- Gunfire exceeds safe hearing levels and can cause permanent hearing loss known as shooter’s ear.
- Shooter’s ear often affects one ear more due to firearm positioning.
- Proper hearing protection can fully prevent shooter’s ear and related damage.
Recreational shooting is a pastime enjoyed by many. Whether you are an avid hunter, frequently visit a local gun range, or perform competitively, shooting is a loud activity that can have negative impacts on our hearing health. Our ears are sensitive organs. Human ears can interpret sound frequencies between 20 and 20,000 Hz and tolerate sounds up to 120 decibels without physical damage or pain. How loud is gunfire then, and where does it fall within these ranges?
On average, a single gunshot ranges in intensity anywhere between 145 and 160 decibels. This places it above the ear’s level of tolerance and pain, causing permanent damage. Any permanent hearing loss caused by gunfire is called Shooter’s Ear.
Typically, Shooter’s Ear is unilateral or asymmetric, meaning it is more significant in one ear. This is due to the position that firearms are held in. When holding a firearm, the shooter will tuck their head into their dominant shooting-hand shoulder in order to stabilize their line of vision. This side ear is somewhat protected, while the opposite ear is more exposed to damaging sound waves.
How Gunfire Causes Permanent Hearing Damage
As mentioned above, gunfire is significantly louder than what our ears can tolerate. For this reason, direct exposure to gunfire can permanently damage our middle or inner ear, even after only one shot.
If the gunfire is loud enough, the sound pressure can rupture the eardrum, causing significant pain that can last days to weeks. If the eardrum remains intact, the sound travels through the auditory system to the inner ear, where fragile hair cells are located. These hair cells send neural signals to our brain to interpret sound.
Gunfire can physically damage or destroy these hair cells, leading to irreversible sensorineural hearing loss.
Warning Signs: Temporary vs Permanent Damage
We can assume that any direct exposure to gunfire causes damage, but the auditory system does have safety mechanisms.
One is the acoustic reflex, where middle ear muscles contract automatically in response to loud sounds. This reflex can reduce transmission of sound to the inner ear, but is not sufficient to fully protect against gunfire.
Other warning signs include:
- Temporary threshold shifts: muffled hearing lasting minutes to hours
- Temporary tinnitus: brief ringing after noise exposure
These symptoms are warning signals. Repeated exposure can turn temporary changes into permanent hearing loss and chronic tinnitus.
Preventing Shooter’s Ear With Hearing Protection
The good news is that temporary threshold shifts, temporary tinnitus, or permanent damage from gunfire can be entirely avoided through proper hearing protection.
Hearing protection acts as a barrier, reducing sound levels before they reach the ear. Protection can attenuate between 10–36 dB, depending on style.
Types of Hearing Protection
- Foam earplugs: portable and affordable, but often poorly inserted
- Custom silicone earmolds: made by an audiologist, provide superior protection
- Electronic earmuffs: amplify speech but instantly block gunfire
- Electronic custom molds: combine comfort, communication, and protection
Custom hearing protection is ideal for shooting ranges and frequent firearm use.
Shooting With Hearing Aids: What You Need to Know
If you already have hearing loss, whether to wear hearing aids, hearing protection, or both depends on your setup.
- Supraaural headphone protection may fit over hearing aids
- Custom hearing protection usually requires hearing aid removal
If wearing both is necessary, a hearing healthcare professional can help determine the best solution for your needs.
Protect Your Hearing Before Shooter’s Ear Becomes Permanent
It is important to recognize that a single gunshot can cause permanent damage to your ears. Shooter’s ear is entirely preventable if you listen to warning signs and consistently wear hearing protection.
Hunting, shooting ranges, and competitions are enjoyable activities—but not worth permanent hearing loss. It only takes seconds to protect your ears, and doing so preserves your hearing for life.
