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tinnitus/hearing loss

  • 1.  tinnitus/hearing loss

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-14-2017 12:31
    Hello all,
    In the April 3 issue of The New Yorker magazine is an article about tinnitus and hearing loss. The author mentions earmuff that hunters use to lessen the impact sound of the discharging gun. I'm wondering whether this ilk of ear protection might have uses in our profession? Does anybody out there use these, and if so, anyone care to comment on their effectiveness?  Am I speaking loudly enough? :)

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    Stephen Kabat
    Lyndhurst OH
    216-381-5662
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  • 2.  RE: tinnitus/hearing loss

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-14-2017 12:56
    I've used muffs when restringing (pounding in tuning pins) and similar extra noisy operations. Mostly I find that foam plugs work well for most noisy situations. For tuning, of course, less decibel reduction is necessary, and I have been happy with the Etymotic "musician's" plugs that Pianotek offers (I'm sure models that are molded to the ear can be somewhat better and easier to adapt to various levels of Db reduction). No tinnitus or significant hearing loss yet (36 years and counting, knock on wood).

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    Fred Sturm
    University of New Mexico
    fssturm@unm.edu
    http://fredsturm.net
    http://www.artoftuning.com
    "We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same." - Carlos Casteneda
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: tinnitus/hearing loss

    Posted 04-14-2017 15:16
    I use the ear muff type shooter's hearing protection while restringing, and any time I'm working with loud machinery in the shop. I also use them for yard work with machines or with a chain saw. One advantage with this over ear design is that I can use ear buds underneath them to listen to music, the radio, or podcasts on the phone, and still hear when I get a call... The hearing protection facilitates safe listening volume for the audio that way.

    I've got an older pair I've had for years that work great. Some of the cheaper ones they sell at the box stores are mostly plastic, and do not seem to hold up well.. I bought a couple of them at Lowes for the shop at school and both of them broke apart in the first year. I would recommend looking for something designed to hold up a little better...

    --
    Scott E. Thile
    Piano - Instrument Technician
    Murray State University



    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: tinnitus/hearing loss

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-14-2017 13:01
    I can't comment on your question directly since I have no experience with the muffs, but I recommend the ER20 ear plugs or equivalent. Small, fit in the pocket, cheap. Work well to just turn down the volume. There are ear protection valves that shooters use, but they require a pressure wave from a bullet to shut the valve, not what we need from pianos. Muffs will remove a lot of high frequency, maybe not so good for treble tuning. ER20's will also do that, so at the top I pull them at least partway out. I've also heard on this list about active ear muffs, which you can turn up or down.
    Paul McCloud
    San Diego


    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: tinnitus/hearing loss

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-14-2017 13:37
    Any CAUT from UTEP? They're working on a tinnitus cure.

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    Larry Messerly, RPT
    Bringing Harmony to Homes
    www.lacrossepianotuning.com
    ljmesserly@gmail.com
    928-899-7292
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: tinnitus/hearing loss

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-14-2017 14:03
    What's UTEP?

    Debbie Cyr
    Registered Piano Technician 
    508-202-2862 cell

    Sent from my iPhone



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  • 7.  RE: tinnitus/hearing loss

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-14-2017 14:19
    Debbie, it is the University of Texas at El Paso. 
    Very VERY interesting...

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    [Kevin] [Fortenberry] [RPT]
    [Staff Techician]
    [Texas Tech Univ]
    [Lubbock] [TX]
    [8067783962]
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: tinnitus/hearing loss

    Posted 04-14-2017 14:54

    Why the assumption the cause is solely from loud noises?  And thus settle for ear muffs?
    Read this from highly respected Doctor Joel Wallach.




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  • 9.  RE: tinnitus/hearing loss

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-14-2017 18:41
    UTEP = University of Texas at El Paso.

      Also, I was talking to some folks about tinnitus and one person volunteered that when you lose some capability to hear due to damage of the tiny hairs in the inner ear, the brain tries to compensate and creates sounds in your brain in the missing frequencies. Voila! Tinnitus. Don't quote me on that.  Just hearsay. Sounds plausible.  Mayo Clinci's web site says the following: If the hairs inside your inner ear are bent or broken, they can "leak" random electrical impulses to your brain, causing tinnitus.

    Let's hope UTEP finds a cure. Hair implants??? Unlikely.

    Richard West



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  • 10.  RE: tinnitus/hearing loss

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-14-2017 22:20
    Here is something you can do in your retirement years, Richard. Develop hair pieces for the inner ear. No one will need to know you have "implants"  lol

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    Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
    Mililani, HI 96789
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    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: tinnitus/hearing loss

    Posted 04-14-2017 13:48
    I am both a technician and competitive pistol and rifle shooter.   And, yes I have tinnitus in both ears from my early days in rock and jazz bands.

    The purpose of shooter's muffs is to block out loud noises, decreasing sudden blasts by roughly 35 db.  Foam and Etymotic plugs basically reduce background noises.  I have both and use both but I've never used shooter's muffs for tuning or concerts.  Unless, of course, you're tuning in Afghanistan or Syria. Trip mileage would also be a factor there.

    Best,
    Jim



    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: tinnitus/hearing loss

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-14-2017 17:25
    I guess I can cross post my reply:

    This is what I use:

    Hearos -
    https://www.hearos.com/collections/music/products/ultimate-softness-series-ear-plugs

    32 db attenuation, which is a lot, and the smoothest frequency response curve of any hearing protection I have looked at. Originally designed for musicians.

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    Geoff Sykes, RPT
    Los Angeles CA
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    Original Message