Tinnitus, Hearing Loss, Traffic

[Miranda]

Appreciate those responses. Very helpful info. I did not realize about the string style of musician ear plugs carrying the noise when touched. Good to know, and a question to ask the doc. I have not been to see this ENT for myself. Have the relationship with both kids there as patients. Just makes me sad. Our hearing as cyclists is so important for our safety. Besides just in general for life. Any more thoughts welcomed. Takes a couple weeks to get in to the doc. Then the hearing screen appt comes later I believe. Will check in for more responses. Also report back on the doc when the time arrives. Thx

[lph]

I hesitated before posting this, because I know a lot of people disagree, and some violently, and I really don't feel like rehashing it all over again. But you did ask for personal expereinces, so here's mine

I ride with earplugs and with music on. I still hear traffic, but I don't hear it from a long distance. I compensate by using my eyes. I turn around and look a LOT. I feel that hearing is very subordinate to eyesight when it comes to taking in my surroundings. When I take the earplugs out I hear more, and louder, but it doesn't feel like it tells me anything I didn't already know. If I have to ride home wearing glasses rather than my contacts it freaks me out, though.

Caveat: I ride either on city roads where there's traffic all the time, at not very high speeds, (i.e., I have to ride in a straight line at all times anyway, and there are very few vehicles "suddenly" turning up) or on bike paths where there's no traffic at all. I might choose to not wear earplugs if I rode on roads with little but high-speed traffic.

I think that if you need to wear earplugs, you will adapt just fine, but you might have to retrain the way you ride.

[Mr. Bloom]

lph: Isn't Norway one of the happiest and friendliest countries in the world? That makes a difference too...but I'm not putting anything in my ears. I'm as concerned by animals darting into the road than I am cars.

In addition, that mask scares people...ninja cyclist - better watch out

Hijack ended...back to tinnitus

[Tuckervill]

Okay, I've been lazy about posting about this, since the pictures aren't on my computer...but...

We went to Jamaica on our cruise last month, and did a downhill mountain biking excursion. (Your imagination is NOT good enough to envision this, unless you've been to Jamaica.) I don't have a picture of this, but a GIGANTIC PIG came out of the jungle on one side of the road, crossed in front of me, and disappeared into the jungle on the other side!

If I had had earplugs on, I wouldn't have heard it squealing at me. I've never laughed so hard in my life! Unfortunately, I was only with the two teenage female guides at that point (not my family or other passengers) and their aplomb about it all lessened my enjoyment!

Karen

[OakLeaf]

We-e-e-e-ll, no I haven't been to Jamaica, but I doubt that a mountain bike track with pigs running across it has traffic noise exceeding 80 dBA which is what's street legal for a single vehicle at low RPM, never mind illegally modified exhaust systems, revving motors, or the collective noise of hundreds of vehicles at once.

And if you don't protect your hearing when you're in traffic and wind up with severe hearing loss, then you'll hear even less of your surroundings.

[Tuckervill]

Oak, I was responding to Mr. Silver being afraid of animals running out in front of him. It was all a tongue-in-cheek sidetrack.

A PIG ran out in front of me. It was funny. Sorry you didn't get it.

Karen

[OakLeaf]

Oh, okay, sorry. I'm used to animals being a big safety issue, all the time. And hearing protection. Comes from the motorcycling side more than bicycling, especially the latter, but deer is probably the #1 thing that scares me on fast descents on the velo.

[Miranda]

Okay, I've been lazy about posting about this, since the pictures aren't on my computer...but...

We went to Jamaica on our cruise last month, and did a downhill mountain biking excursion. (Your imagination is NOT good enough to envision this, unless you've been to Jamaica.) I don't have a picture of this, but a GIGANTIC PIG came out of the jungle on one side of the road, crossed in front of me, and disappeared into the jungle on the other side!

If I had had earplugs on, I wouldn't have heard it squealing at me. I've never laughed so hard in my life! Unfortunately, I was only with the two teenage female guides at that point (not my family or other passengers) and their aplomb about it all lessened my enjoyment!

Karen

It's been many years, but I have been to Jamacia before. Yes, I can totally picture the pig! No biking for me in those days. But I did climb Dunn's River Falls. Been over 10yrs ago, don't know if you can still do it. OK, the only thing I could think when I was doing it was... you could never do this in the US with the liability/sue factor... this is crazy. But it sure was fun, in a sick sorta way. Thx for the thoughts about hearing stuff on rides.

[Tuckervill]

It's been many years, but I have been to Jamacia before. Yes, I can totally picture the pig! No biking for me in those days. But I did climb Dunn's River Falls. Been over 10yrs ago, don't know if you can still do it. OK, the only thing I could think when I was doing it was... you could never do this in the US with the liability/sue factor... this is crazy. But it sure was fun, in a sick sorta way. Thx for the thoughts about hearing stuff on rides.

They still climb Dunn's River Falls. It's a big attraction and from what I heard they shuttle you through like cattle, and try to rip you off in the shops afterwards. I didn't do it because it sounded like it would be crowded, and other passengers said it was. The mountain biking was actually on a road, if you could call it that. Little shacks on either side, people and starving dogs and taverns up and down the road. We even stopped at the elementary school and met some of the children--the guide was very proud of the school. It was fun, especially the pig! But Jamaica itself is bittersweet.

Karen

[Miranda]

I hesitated before posting this, because I know a lot of people disagree, and some violently, and I really don't feel like rehashing it all over again. But you did ask for personal expereinces, so here's mine

I ride with earplugs and with music on. I still hear traffic, but I don't hear it from a long distance. I compensate by using my eyes. I turn around and look a LOT. I feel that hearing is very subordinate to eyesight when it comes to taking in my surroundings. When I take the earplugs out I hear more, and louder, but it doesn't feel like it tells me anything I didn't already know. If I have to ride home wearing glasses rather than my contacts it freaks me out, though.

Caveat: I ride either on city roads where there's traffic all the time, at not very high speeds, (i.e., I have to ride in a straight line at all times anyway, and there are very few vehicles "suddenly" turning up) or on bike paths where there's no traffic at all. I might choose to not wear earplugs if I rode on roads with little but high-speed traffic.

I think that if you need to wear earplugs, you will adapt just fine, but you might have to retrain the way you ride.

I confess to riding with music pre-all of my hearing concerns coming to the surface. I didn't use earplugs tho. I know this will sound insaine, but I used the mp3 function of my cell phone w/portable speakers at a low level. Affixed to the top tube of my bike. With car traffic, could not hear the music, just cars. Good thing. In dead silence on the road, I could hear the tunes without my ears being plugged in. Stopped that tho. I know riders who use one ear plug with an Ipod. Like the right ear, and the left closest to passing traffic no plug. Music motivates my pedaling, so thus why I used it. But, now I'm done with the problem I have. I do think I could maybe use a filtered ear plug for the closest traffic ear. Maybe nothing on the other side. I'm hoping the ENT doc will have some feedback on that for me. I would imagine too that it depends on what amount of hearing loss I have, AND what is an appropriate trade off in my specific case.

[Miranda]

Thx to all above as well... still checking for your helpful thoughts.

[shootingstar]

I hope you'll find a range of different things to motivate your cycling Miranda.

I actually avoid using earplugs and headsets. I get abit of an headache after awhile. I'm the sort of person that literally sits through a 3-hr. plane flight, with the tv on ahead and intermittedly reading a magazine and watching the movie.

But am pretty wierd, until I moved in with my partner over 7 years ago, I didn't live in a household with a tv for about ...20 yrs. I will sometimes play music cds at home on my computer. And have a tiny cd music collection ..that I seem to only remember when I need classical music (baroque) to do oil painting..

and I don't like using a cellphone and hence, don't have one yet. My hearing has been tested twice in past 4 years...and it's normal.

I actually welcome many different outdoor noises while cycling..except for constant trucks. Really it's more polluted air that is bothersome rather than car noise.

It is visual variety in the environment that stimulates me in cycling, to keep on going, to see more... not music. ..probably another reason why this sport has hooked me..since that visual stimulation spills over into other areas of my life. To me, cycling is seeing, learning more about the world around me..

[Miranda]

Thx girls for the additional thoughts. Yes, it is true about the ride motivation. I love the music beat, but the views of the Mother Nature are very motivating as well. My last outdoor loop had one beautiful country home with a sprawling front yard, full of all types of flowers. It was right at the center of the route. It always made me want to make the whole loop just to see the flowers. Regardless if I was getting a bit tired, I'd ride just a bit harder "to make it to the flowers".

[HillSlugger]

I have tinnitus and hearing loss in my left ear as a result of Meniere's syndrome. As was said earlier, I don't know what silence is. I don't tend to notice it during riding because it is covered by the wind noise in my ears. I never wear earplugs or headphone while biking or running because I want to hear what's going on around me. I wear plugs while swimming to keep out the water. I have trouble hearing conversations when there's a lot of background noise, like at a restaurant or party. I've very recently gotten a hearing aid that is helping quite a bit.

[Tokie]

Hey Miranda! I have had tinnitus for about 30 years (since a young relative set off a strip of firecrackers next to me) It never goes away, and I am lucky in that it always sounds about the same in pitch,rythym and volume. One thing to consider is that for some people, (me included) the tinnitus is almost intolerable when life brings lots of stress. And when stress is well managed or low, the tinnitus is quite tolerable. It's almost like a stress indicator for me, so although there is nothing I can do about the tinnitus, it is a reminder to care for myself in other ways to make life better. And like other writers here, I am so much more careful about caring for my hearing! Avoiding loud music, music directly in my ears, loud car radio, taking care to plug my ears in loud movie scenes, hair dryer noise, etc.As far as earplugs go, perhaps just one on the traffic side, but I really want to use all of my senses on the bike, and hear what I can't yet see. Good luck! Tokie