# had your hearing checked recently?



## drf (Oct 22, 2006)

I had my hearing tested about a year ago now, then it was good down to 10dB and upto 19K. Not bad for 32. However of late I have noticed I am starting to have a lot of trouble understanding speech in environments slightly louder than normal. I also am starting to have trouble hearing dialogue in movies if I am chewing (not generally a problem before).

Does anyone else have similar experience? has your hearing been checked recently and been good, yet think you may have problems still? 

My worst fear is loosing my hearing or aspects of it. :sob:


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## goose (Sep 5, 2007)

I had mine tested in July, I notice it isn't as good so now I try and keep the HT and music
volume down a few notches.

As for movies, I know what you mean by starting to have trouble hearing dialogue, if I am chewing or moving my head.


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## thewire (Jun 28, 2007)

I checked mine using a demo software program not more than a year ago. I have slightly better hearing in my right ear. My headphones may have been wrong also. I think it is from people blasting their car stereo with me in the passenger seat.

My hearing is still excellent though. I had to retake those test when I was in school. They didn't trust me the first time but eventually caught on.


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

Eh? What was the question?


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

I couldn't hear him either... :dontknow:

When I started having ringing in my ears I went to my doctor and he tested my ears. It was something like -10db over 6KHz in one ear and -20db over 8KHz in the other. I may have those crossed up in some way... it was several years ago. I was diagnosed with tinnitus. It was bad then, but it seems like I've gotten use to it. Even when I think about it, it really doesn't bother much anymore. It is 24/7 though... and deep bass notes cause distortion sounds until I crank it on up to a certain point. I know I'm reaping the consequences of loud music most of my life, particularly in the car.


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## tweeksound (Jul 31, 2007)

Having a certified audiologist check your hearing at any point is a good idea. They do it in a controlled environment so the results are more accurate each time and the test results give you a base line to compare to in the future. If you get a test done in 20 years, you will have both tests to compare and you can say "my hearing has degraded this much in these freq's since my last test"

An audiologist can also determine what % of the hearing loss is permanent and what % can be fixed by using bone conduction.
it's very often that at least some amount of hearing loss is fixable.

Loud bass is the most damaging to all frequencies. Low freq's don't need to even "seem" very loud to cause irreparable damage.

Here is a very useful and informative chart on what levels are damaging over how long.
http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/loudness.html

You might be surprised to find that even when you think you're being good you are still listening too loud and for too long.

I carry an SPL meter around and measure level a lot.
I also have ear plugs whenever I might be in a loud environment.

Gotta be careful.


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## mechman (Feb 8, 2007)

I have my checked yearly in the soundproof booth for my airman's medical certificate. I always pass with flying colors. I have another one coming up in a couple months.

mech


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## drf (Oct 22, 2006)

lcaillo said:


> Eh? What was the question?


I SAID "ARE YOU DEF?"

hehehehe


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## tweeksound (Jul 31, 2007)

drf said:


> I had my hearing tested about a year ago now, then it was good down to 10dB and upto 19K. Not bad for 32. However of late I have noticed I am starting to have a lot of trouble understanding speech in environments slightly louder than normal. I also am starting to have trouble hearing dialogue in movies if I am chewing (not generally a problem before).
> 
> Does anyone else have similar experience? has your hearing been checked recently and been good, yet think you may have problems still?
> 
> My worst fear is loosing my hearing or aspects of it. :sob:



Hearing damage is usually only noticed when you either get a test or your or people you talk to start to notice that you have trouble understanding speech.

Having trouble telling the difference between certain words is usually a sign of hearing loss in the high freq's.

There are many causes of hearing loss. It could be treatable like wax buildup, malfunctioning bones in the ear, fluid buildup, unbalanced pressure, etc... Or it could be permanent nerve damage caused by a high fever, loud and/or constant noise, head trauma, heredity, etc...

I would go to the audiologist (maybe the same) and get another test to compare to last year.


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## drf (Oct 22, 2006)

I have noticed that when the ambient background noise starts to near typical speech levels I start to have trouble decerning words. This was the first thing I noticed. I am going to have my ears cleaned and will see if that makes a difference. If not then its back to the audiologist for me.


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## gsmollin (Apr 25, 2006)

drf said:


> I had my hearing tested about a year ago now, then it was good down to 10dB and upto 19K. Not bad for 32. However of late I have noticed I am starting to have a lot of trouble understanding speech in environments slightly louder than normal. I also am starting to have trouble hearing dialogue in movies if I am chewing (not generally a problem before).
> 
> Does anyone else have similar experience? has your hearing been checked recently and been good, yet think you may have problems still?
> 
> My worst fear is loosing my hearing or aspects of it. :sob:


I hear ya. My hearing has degraded with age. It began with a really nasty cold, or a strain of influenza that caused my ears to blockup, become blocked with wax, and my right ear began ringing. The ear blockage and wax could be corrected quickly, but the ringing, or tinitus, continued. I used some headphones and a signal generator to find the frequency, which would actually beat with the headphone tone. It was at 4200 Hz.

I went to the specialist, and told him I had a ring at 4200 Hz, and he ran the usual tests. His response to the results was raised eyebrows at the exact loss of hearing at 4200 Hz. Doctors think patients know nothing. Anyway, it's permanent. Nobody knows how to prevent or cure tinitus, but I can give you some precautions, good for anybody.

1. Don't listen to loud sounds for long periods. This can be anything. I wear earplugs when I cut the lawn. Years ago, I went to rock concerts, and wore earplugs. It actually improves the sound.

2. If your ears block up, use a decongestant. Don't let an infection get started.

3. Wash your hands a lot during cold season. Avoid people who are sick. 

4. Enjoy your young and superior hearing responsibly. It won't last forever.


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## yourgrandma (Oct 29, 2007)

I hate to bring back threads over a month old, but the degradation of my precious hearing is troubling me a lot.

I'm only twenty, but in the spring, a lapse in judgement partially brought about by Grain Belt Premium, resulted in a pretty major trauma to my ears. I was lighting my home made cannon and the fuse jumped, causing the blast from the vent hole to blow right in my face. The muscle in there contracted and i didnt start to hear better for at least four or five days. Needless to say i was pretty upset. Still am actually, as i do have a ring, and a noticeable distortion. Sounds almost like a blown tweeter.

I went to a doctor to make sure I hadnt perforated an eardrum, she sait it was just inflamed and other than decreased sensitivity, everything should come back to normal. Well not quite, but after having read mention of possible improvements through medical prosedures, I'm definately going to an audiologist. It pains me to not be able to tell the differance between an optical and medium quality analog cable from mt CD player, an excersise I once was good at, I can now barely tell.


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## tweeksound (Jul 31, 2007)

You have my sympathy.

I hate hearing damage and preach caution all the time.

I hope the conductive damage heals up and you regain all your hearing.


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## yourgrandma (Oct 29, 2007)

Thanks for that, usually people seem to think "ah, well you can hear me talkin, right? Whats the problem?"

It takes an appreciation for aural pleasures to understand how this affects someone like us.


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## imbeaujp (Oct 20, 2007)

Deep loud bass are the most domagable frequency... 

I work as a DJ for about 10 years and I got some hearing problems now.

Is it a software we could download to check that ?

JP


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## eugovector (Sep 4, 2006)

Everyone should be issued, at birth, some Etymotic ER-20 earplugs. Best $12 I've ever spent, and gsmollin is right, rock concerts sound better when they're not painful.

I wear my plugs on airplanes, sometimes in movie theaters, and obviously at concerts. I'm rarely without them.

My attempt at hearing protection evangelism.


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## Basspig (May 24, 2007)

tweeksound said:


> Having a certified audiologist check your hearing at any point is a good idea. They do it in a controlled environment so the results are more accurate each time and the test results give you a base line to compare to in the future. If you get a test done in 20 years, you will have both tests to compare and you can say "my hearing has degraded this much in these freq's since my last test"
> 
> An audiologist can also determine what % of the hearing loss is permanent and what % can be fixed by using bone conduction.
> it's very often that at least some amount of hearing loss is fixable.
> ...




Very interesting comment about damage at bass frequencies. I'm not sure that I would agree with it, based on the fact that longer wavelengths can't enter the tiny ear canal completely-formed, whereas high frequencies are closer to being able to do so because the wavelengths are closer to the dimension of the ear canal opening.

Low frequencies have such long wavelengths that they are almost completely ineffective at entering the canal, except by barometric pressure changes. If I were to agree with one theory, it would be that coupling is pressure mode, in that slower, but large, changes in barometric pressure can cause possible damaging excursions of the ear drum itself.

I looked at the link and some of the figures seem incorrect, particularly the orchestra:

Symphonic music peak 120 - 137dB 

Since I record orchestras regularly, I measure the peak SPL from various locations in a typical hall. Some of the loudest peaks I've measured for a 60-piece orchestra were in the 105dB (flat) or 97dB(a-weighted) range from the balconey, and only 5-6 dB higher at the first row of the audience below. In fact, I've noted dramatic bass (room) gain toward the back of these halls, such that the bass instruments are more dominant way up there in the 'rush' seats.

I think that the loudest sound figure on that chart is inaccurate as well; I think the number is more like 197dB. Check this out:

The dB SPL equivalent figure is calculated like this:

Starting with the definition of 0 dB :

0 dB SPL = 0.0002 micro-Bars ( = 1/5000th)

( 1 Bar = atmospheric pressure.)

1 micro-Bar = 5000 times the SPL level of 0dB

1 micro-Bar = 20 log5000 = 74 dB SPL

1 Bar = 1,000,000 times the above pressure

20log 1,000,000 = 120

So adding 120 to 74 = 194 dB SPL

If you use the " correct " peak values ( ie 2 Bar and 0.00028 
micro-Bar) the figure is then 197 dB SPL.

In simpler terms:

dB = 20*log(p/pref)
p at sea level = 14.7 psia = 101352.9 pascals
pref = 20 micropascals

So,

dB = 20*log(101352.9/0.00002)
dB = 194 for 1 atmosphere at sea level


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## drf (Oct 22, 2006)

I have found a lot of those sites that list relative SPL's to be somewhat in contention myself. I don't necessarily dispute their measurments, but I do question if they are properly weighted and what other factors might be causing the measurements to be a little inacurate. The last time I saw a list of relative SPL's was in an article that was trying to insinuate that wind farms were extremely noisy, it did this by comparing measurements taken at different distances using different weightings. It would be nice if all sites like that qualified there measurements with specs on setup and environmental info.


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## Bent (May 24, 2006)

I have my hearing checked and charted once per year as part of my employer's hearing conservation program, as I'm exposed to very high sound pressure levels for extended periods of time. 
Because I regularilly use hearing protection. I have no loss in either ear across all test frequencies (0 dB loss in either ear.)

But I still can't hear someone next to me in a high-noise environment, the audiologist indicated that is quite normal for those with exceptional hearing.

In fact, my hearing is so good, I can actually hear in the dark. :hide:


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## drf (Oct 22, 2006)

Bent said:


> In fact, my hearing is so good, I can actually hear in the dark. :hide:


Well I can hear it when light bounces of walls :neener:

Seriously, it is comforting to know I am not the only one who has trouble understanding language in a noisey environment.


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## Basspig (May 24, 2007)

Another thing not mentioned in several of these sites is distance to sound producer. Distance affects the intensity of an isotropic radiator by the inverse square. So either these measurements are made up close to the instruments (literally inches away), or there are serious calibration errors with the instrument doing the measurement.
Weighting makes a 9dB difference with orchestral music, so the maximum unweighted sound pressure that I've seen with an orchestra is still under 110dB in the front row. The high 90s is more like it for A-weighted measurements. A hotel orchestra would come in even lower than this.
Club bands (amplified ballad rock) seem to peak at around 114dB (flat).
I frequently get a kick out of all the absurd SPL readings that competition car audio systems supposedly generate.

Regarding hearing, back when I was in my early twenties, I could hear bats' sonar shrieks at night in the park, where one could see the bats flying around and roosting in the willow trees. Those were the days.. When the first FM stereophonic multiplex broadcasts started happening, I remember being able to tell a station broadcasting stereo by the audible (to my ears) 19Kc pilot tone. In 1962, Lester Karg gave me one of his laboratory FM tuners, which I have had for over 35 years, and I could hear pilot tones on this tuner as well, because the low pass filter was only 6dB.oct slope. I never bought the Knight Kit stereo adapter for it, as my system back then was mono, with a single Aristocrat KD6 speaker enclosure. I had Bozak tweeters that Rudy Bozak gave me when he had his plant near where I lived at the time in Stamford, and they were about the best there was at that time, extending all the way to 20Kc. As such, I had no difficulty hearing the FM stereo pilot tones.

But now today I can't even hear the UPS truck pull up my driveway for a delivery.


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## Steve. (Oct 26, 2007)

exsqueeze me, baking powder ?


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## thewire (Jun 28, 2007)

Anyone want to loan me their headphones? Mine broke around the time I took my test last year but I promise to use them just for a new test. :flex:


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## warpdrive (May 6, 2007)

I checked my heading using the online programs. My hearing is ok, as I'm middle aged now, I lost sensitivity above 15Khz, and a tad bit in the lowest bass. I'm not sure how accurate the test was because I used some in-ear monitors which roll off above 16Khz but overall my ears seem on course for my age group.


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## thewire (Jun 28, 2007)

Well I have decided to go to the doctor and get my ear checked out. For the past month my right has sounded a little bit boomy. Sometimes it would begin to feel funny while in the HT and when that would happen I would stop watching movies a couple days for it to feel normal again for many months. I releave the pressure druing movies and it seems to at least feel better. Then this past month the right side of my head has felt sore and my ear would keep poping. Now the soreness is gone on the right side of my head but the ear keeps opening and closing. There has been an unsual amount of build up of ear wax in it. I cannot hear the high pitch noises out of the right side (above 10K) very well today and it occassionaly becomes closed. I am having a difficult time with this. I hope that the doctor can help me, because I have not been able to enjoy the HT.

I do not know if it is directly related to how I have setup my speakers, but the right speaker in my setup has a dip at the same frequency and a peak at the same frequencies I am having problems with as I have setup them by ear. I hope that it is tremporary, and not related to hearing loss caused by my room, and that I will be able to go to the doctor today.


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## thewire (Jun 28, 2007)

I was advised not to go to the doctor quite yet. I have been using ear wax removal system a couple days and my hearing has returned and it sounds normal. Still has some mild pressure in it so I will have another treatment if it persist, and then see the doc or have a family member borrow a device from the hospital to check in there.


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