The Pulse

Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 Permit No. 93 Nonprofi t Organization U.S. Postage PAID Pulse the The H b tH The Heerberrt H and H.. and Graceace A. Doow Colleg of C n ral Michigan Ua Unive sit Mount PPleasant MI CeenttralMchigan Mooun olllegee of HHeealth Mi nt Ple sant, MI 48859 M 48859 alth Profes ions niverrsity dGrace A D h Pro ofesfesssions Don't shoot… until you protect your ears "Even though hunting is tradition and it is enjoyable, I know from doing research in this area for 22 years that fi rearm noise exposure can cause signifi cant hearing loss in a fairly large part of the population that shoots. " – Michael Stewart, CMU audiology professor CMU professor gives hearing safety tips Camouflage clothing is showing up in department stores. The freezer's venison supply is running low. Copies of "Escanaba in Da Moonlight" are missing from movie stores' rental shelves. All signs point to deer hunting season. November 15 marks the beginning of increased firearm use – which means it also is the time of year that people cause increased damage to their ear drums. More than 50 percent of all hunters will experience a marked, high frequency hearing loss from firearm noise exposure, says audiology professor Michael Stewart. Stewart, who also is an avid hunter, has been researching firearm noise damage for more than two decades. "I grew up in northern Michigan where everybody hunts. It was a family affair, " Stewart says. "Even though hunting is tradition and it is enjoyable, I know from doing research in this area for 22 years that firearm noise exposure can cause significant hearing loss in a fairly large part of the population that shoots. " Stewart offers a number of ways for hunters to protect their ears while out in the woods. 8 November 2010 • pulse First and foremost: Make an appointment to get a hearing test to find out where your baseline hearing is and monitor it on a regular basis. Always protect: Hunters should always wear hearing protective devices. Keep them on hand any time you go out into the field. Check your gun: Use a single shot or bullet action gun rather than an automatic. Check your caliber, too: Use a smaller caliber gun whenever possible, rather than a larger caliber, which is more intense. Go electronic: Wear electronic devices while hunting so that you can hear the game just as well, yet protect your hearing when firing. •

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