How I treat my ears when I'm grinding...

[BonzoHansen]

PSA alert!
You should always wear the proper personal protective equipment. Eye, and ear are very important. After all, if you poke out an eye or lose part of your hearing you will not enjoy your Camaro as much as you could.
FWIW, as your hearing goes it's not a matter of everything being muffled, certain sounds/frequencies will seem louder than others, so some things will sound a lot more annoying than they should. In other words, that Flowmaster exhaust that you love so much might become too tinny and crappy.
End PSA.

I agree. The sound of my shop vac makes my head ring, but didnt bother my neighbor at all when he was standing right next to me. I've lost a bit of my hearing over the years. Sometimes it is easier for me to hear distant sounds then the person talking to me, which can sond muffled. I read tha tis a sign of hearing damage. Damn loud cars & loud music.

 

[mach158]

eh, i just turn the stereo up

 

[Keizer]

My wife was always complaining about how bad my hearing was. She kept bugging me to have my hearing checked. I work in construction, and hardly ever wear hearing protection. I finally went and had my hearing checked. I had to sit in a sound proof room with headphones on, while they performed all these different tests.

When they were done, they complimented me on how well I must protect my ears at work. I had perfect hearing in one ear, and slightly diminished hearing in the other.

The one doctor started laughing, and said maybe your wife is talking to you as she has her back to you walking away. I started paying attention to this, and sure enough......she will ask me questions when she is facing the opposite direction as me. Then complain I can't hear when I say "what did you say?"

 

[IsnoozeU]

Full earmuffs + ear buds & iPod = Happiness

I listen to various podcasts (most racing based) with small earbuds under full sized ear muffs. I've found if I wear the left bud upside down in the right ear and vice-versa, I get better music listening with less interference with the ear bud and full muff. Also less leaks that way. I can keep the volume on the iPod a LOT lower too, which is good for the ears. Same when using the mower, blower, chainsaw, etc.

 

[JJZ28]

Ditto on the hearing protection. My doctor asked me if I ever thought about hearing aids after a hearing test. I'm 38. Too many hears of cutting, grinding, nitro cars, etc... Safety glasses are a good idea too. I once had to have something picked out of my eye with a needle.

 

[RockerMomsHotwheels]

Ditto on the hearing protection. My doctor asked me if I ever thought about hearing aids after a hearing test. I'm 38. Too many hears of cutting, grinding, nitro cars, etc... Safety glasses are a good idea too. I once had to have something picked out of my eye with a needle.

Yeah all the things you blow off when your young...