I took my dad to the range (hes 80) and he wore sealed standard earmuffs after he took them off he said everything is muffled.  This was last Sunday. He says today my voice still sounds muffled.
Is it a pressure problem? or when he put the muffs on he put positive pressure on the ear drums?  Even my doctor friends cant figure it out.  He's a musician too and still listens to his music kinda loud.

I took my dad to the range (hes 80) and he wore sealed standard earmuffs after he took them off he said everything is muffled.  This was last Sunday. He says today my voice still sounds muffled.
Is it a pressure problem? or when he put the muffs on he put positive pressure on the ear drums?  Even my doctor friends cant figure it out.  He's a musician too and still listens to his music kinda loud.

Maybe he didn't have a seal with the muffs and was exposed to the loud sound.

No he said it was quiet.

When he put on the muffs he said he felt the pressure until it leaked out. then when he took it off he said he felt a vacuum.

I was thinking of experimenting and drilling a small hole to equalize the pressure and maybe add a coil of plastic tube to delay the sound coming in. Which should also not make a difference in db

I think he should go to the Dr s and check for sinus issues. Ear protection needs a good seal for effectiveness. 

Perhaps visit a specialist i.e. audiologist? Did he experience vertigo? Clean ears? Sometimes when I pull plugs out - wax falls out  and I later clean my ears.

Especially with the weather lately.   I really have problems with Kona winds and vog.  It really messes me up.

Especially with the weather lately.   I really have problems with Kona winds and vog.  It really messes me up.

yup i get at least one patient every few months that has a "toothache" that is actually caused by sinus swelling

has he tried equalizing to pop the ears like on a airplane or diving.

maybe the range trip added to already built up wax.  try something from Longs (also take a look in there with a flashlight). 

has a doc looked in his ears since the range trip?

btw:  Good on Grandpa SpeedTek. I hope I'm still active at 80 too!

Putting on the muffs could have caused a hunk of wax already in his ear to shift and lodge against the eardrum.  Happened to me once after I used hydrogen peroxide to try to clean my ears.  (It's bubbly and it tickles! )  After I drained it out, one ear remained very muffled...  went to my doc, and she flushed out a decent size chunk of wax.  Good as new.

yup i get at least one patient every few months that has a "toothache" that is actually caused by sinus swelling

Your a dentist?

Your a dentist?

are you an anti-dentite?
 

are you an anti-dentite?
 

Havent gone in years bad bad experiences. My gf wants me to go to one in oahu instead of maui. But back to the topic. I was going to suggest sinus also. Its something ive been noticing going around more recently. Ive had bad sinus for the last 2 months. Just took a ct scan and they found a mass or growth on my left side of my sinus. Now i finished all the antibiotics and finishing this nasal spray. Then follow up but my hearing is off, taste is gone, ears hurt, and upper jaw is sore. Just got to hope when they rescan its gone or im going to get scoped up the nose and idk where to go from there.

If the pressure from the seal turns out to be the problem, maybe get some ear muff covers.  They are designed for sweat control but I would think that they prevent that squeeze the eyeballs out and suck the brains out ultra-vacuum seal you get from vinyl or leather cups.  Just a thought.

http://www.brownells.com/shooting-accessories/ear-eye-protection/ear-muff-accessories/deluxe-cloth-ear-muff-covers-prod22128.aspx

http://airgas.com/product/Safety-Products/Hearing-Protection/Earmuffs-%26-Bands/p/HLIOPSB?gclid=CLrd-tuBjMUCFViUfgodr7UAmg#fo_c=306&fo_k=61bf8539747068631f5257e14e349501&fo_s=gplaus

yup i get at least one patient every few months that has a "toothache" that is actually caused by sinus swelling

Happens to me everytime I get a sinus infection. It is always the same tooth as it is nearest to the sinus cavity.