Though going for hunting or target practice are fun packed activities, they are also dangerous. This is because the noise of gunshots can put you at risk without proper ear protection for shooting. Continue reading to find out how:
Risks of Not Using Ear Protection for Shooting
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Permanent Hearing Loss
Gunshots range from 140 dB to 175 dB. A 0.22 rifle gunfire is more than 140 decibels as are all pistol, revolver and shotgun shots. Sounds of 130 decibels or above can lead to instant and permanent hearing damage. This means if firearm noise is heard by an unprotected ear, it can result in permanent hearing impairment.
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Ears Don’t Get Tougher When Exposed To Noise, They Stop Working
Unlike the muscle tissues that tend to become stronger when strained because of excessive physical activities; specialized tissues of our nervous systems for hearing don’t respond to abuse the same way. Instead, they lose their performance and functionality.
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Hearing Problems
Inappropriate ear protection for shooting can lead to hearing problems like tinnitus, ringing, humming and hissing inside the ears. With time, these problems can become quite severe.
How to Protect Your Ears?
As all gunshots are dangerous for normal human hearing, it is vital to use ear protection. In fact, it should be considered as an essential aspect of gun safety. Here are some of the best hearing protection options for shooting:
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Noise Cancelling Ear Plugs
Noise cancelling ear plugs are soft ear plugs. They are mostly made from plastic or foam, and are placed in the ear opening. These ear protectors are designed to cancel and block the noise of gunshots. They dampen and muffle the sounds, thereby protecting your ears from hearing problems and loss.
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Electronic Shooting Ear Muffs
These ear muffs provide excellent hearing protection to shooters. Electronic ear muffs help:
- Dampen the noise of gunshots
- Protect your hearing
- Facilitate effective communication
- Allow you to maintain situational awareness.
These ear muffs feature built in amplifiers which shut down when a muzzle blast strikes the ear cup, thereby providing full-rated noise protection. Also, they selectively filter sounds, allowing the user to hear safe sounds only, which is much needed to maintain situational awareness and communication with other shooters.
