Dangerous Liaisons: Shootin’ Guns and Ridin’ Motorcycles

The noise associated with shooting firearms and riding motorcycles is responsible for many standard threshold shifts (STSs) and permanent hearing loss in the general population and those working in the firearm and motorcycle industries. Hearing healthcare professionals evaluating patients for the cause of their hearing loss may see these as special circumstances that are weighed against the patient’s job, hearing changes over time, audiometric configuration, medical complications, environmental and genetic findings, age, and other noise exposures and traumas.

An in-depth evaluation of the time-weighted average, peak data, and noise exposure types with or without the synergy of chemicals is mandatory for industrial cases; determining that industrial noise exposure is sufficient to cause an STS. The addition of noisy hobbies and activities into the mix can make hearing loss greater, mask industrial noise issues, or in some cases, be the sole cause of hearing loss.