Hearing Loss

[alemaozinho]

I've got selective hearing,lol!

 

[flots am]

Have you had hearing damage from diving?

No idea.

I have a little hearing loss. It could be from diving or it could be from approaching the "I get a senior discount" age.

flots.

 

[lv2dive]

I don't have any age-related hearing loss. I just like the TV louder than I used to.

Love this!

So, how do you know if hearing loss related to diving or not? I've noticed a not insubstantial loss over the past couple years - which coincides with a decided uptick in my diving - but also coincides with the milestone birthday that nudged me back to diving. I'm told everything starts to break down at this point LOL so I don't know if it's the diving or just the normal hearing loss to expect at my advanced age ?

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I've had mildly muffled hearing from barotrauma, from pushing my ears (most frequently this happens from teaching sessions in the pool). It's never lasted more than a day or two.

+1

I don't have any significant hearing loss that I know of, but do occasionally have the muffly/stuffy ear feeling on occasion after a weekend of diving. It doesn't occur all of the time, and happens most frequently after an extended break from diving. Sometimes I'll go 3-4 months without diving. Getting back into it after a break like that is when it's most likely to occur. However, it's never resulted in any hearing loss.

 

[FPDocMatt]

I don't have any age-related hearing loss. I just like the TV louder than I used to.

Reminds me of the woman who said, "I don't get older, but I have noticed that photographs get younger over time."

 

[j2s]

What did you say ????.......

 

[JesperS]

80%ish loss in both ears here, can't really get by without my behind-the-ear hearing-aids. Otosclerosis, definately not caused by diving, but I don't have any trouble equalizing.

Biggest problem is understanding people when out on a boat, since I don't wear my "ears". As long as you are loud and clear and speak directly at me, we're golden.

 

[Scuba_Noob]

It's pretty interesting that about 22% of the poll responses have listed permanent ear damage or permanent hearing loss from diving. Kind of scary that the percentage is that high (though it's a very limited and likely skewed sample). Many of these responses are from highly experienced and highly trained divers.

How do you avoid such permanent damage? And how did you get that permanent damage (e.g., actions during diving, # of dives, etc.)? And what were the circumstances behind the damage (e.g., were you instructing, recreational diving, DM-ing; were the diving conditions rough, etc.)?

 

[billt4sf]

Love this!

So, how do you know if hearing loss related to diving or not? I've noticed a not insubstantial loss over the past couple years - which coincides with a decided uptick in my diving - but also coincides with the milestone birthday that nudged me back to diving. I'm told everything starts to break down at this point LOL so I don't know if it's the diving or just the normal hearing loss to expect at my advanced age ?

You could get a hearing test by an audiologist and find out if you fall in the appropriate hearing range for your age. I have the same experiences. My guess is that unless it's quite a bit of loss, neither of us would bother to do so.

- Bill

 

[Wookie]

I have permanent hearing loss. I dive. I worked in an engineroom with steam turbines from age 18-26. I'm 50 years old. You pick the cause....