Shooting a gun is an exhilarating experience. However, it can also be dangerous if you don’t take the proper precautions. One of those precautions is using ear protection when shooting firearms. Without it, your ears could suffer permanent damage and hearing loss over time.
However, every shot from a gun damages hair cells in the inner ears, resulting in hearing loss. Hearing is an essential tool for hunters to detect noises around them when they are out hunting.
You should always wear ear protection when shooting any firearm because loud noises damage the inner ear and cause long-term problems such as tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or even complete deafness over time.
Why shooting a firearm without ear protection can be dangerous?
Shooting a gun at close range can cause hearing damage. This includes both temporary and permanent issues. Temporary damage ranges from ringing in the ears to temporary deafness. Permanent damage could include tinnitus and hearing loss.
When hunters go out into the woods, they often don’t realize how loud their surroundings are. The sound of gunshots and other loud noises from nearby hunters can damage your ears if you aren’t wearing earplugs or earmuffs.
This is especially true when hunting with rifles, which produce sounds as high as 140 decibels (dB). For reference, a normal conversation at home measures around 60 dBs while standing next to an airplane taking off measures around 100 dB! That means that even one shot from a rifle has the potential to cause permanent hearing loss in just one second!
Why is there a need to protect your ear during a firearm?
If you are in an area where there are multiple shooters, the noise levels will be much higher than normal, and your risk for hearing loss increases exponentially. You should always wear earplugs or earmuffs when firing any type of weapon to prevent permanent damage to your ears.
The longer you go without wearing them, the more likely you will suffer some sort of hearing loss later on in life. And once again, if there are other people around who are also firing weapons simultaneously as you, their combined noise level could cause serious harm even with proper equipment!
I will go through a few reasons why wearing earplugs while shooting a firearm is brilliant and should become part of your gear bag.
- Hearing Loss – Studies have shown that exposure to loud noise can lead to hearing loss over time, especially when the ears are exposed during long periods, such as at sporting events or concerts.
- Brain Injury – Loud noises cause this injury, yet people continue to ignore the risk. Over 2 million Americans suffer from this type of brain injury each year.
- Noise-Induced Tinnitus – This condition occurs when sound levels exceed a certain threshold which causes damage to the inner ear. The result is that people hear ringing or buzzing sounds, usually in one or both ears. Loud ringing can also occur outside of the ears and even inside the head.
- Prevention of Hearing Damage – Many studies show that wearing hearing protectors when shooting reduces the chance of damaging your hearing.
- Keeps Ears from getting Gun Shot – Earplugs help reduce the shock wave effect on the eardrums, causing less damage than if nothing were done. This, in turn, will prevent permanent hearing loss.
- Prevents Infection – Wearing ear protection helps keep your body free from infection from bacteria entering your ear canal. Ear infections are very common during firearm training and range use.
Protection is the key
If you want to protect your ears while still enjoying the thrill of hunting, it’s essential to wear some form of hearing protection every time you head out into the wilderness. Make sure that you use high-quality earplugs or muffs explicitly designed for shooters, so they will fit properly and provide maximum noise reduction without distorting sound quality too much.
Several different types are available, including foam plugs, rubber plugs, electronic devices like headphones or amplifiers, and more advanced options like custom-fit molds made by audiologists specifically for your ears. This way, your hearing will be protected from loud blasts while still allowing for clear communication between other people at the range!
No matter what type of device you choose, though, make sure it fits properly, so it doesn’t fall out during use! And remember – always consult an audiologist before using any kind of hearing aid or device on yourself or others! They will help ensure that whatever product you choose is safe for your unique situation.
The Bottom Line
You must wear ear protection when shooting. You may not realize how loud gunshots are until you experience them for yourself. It is that recommended that users choose a combination of earplugs and earmuffs for safety and comfort.
The earplug should fit snugly with no gaps between the user’s head and the plug. Earplugs or muffs can help protect against NIHL(Noise-Induced Hearing Loss) by reducing the intensity of sound reaching your eardrums. They provide some level of comfort as well!
