Gunshot without hearing protection

[robcoe]

Today, I messed up. I was unsafe handling a firearm. I forgot to put my hearing protection back in place before firing. It was a .357 magnum and it it jacked up my ear. Fortunately, only one of my ears.
Can anyone with experience of an up close gun shot without hearing protection who suffered through the consequences shed some light on what I can expect. I know I will suffer permanent hearing loss, but should I expect any of my hearing to return, or should I expect that none of it will return? How long will the "underwater" sensation last in my ear?

Took a couple of hours for the symptoms to clear up for me(was shooting my Garand without my normal pair of earmuffs, the ones I was using were bigger and the stock slipped them off my ear without me noticing). Hurt like hell at the time but didn't suffer any permanent hearing loss(at least not an amount a hearing test could find). These days I double up to avoid that happening again.

[Schuetze]

Today, I messed up. I was unsafe handling a firearm. I forgot to put my hearing protection back in place before firing. It was a .357 magnum and it it jacked up my ear. Fortunately, only one of my ears.
Can anyone with experience of an up close gun shot without hearing protection who suffered through the consequences shed some light on what I can expect. I know I will suffer permanent hearing loss, but should I expect any of my hearing to return, or should I expect that none of it will return? How long will the "underwater" sensation last in my ear?

if you think it is a serious problem, go see your ENT doctor.

[Altahick]

it should go back to normal. gunfire is definitely bad for your ears, but its a long term kind of thing. i know a few older guys, one of them being my grandpa who never wore hearing protection and always had good hearing untill they started getting older. now they all wear hearing aids lol. i always wear hearing protection, but every once in a while i fire off a shot and realize i didnt have my ears on. i really need to get some electronic ones that i can hear with and still shoot.

[ArmedCMT]

OP, was this at an indoor range? Sorry for your loss...

[HOGDOG1955]

been hunting with a 44 mag handgun for about 25 years now and with a 357 mag for 8 years before that and have never ever wore ear protection while hunting

[DennisCA]

if you think it is a serious problem, go see your ENT doctor.

Agreed better safe than sorry!

I had a hunting fire off a shot next to me w/o giving me any warning, it hurt like hell (and I did have some ringing) but the pain and the ringing went away after a few days.

Hope you get better soon!

On the plus side if your wife, girl friend or even your boss says something you pretend you didn't hear them and prob get away with it!

[madjack956]

As kids we shot in the woods for years without hearing protection. I cant hear high pitched sounds anymore.

Lots of soldiers have many firefights under their belt with no hearing protection.

[ZirconJohn]

Gunshot without hearing protection - How long will the "underwater" sensation last in my ear?

HUH... what'd-yasayyy...???

[Manolito]

There is a lot to know about hearing loss. There is also hearing loss through bone conduction.

http://www.uchospitals.edu/online-library/content=P00458

This is a good very basic article. I would guess you won't forget again.

Prolonged exposure to 90 DB can cause a shift in hearing.

Hearing loss is not a lot of fun. I miss most conversations and find myself getting mad over something I thought I heard when infact I missed what was said. Hearing aides are not what you think. Consider a cup with a bee in it taped to your ear. Aids amplify all sounds so the sound of a fan can drive you nuts.

This is a disability that is still made fun of.

Good Luck and learn about hearing loss and the best ways to prevent it.

[Swampcrip]

Today, I messed up. I was unsafe handling a firearm. I forgot to put my hearing protection back in place before firing. It was a .357 magnum and it it jacked up my ear. Fortunately, only one of my ears.
Can anyone with experience of an up close gun shot without hearing protection who suffered through the consequences shed some light on what I can expect. I know I will suffer permanent hearing loss, but should I expect any of my hearing to return, or should I expect that none of it will return? How long will the "underwater" sensation last in my ear?

I had a 7.5in at pistol go off next to me... I think it's slightly higher than a 12g as far as db goes. I was in pain for 2 weeks before it went away. I'm slowly gettin back to normal. Right ear is a little muffled still. This happens back in July.

Give it time you will be g2g

[<blocked>]

You'll be fine. Rub some dirt on it.

[12ga]

OP, was this at an indoor range? Sorry for your loss...

This was outdoors, but the position of my head spared my right ear, but just nailed my left ear.

[12ga]

if you think it is a serious problem, go see your ENT doctor.

Agreed better safe than sorry!

I had a hunting fire off a shot next to me w/o giving me any warning, it hurt like hell (and I did have some ringing) but the pain and the ringing went away after a few days.

Hope you get better soon!

On the plus side if your wife, girl friend or even your boss says something you pretend you didn't hear them and prob get away with it!

I see little value in going to a doctor. All a doctor will do is run a test to see how much hearing I lost, or how much damage was done to my hardware. There is no treatment.

[12ga]

ZirconJohn; How long will the "underwater" sensation last in my ear?
HUH... what'd-yasayyy...???

I said Now to fill my underwear with my beer

[duckman1]

I am suffering still from a shotgun blast while hunting pheasants 5 weeks ago. Still ringing and difficult to hear with any background noise. 8 years ago I damaged the same ear with a shot at a warthog with my .300wsm and no protection.

Do yourselves a favor and wear good hearing protection.