... eh??? ....
There's lots of life-long shooters at my club that restrict their shooting due to tinnitus.
They describe it as a constant ringing that exist 24/7. And it's especially noticeable at night when they try to sleep. They all say the same thing - protect your hearing by using both plugs and muffs.
The bottom line is than no amount of money is too much to protect your hearing. If you can't afford the better muffs then at least double plug.
Here's a link that provides some great info on protection and devises. Take some time and click on the links for info .....
http://www.hearingreview.com/related_articles.asp?frmArticleId=2007-03_04
Here's a link with good pricing, discounts and free shipping on ear muffs....
http://www.gundogsonline.com/hearing-protection/
Also interesting ....
"NIOSH recommends that exposure to peak impulsive noises not exceed 140 dB SPL. That is, exposure to one event at 140 dB SPL would constitute 100% of a person's daily allowable noise exposure. The OSHA-permissible exposure limit for impulsive noise is also 140 dB SPL. However, peak level is not the sole factor for hearing damage. Other factors, such as the duration and number of impulses, also have an effect on the resulting hearing loss. In an indoor firing range, reflected sound (reverberation) also becomes an important factor."
"The peak sound pressure level from any firearm is usually sufficient to require the use of hearing protection, even if the gun is fired only one time. Recent NIOSH studies have shown that peak sound pressure levels may range from a low of 144 dB SPL for small caliber weapons such as a 0.22 caliber rifle to as high as 172 dB SPL for a 0.357 caliber revolver."
That means one shot from a .22 without hearing protection and you're done for the day ...