I went to an indoor range for the first time yesterday and had a great time, but the moment I took off my ear muffs, I realized my right ear felt muffled and weird.
I’m currently panicking that the muffs didn’t get a proper seal because of my hair or my safety glasses.
I feel really anxious and just want my normal hearing back. Given how many people shoot for fun or work, I’m trying to convince myself this is a common thing and doesn’t automatically mean I’ve caused permanent damage.
Has anyone else dealt with this?
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Shooting inside is much riskier for your ears than shooting outside. It is highly recommended to double up regardless of the environment. Make sure you insert foam plugs correctly—watch a tutorial if you have to, because they are useless if not seated right. Then put muffs on over them. You likely caused a bit of damage, but you can prevent it from getting worse.
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You almost certainly didn’t do permanent damage and I’m sure you’ll be fine, but indoor ranges really require both plugs and muffs.
It’s not permanent yet, but it will be if you keep letting it happen.
When indoors, ALWAYS double up. Use NRR 32 plugs under NRR 25 muffs. Ensure the plugs are actually seated deep in the canal (roll them down, then insert them at least half an inch; they shouldn’t be sticking out), and verify the muffs seal completely.
The most common reason muffs fail to seal is because the shooter is wearing safety glasses that are too wide for their face.
You’ll likely be back to normal in a day or two.
You should be alright. I once shot a .357 magnum with zero hearing protection (I was young and stupid) and even though it took a while, things eventually returned to normal. Just use plugs and muffs from now on.
This is likely a temporary threshold shift and usually takes anywhere from 48 hours to two weeks to resolve. It’s the same muffled feeling you get after a loud concert without protection. Give your ears a rest and avoid loud noises. Over time, repeated temporary shifts become permanent. Double up on protection in the future.
Based on studies, resting your ears and avoiding loud sounds for the first 48 hours is vital for recovery (you still did a little damage, but it helps).
Hearing issues from noise exposure are cumulative. You’ll get lucky this time.
If you’re worried and want to help your body protect itself, taking magnesium, zinc, and potassium supplements can help. Loud noise releases free radicals that damage the inner ear, and antioxidants like those help mitigate the impact.