugs for free at work... not that we're allowed to use them at work, because it apparently interferes with us hearing horns from machinery. They're just legally obliged to provide them.
I took another 20 pairs tonight and stashed them in cymbal cases, my stick bag and hardware case.
 
Hearing Protection...!!

Hi guys,

I have been playing drums for 7 years and one of my biggest concerns in this meantime has been HOW to protect effectivelly my hearing from the excessive level of noise.

I have used the Vic Firth Isolation headphones (db22), some 3M intra-auricular plugs and recently I have bought also a Shure E2 in-ear phone... As you can see I am REALLY concerned about protecting my hearing!!

But the thing is that when playing in live situations or even in studio the decibels can easily reach 115/120, and Using a E2, or a Db22 seems not to be enough to protect our hearing from potential damge (hearing loss)...

To be honest even using the E2 in a low volume + the Db22, sometimes when I finish to practice (playing along my mp3) I feel that my hearing was a little bit damaged...

What other possible protection do you know or use???

Regards
 
Re: Hearing Protection...!!

I'm not sure if you would've given these a go yet, but I can highly recommend Doc's Proplugs. I've had a set since last Christmas (seven months now) and they have made a massive and noticable difference to the condition of my ears after practice. Admittedly I'm not a particularly loud player, but these ear plugs are relatively cheap and do an exceptional job in my experience.
 
Re: Hearing Protection...!!

I suggest you go to an audiologist and go over your concerns with him

For band practice I use the foam earplugs with about a 30 dB noise reduction level. For gigs I use the "musicians" earplugs with a 22 db reduction. Flatter frequency response.

Check out this site, I buy my plugs there, best prices and info. www.earplugstore.com.

They also make these foam plugs that are designed for guys firing artillery that just cut out TONS of DB. Too much for me but might be what you want.

You're smart, I was stupid when I was younger and now my right ear has about 30% hearing loss. It SUCKS!!!
 
Re: Hearing Protection...!!

Guilherme BSB said:
Hi guys,

I have been playing drums for 7 years and one of my biggest concerns in this meantime has been HOW to protect effectivelly my hearing from the excessive level of noise.

I have used the Vic Firth Isolation headphones (db22), some 3M intra-auricular plugs and recently I have bought also a Shure E2 in-ear phone... As you can see I am REALLY concerned about protecting my hearing!!

But the thing is that when playing in live situations or even in studio the decibels can easily reach 115/120, and Using a E2, or a Db22 seems not to be enough to protect our hearing from potential damge (hearing loss)...

To be honest even using the E2 in a low volume + the Db22, sometimes when I finish to practice (playing along my mp3) I feel that my hearing was a little bit damaged...

What other possible protection do you know or use???

Regards
Click to expand...

You sound like me lol!

With the E2C's I doubt you could get any better, when fitted properly they have 30 to 35db isolation depending on which adapters you choose.

I'm surpised that you say that even the E2C's dont seem to be enough protection. My band tends to play pretty loud, and even me being a bit paranoid, I feel pretty satisfied.

I don't understant how you could have your ears damaged with that kind of gear, unless:
a) you are monitoring or you have a sound source too loud in the E2C's;
b) you have not fitted them properly or you have not chosen the right adapters.

What do you think?


Cheers,
Christopher.
 
Re: PROTECT YOUR EARS.

That's actually a great site! Although it's in the US, it's still a great place to see what avaiable on the market!!

We get the sprak plugs for free at work, but i think they're to small for me. Sometimes when i have them in if i kind of open my mouth then it can create a little airhole so the sound goes though with no reduction at all and that's pretty dangerous i think! And we all now that drummers have no control of their facial muscels while playing, right?!! ;) So i guess i need some bigger one's, or at least some that expand very rapidly so they can close the hole right away, and not like the spark plugs which are very slow. you have to wait for some 15 seconds after you put them in before you can play!!!

Are there no comments on the toiletpaper/cottonballs???
 
Re: PROTECT YOUR EARS.

Paradiddle my snizzle said:
Are there no comments on the toiletpaper/cottonballs???
Click to expand...

Why do you want more comments? That stuff just does not protect your ears period.
 
Re: PROTECT YOUR EARS.

You of course see it as a fact that paper wont protect the ears, but i am not sure because i've only seen one guy on an internet site claiming that it's a fact. It doesn't make it a fact that more people would say the same thing, but it does make it much more likely.

So i dont mean to disrespect your opinion and i hope you understand my point :)
 
Re: PROTECT YOUR EARS.

Paradiddle my snizzle said:
You of course see it as a fact that paper wont protect the ears, but i am not sure because i've only seen one guy on an internet site claiming that it's a fact. It doesn't make it a fact that more people would say the same thing, but it does make it much more likely.

So i dont mean to disrespect your opinion and i hope you understand my point :)
Click to expand...

DRUM magazine, May 2006, page 28: "Ordinary cotton balls or tissue paper wads pressed into the ear canals are very poor ear protectors"

"cotton and tissue are useless" http://www.hearnet.com/at_risk/risk_at_risk.shtml

From the American Academy of Otolaryngology (http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/hearing/noise_hearing.cfm): "Ordinary cotton balls or tissue paper wads stuffed into the ear canals are very poor protectors; they reduce noise only by approximately 7 dB."

The consensus among the experts is clear -- ask any audiologist, MD, or aging rocker. Since it's your hearing, I think you owe it to yourself to check it out more thoroughly.

Personally, I have used the 20dB one size fits all flat attentuation earplugs (no sound distortion unlike regular plugs) that cost about $20, made by Hearos or Macks, before shelling out for some custom fitted 25dB flat attenuators. I can hear all the parts in the music better with them in -- my ears aren't so overwhelmed.
 
Re: PROTECT YOUR EARS.

Paradiddle my snizzle said:
You of course see it as a fact that paper wont protect the ears, but i am not sure because i've only seen one guy on an internet site claiming that it's a fact. It doesn't make it a fact that more people would say the same thing, but it does make it much more likely.

So i dont mean to disrespect your opinion and i hope you understand my point :)
Click to expand...

I see it as a fact because I've done research on ear protecting by reading about it in Modern Drummer, Internet etc. (And I believe you should have done the same.) If that not enough for you just read the post above.


Peace out,
Christopher
 
Re: PROTECT YOUR EARS.

Paradiddle my snizzle said:
Thank you guys for posting! On thursday i'll go to the biggest store in Denmark and see what they got.

:)
Click to expand...

I'm happy to read that, take care of your ears, and enjoy yourself playing!!


All the best,
Christopher.
 
Re: PROTECT YOUR EARS.

What's the cheapest way I can protect my ears? I have no money.
 
Re: PROTECT YOUR EARS.

drummerchick435 said:
What's the cheapest way I can protect my ears? I have no money.
Click to expand...

Those yellow foam ear-plugs they cost near nothin' and in some places you can get them for free.
 
Post gig ear trouble, any advice please?. . .

Hi guys,

Last night I done a gig and forgot my ear plugs. The room was the worst for acoustics ive ever seen, all wooden floors etc and the sound was very loud and boomy, especially in the bass frequencies, to the point where things almost sounded out of tune even though they were not.

Today Ive woken up and my right ear feels very uncomfortable, its extremely sensitive, yet feels a bit muffled at the same time, my balance feels a bit off, I occasionally get a strange pulsating sensation in my ear, and finally the area around my ear, temple, and above my right eye, feels very hot and slightly numb.

I have no ringing in my ear and have certainly not gone deaf in one side, but I am really beginning to feel concerned about it now. I am gonna go see my doctor tommorow morning but I am wondering if any of you have experienced anything similar to rest my mind?

Thanks for your help as always

Neil
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top