Tinnitus and pilots: feedback from experience
Posted by Peynsiv@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 15 comments
Hello everyone. I just got my class 2 (France) which allows me to realize my childhood dream: to fly.
However, I have been suffering from tinnitus for years, which got worse two years ago. I'm looking for testimonials from pilots suffering from tinnitus to find out if altitude and motor noise make your symptoms worse. I am very concerned about this discomfort; I am afraid it will get worse. I'm going to do an initiation flight again before I commit myself to analyzing all this a little bit, but it's really the long term that questions me, as you will have understood. I even come to think about what kind of helmet to choose: passive or active (ANR)? Doesn't the active helmet send out too many waves? Isn't it better to prefer an excellent passive helmet?
Sorry for the paving stone and thank you in advance for your feedback.
Apprehensive_Cost937@reddit
A good ANR headset is pretty much a mandatory these days, if you care about your hearing, tinnitus or not.
If you're planning to fly professionally, or perhaps get an IR at later stage, I'd get the class 1 (CPL) or at least audiogram (IR) done as soon as possible, as requirements for initial issue are usually less strict than for revalidations, and there are also workarounds if your hearing deteriorates with age.
mild-blue-yonder@reddit
My tinnitus hasn’t gotten worse or better.
Those expensive ANR headsets are definitely worth it.
Peynsiv@reddit (OP)
Merci 🙂
nhorvath@reddit
if budget is a concern, my dc h13-10x is almost as good as my zulu 3. and they can be found significantly cheaper. I actually feel like the noise reduction is higher with the dc but the audio is clearer on the zulu.
Peynsiv@reddit (OP)
Is he as good as that? Interesting. Thank you for feedback ☺️
RadeZayben@reddit
Do you have hyperacusis with your tinnitus? I use the Bose a20 headset and its ANR is sufficient. Before I just had David Clark H10s which worked but made my tinnitus louder for about an hour after flying
Peynsiv@reddit (OP)
A little at times, but maybe it's the beginning and I don't realize it yet. I sometimes have pain and a few sounds that bother me, but it's quite rare. I stopped riding a motorcycle because after each session it was complicated. I'm going to focus on a year then. Thanks for your return I feel less alone ☺️
flyghu@reddit
ANR headsets are a lifesaver. Keep spare batteries in your flight bag. Bose and Lightspeed are worth every penny. I have Bose A30 and Lightspeed Sierra and they both work very well.
There are some white noise apps that can help. I have one cleverly named White Noise. Downloaded a sound specifically for Tinnitus relief, but the brown noise that comes with it helps too. Pop in some good ANR earbuds after the flight and it can help calm things down. This also helps as a passenger on commercial flights.
Over_Bend_9839@reddit
I’m a long term GA pilot and had bad tinnitus for many years. It got better when I started using ANR headsets and put in ear buds to further block noise. I also became very careful about exposure to loud noise in general, using ear defenders whenever necessary. It took about 15 years, but I beat it.
Peynsiv@reddit (OP)
Thank you very much for your feedback . He gave me a spike of hope 😀. Any advice on helmets? I look like many a20 a30, zulu 3 or 4, dc one x. It's expensive...
Pitts-Pilot@reddit
I have tried a fair number of headsets and they really are personal preference. I really like in ear headsets like the Bose Proflight and Clarity Aloft. They wouldn't let you double up like the previous reply mentioned doing.
Over the ear ANR I have used (owned) Lightspeed Tango, Sennheiser Active, Bose A20. The first two are no longer in production, but the other Lightspeed headsets are supposedly better. I like my Tango more then the Bose, but that's just because it's wireless.
My advice would be to make some friends with various headsets and try them on. Then get whatever is most comfortable to you. Make sure you wear them for long enough to identify and pressure points. I definitely recommend an ANR to give you the most protection!
Peynsiv@reddit (OP)
Je suis plus enthousiaste ☺️ . Merci
Wezpa@reddit
Fly with a good ANR headset with plus earplugs under. Works great. I've flown with only the latest generation of ANR. Without earplugs under I get a tired feeling in my ears after a whole day of flying. However with earplugs under I have zero issues even after a full day.
I recommend getting a custom set of molded earplugs at your audiologist. As they don't change the sound at different frequencies as much as normal earplugs. That way you have exactly the same sound as you would without plugs. Just less loud.
Good luck with your training! 🤩
Peynsiv@reddit (OP)
Merci beaucoup 🙂 . Je vais prendre un ANR et en effet prendre rendez-vous pour des oreilles moulés c'est une bonne idée 😉
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
Hello everyone. I just got my class 2 (France) which allows me to realize my childhood dream: to fly.
However, I have been suffering from tinnitus for years, which got worse two years ago. I'm looking for testimonials from pilots suffering from tinnitus to find out if altitude and motor noise make your symptoms worse. I am very concerned about this discomfort; I am afraid it will get worse. I'm going to do an initiation flight again before I commit myself to analyzing all this a little bit, but it's really the long term that questions me, as you will have understood. I even come to think about what kind of helmet to choose: passive or active (ANR)? Doesn't the active helmet send out too many waves? Isn't it better to prefer an excellent passive helmet?
Sorry for the paving stone and thank you in advance for your feedback.
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