I'm an audio engineer. production and resto. My ears are my job tools. My 2˘ on ear plugs.
DO wear them. However, if they are inserted improperly they can cause more damage. As stated above, wind noise is the enemy. Just like you cover up for a rainy cool ride, dress your ears (and eyes) in the same manner, core and shell/plugs and bandana, beanie or ear covering helmet.
Wind had two damaging qualities. The actual noise and the leaking draft/buffeting.... (just lile the pressure you feel when you roll down only the rear windows of a car) The wind leaking is reduced by the core foam and buffeting is reduced by the shell and diffusing material. When wind blows across a surface, it wants to create a vacuum. The slightest changes will have huge results.
Foam plugs. Generally *****, they are cheap, handy and do help. These MUST be rolled and inserted quickly relatively deep in the canal. They then should expand and mold to the inner ear WITHOUT touching the drum area. This is achieved by "pinching the ends and moving it off of the drum by microns and prevents/reduces buffeting.
Wax plugs: I don't like them. I feel claustrophobic. So I dont test them often on a bike. They claim "waterproof" so I would assume great windproof. Again, dont touch eardrum.
rubber stacked: These are noce because they are easy to insert, no expanding time but do have a nub protruding which can be uncomfortable in a helmet or a halfy's ear strap. Some of these have metal tube "decibel reducer" but I would think it would be like blowing over the top of a bottle and "whistle" once you get in the wind. This would be perfect for a full face helmet but limit your peripheral hearing.
Sound is directional and can be focused (generally speaking). Pipes that face away from your ears would be best. Sweepers etc....
Sunglasses: The arms of sunglasses under a beanie or bandana can direct a jet of wind directly into your ear canal negating the point of a shell/diffuser. Wear em over the shell, under helmet straps.
I hope this helps a bit. Take care of your senses. They can be restored at times through a course of therapy and time. Cheers.

 

So what do you use then to protect your ears ?

Another tinnitus victim, Lots of noise is good for me, I dont have to listen to the continuous hissing I have. Quiet times are really bad.

jak...

 

Great advice! I just purchased a new Scorpion EX0-R410 and its a VERY quiet Snell 2010 helmet for under $200.00. If I wore ear plugs. Id be able to hear my very loud pipes but they wouldn't sound loud. Hardly any wind noise with this helmet.

 

I use the foam plugs with a bandana or beanie in summer with a halfy helmet for short local. For longer rides I use the foamy and a Carhartt fleece earflap hat with a tuckable facemask and a halfy. I also have a Lick's 3/4 w biltwell shield for colder hauls.
Altec Lansing makes a noise cancelling and windproof earbud. Im sure adding more noise (music) to tinnitus isnt recommended but I would assume the ringing gets gnarly at times. The earbuds also block wind a bit. Cheers

 

Hey man. Sorry to hear about the tinnitus. I have been diagnosed with this as well. Took some over the counter medicine that promises relief within 30 days or your money back... Didn't help. Have been dealing with it for years and it's getting worse. I have the ringing sound (vs hissing or buzzing like some others). Recently, I visited my Dentist and he thinks it is being caused by TMJ as the jaw bone is very close to the ear drum. He's suggested no chewy foods for awhile and possibly a mouthguard at night (yay!) to keep me from clenching or grinding. Haven't seen any improvement yet but, hoping that it helps some. Like another poster here...daytime activities around noise don't bother me. When it gets quiet...that's the worst. Started sleeping with a fan in the background and that does help some.

Good luck man!

 

I have small ear canals (not correlated with any other body parts ), so foam plugs don't fit. I had custom made plugs made, but they didn't fit either. These work great:


http://earplugsonline.com/lpvp.html

 

I have a set of '13 iron stock pipes that you can have. Send me a message if you're interested--just pay shipping and they're yours.


-Wildcat

 

Anyone know of any helmets out there that have some kind of hearing protection built in. I know many factors play into the big picture, but it could be a good thing.

 

Thanks Wildcat, PM sent.

Thanks everyone for the responses. I have had some pretty dark days over the last while, my wife and son are the only things keeping me from doing something pretty stupid. Glad to hear some of you are dealing with Tinnitus and still riding. Learning how to habituate and not letting it drive me over the edge is getting a little better every day.

I have been talking to cycle shack about making a custom baffle for my SE slipons and should be able to find out this week if they can do one as quiet as stock. I have a biltwell 3/4 helmet that will have to change, feels like my exhaust just resonates inside of it.

Good advice $eventy2T, I have surfer's ear (very narrowed canals) so can only use foam plugs rolled really small but thanks for the tip Ron, going to give those ones a try. Tried to get custom plugs and they said they can't do it due to my ear canal shape. Got some Alpine's but they dont fit either.

I have some ideas on sound proofing helmets that I might have to try out, I wonder if the demand is out there for manufacturers to implement.

For dealing with tinnitus trying a few different things.

In Europe, especially Germany, Hyperbaric Oxygen treatment has a fairly high success rate of reducing volume in 70% of people if done in the first 3 months. the oxygen is forced into the tiny hairs in ear that have died and can regenerate. I am 15 sessions into the recommended treatment of 20 but havent seen much improvement yet. I am using a herbal supplement Tinnitus Clear and actually do seem to have some benefit. Also on Baclofen and Gabapentin at night to help me sleep, able to get 8 hours no problem. I sleep with a sound machine playing shower sounds. Had an MRI to rule out tumors and other causes but it did show some degeneration in my spine and a very narrow spinal canal in my neck and 4 bulged disks. I had recently switched to drag bars and have to ride with my neck cranked way back, waiting to see a specialist if there is possibility of that causing it. Start tinnitus retraining therapy next month as well.

Thanks for taking the time on my thread.

Cheers,
Randy
(Pardus)

 

Random notes on tinnitus sorry it is not more coherent.

I have tinnitus so bad it has destroyed my hearing. I struggle to hear every day. I have researched it and The best research is by a Dr. Moller at University of Texas Dallas. It seems there are two distinctly different kinds of tinnitus: objective and subjective tinnitus. Objective tinnitus is caused by sounds generated in the body while subjective tinnitus is caused by abnormal neural activity that is not evoked by sound.

There has been good results using electrical stimulation to the nervous system while stimulating the ears with a matching frequency.

This is a form of retraing the brain, based on Neural_plasticity.

Link to his work. http://www.researchgate.net/publicat...ty_in_tinnitus

I have loud pipes, rush slip-ons with the 2 3/4" baffles, love the sound. It is the wind noise that bothers me. I use ear plugs to protect my ears when I ride which is every day.