Reduced Hearing on Landing?

[loglickychops]

Advice please. I'm a PPL and I tend to find after a hour or so at 5,6,7000 feet my hearing is noticably reduced by the time I cross the threshold. It's not so bad that I can't hear the ATC or passengers etc., just noticable. As an example, I can hear my mobile phone ring in my flight bag across the room at the pilots lounge before I take off. After returning I'd have to have it with me to have a chance of hearing it and would turn up the speaker volume for that 'post flight' call. Then a good yawn usually does the trick and I'm back to normal.

I plan to go commercial, but my worry is that this could preclude me. Any advice?

[The Boy Lard]

loglickychops,

I guess you would be better off posting this on Medical and Health for some good advice.

I found that if I hadnt flown for a few weeks and planned on "Going high" that application of WARM olive oil, just a few drops, in each ear a few days before flying got my Timpanic Membrane nice and supple and therefore no problem equalising.

I also SCUBA dive and the same works here.

Good luck

TBL

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Flying is fun, not funny

[Lucifer]

Hmm: constant noise? Disco effect? Perhaps try out somebody else's headset and see if it makes a difference, or turn up the squelch (I know it's annoying) so there is no sound coming in your ears below a threshold, so less noise in cockpit.

[Mark 1]

What your experiencing is 'Temporary threshold shift', which is just like the brain turning down the volume control. This is completely different to permanent hearing loss mechanisms, which may also be occuring but more insidiously.

I personally can recommend using a good ANR headset for comfort and probably reduced long term damage.

Your doctor can probably arrange an audiogram if you're concerned. Permanent hearing loss is after all permanent.

[IMMELMAN]

Probably absolutely nothing to worry about, several possible explanations and some have already been advanced
I do, however always suggest that people who plan to invest many thousands of pounds will find it worth investing a few less thousands of pounds in advance by going for Class 1 Medical before undertaking expenditure, study, etc
That way you will find out if there is a problem, which there probably isn't,and it is likely you may get the latest CAA-type of advice on minimizing this kind of experience
Might be as well not to explain the problem or seek guidance until after the MO tells you your hearing is of the required standard, don't want to twitch them in advance and get em looking for probs - the test is very straightforward - headset in a soundproof box with tones across the whole sound spectrum - several of each, becoming louder and you have to press a button when you hear and release when the tone becomes inaudible - something like that - go for the Class 1 first would be my suggestion

[Lucifer]

Or on the other hand: try getting your ears ungunged by your doctor if yaawning gets rid of it: it may be a pressure thing and your ears don't equalise properly due to one reason or another.