Professor’s lecture will cite guns for hearing loss

A CMU professor will explain at a forum Friday why students who
regularly hunt or listen to MP3 players have the highest risk of
hearing loss.

Michael Stewart, communication disorders professor, is presenting
“Hearing and Firearms: Noise Exposure” at noon Friday in Health
Professions Building 1255.

“Exposure to gunfire is the leading cause of noise-induced hearing
loss,” said Stewart. “MP3 players, factories and loud music, among
others, also contribute.”

The event is part of “Bringing Life to Scholarship,” a monthly
symposium series sponsored by the College of Health Professions.

Stewart’s presentation will include a listing of projects and
studies he has conducted in the past five years.

Stewart also will present information about adult shooting patterns,
male versus female shooting patterns and a deer hunter survey. He also
will show detailed pictures of inner ear damage.

Loud noise is very damaging to the human ear, Stewart said, and
people who are exposed to loud conditions should take special
precautions.

“This is what we see all the time clinically,” he said. “MP3 players
should be used with common sense.”

Imlay City senior Brad Majocha, a turkey hunter, said hearing is the
most important sense to have while doing any sort of animal hunting.

Majocha said he wears a special type of hearing protection device to
block out the blast of a gun, yet amplify the sounds of the turkey.

However, a gun isn’t his primary weapon.

“I like using a bow,” he said. “But when I am using a gun, I wear
protective ear gear to block out the gun noise.”

The forum is free and attendees do not need to be firearm users or
owners.