Another tinnitus poll, please read post first.

[Mcrelly]

I wanted to see what tinnitus symptoms the TB users experience…This poll DOES NOT include noises made in the immediate hours following loud music. PLEASE, only noises AFTER you think your ears have returned to “normal”.

I know this subject comes up from time to time and this time is my contribution. I’m doing this for the newcomers to amplified music and the world of hearing loss if they are not aware of the dangers.

From another website:
“”TINNITUS ti-NIGHT-us or TIN-i-tus: the perception of sound in the ears or head where no external source is present. Both pronunciations are correct; the American Tinnitus Association uses ti-NIGHT-us. The word comes from Latin and means "to tinkle or to ring like a bell."

In almost all cases, tinnitus is a subjective noise, meaning that only the person who has tinnitus can hear it. Someone with tinnitus often describes it as "ringing in the ears," but people report hearing all kinds of sounds: crickets, whooshing, pulsing, ocean waves, buzzing, even music.

Many people will experience it temporarily or intermittently. Most of the people we help here at the American Tinnitus Association experience this "ringing in the ears" 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “”

Me again:
My personal experience recently went from “ringing” when its quiet or after loud music to OTHER NOISES in the last year or two (I'm 38) prompting me to seek regular hearing protection (I've been playing bass for 6 years). It scares you when you think you hear a large truck idling outside your house when there is NOT!! It comes and goes, some times its a thump! thump! thump! sound, but usually gets worst after loud music, even music levels considered SAFE? Like 90 dbC?

Here are some links to digest...

Hearing loss thread: Hearing Loss and Ear Plugs

Other Tinnitus threads: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/search...archid=1764962

Ear plug threads: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/search...archid=1764968

I recommend the Etymotic ER-20 ear plugs or Heros High fidelity ear plugs http://www.music123.com/Hearos-Hi-Fi...-i120079.music

save your ears! is it cool to be deaf? ask pete townshed! kids say "who?" haha

[RLT]

47 years old. Worked construction, was a fire fighter, EMS. Played in bands from Folk to Disco to Hard Rock and now Gospel.
Hear all kinds of noises usually running like sounds. Sometimes a whistleing moise. Very occasionally a ringing. Makes it very hard to talk to any one when more then one conversation is going on.

No fun at all protect your ears folks.

[Bruce Lindfield]

I've got a very slight ringing all the time - but only in my left ear. I'm pretty sure this is from standing to the right of drummers all the time!!

[Howard K]

My ears ring all the time, but I cant hear it over a conversation or a normal to low level of background noise. I have also partly lost top end in my right ear.

I have two pairs of custom molded elacin ear plugs, a 25b db attenunation and a 15db pair. a total cost of over £300, but they are worth it a million times over. I take them everywhere I go

Pubs and bars with badly EQ'd sound systems and DJs cranking up the gain on their crappy mixers are a real killer. I never used headphones, I never have the TV or stereo too loud and I wear plugs whenever I play amplified music, or play with a stupidly loud drummer. I always wear them at non-jazz gigs.

I also wear them when my daughter cries, sounds a bit mad, but some babies have LOUD cries. she can make you ears hurt and ring for an hour or so with a proper shout!! ..especially when she screams right in your ear!!

I've been wearing the plugs religeously for about 4 or 5 years and I'm positive they have saved my hearing a great deal so far.

[justBrian]

My ears ring all the time-- it's much more noticeble when it's quiet. I think my right ear rings more than my left, but they both do it all the time. I got custom earplugs this year and, like Howard, I take them everywhere. Mine cost $150-- kind of steep, but I'd rather not be deaf.

[Aaron Saunders]

I occasionally get what I call a "tinnitus attack," where for all other sound dampens and I get a ringing in my left ear. It goes away momentarily. I haven't had one in a few months, but they came up every 2 or 3 months about a year ago. Only happened once in conversation, every other time I was alone.

[tommysalami]

I have a constant ringing in my left ear. I've been playing music for 45 years. I've been to 2 specialists in the past year & it's something that we're still working on. If you think you have a problem with your ears, you probably do & you need to do something about it. Don't wait. Wear your earplugs!

[Acepiloto]

It has to be really really quiet for me to hear the ringing. I'm 23, and have been playing in a hard rock/metal band for more than 5 years now. I always use hearing protection both at practice and at shows (I'm not sure which one is louder) even at the behest of my bandmates. But I just laugh, because I know when I get older, my hearing won't nearly be as bad as theirs.

I get the louder, temporary, unexpected ringing in my ear/ears every once in a while, but I've had that happen for as long as I can remember, many years before I ever listened to loud music, or started playing.

[McHack]

I have continual, but slight ringing in both ears. It doesnt impede my ability to participate in a conversation at all, & I dont even notice it when I'm conversing.

Interestingly, a few months back, my wife was bitching at me because she said I never listen to her, & was convinced I had a hearing problem. I tried to tell her that, I block her out when she goes into bitch mode... this was something she rejected & insisted I get my hearing tested. Even thru the tenitis, I still have what is considered perfect hearing.

weird.

[elros]

My ears make OTHER sounds when its quiet.

When I go to bed in the evening, most things are very quiet in the house. Then I can often hear some soft throbbing in my ears. Sometimes I think it might be my own heartbeat I'm hearing.

For the statistics: I'm 27 years old, and have been playing bass guitar for about 13 years, and drums for 18 years. The last seven years I've used hearing protection when playing loud gigs, and while working in noisy environments.

[Mark Reccord]

I get a scattered temporary ring which I think is a hair cell dying. It's pretty normal.

I'm 33, been playing music and mixing sound for near 20 years. I'm pretty careful about hearing protection. If I'm not mixing or playing I always use the -30dB foam earplugs. If I'm playing I'll often use my musician's plugs. I can't use any if I'm mixing. I last had my hearing checked about 18 months ago. I have +5dB better than average sensitivity across the board, with a slight dip around 3kHz.

PROTECT YOUR EARS!

[All_¥our_Bass]

I've had this happen since i was a child(NOT due to loud music). it is very occasional and only lasts a few moments, it is not painful

[43% burnt]

I get temporary ringing in my right ear from time to time. Maybe once every couple months. It goes away fairly quickly.

I also get this other weird thing occasionally where it sounds like the volume just got turned down and then up a couple times real quick. I noticed this while watching tv one night. I have since had it happen a few times...only when the tv is on. Maybe its the TV not my hearing...hopefully.

Oh yea, I'm 27 been playing music for 4 years, but listening to music at extremely loud volumes for a long time. Plus I've gone to alot of shows.

[Kelly Lee]

I have a constant ringing in my ears. It is always there. I don't really notice it when talking with someone. However, it is so loud I have to use a box fan on high (to help drown out the ringing) so I can get to sleep at night.

There are times its like it turns from volume level 7 up to 11+ and then tapers off to normal ringing volume after about 30 seconds. Sometimes it is so intense that other people notice it because I physically flinch/wince.

I don't hear any other unusual noises other than the ringing.

BTW, I'm 35 and have been playing for 15+ years now. I have attended way too many metal concerts and I'm an avid target shooter/ex-hunter. Other than tinnitus, I have excellent hearing. I didn't start using ear plugs (ER-20's) till about a year ago for band practice/gigging but I'm glad I did because my tinnitus isn't as bad now afterward.

[velvetkevorkian]

i'm 19, been going to clubs, gigs and playing in orchestras since i was 14 and i have a constant mild ringing in both ears- somewhat worse in my right ear after spending 2 weeks sitting back desk in the national youth orchestra of scotland, with 4 semi-pro trumpet players positioned about 2 feet away. i wear plugs (just the cheapo foam ones) anytime i'm at a club or gig, playing with a full orchestra (usually just plug the ear thats facing the brass though) or if i'm out at a loud pub or anything like that, and have done for almost 2 years. i can normally block it out, so i only usually notice when its quiet, but if i concentrate i can hear it. my family unfortunately has a really poor record of hearing loss, so i'm pretty careful now. its been said before, but wear ear plugs!!!!!!!!

[WalterBush]

I'm 30 now, and the ringing at night when I go to sleep is fairly loud, but I remember hearing the ringing starting from 3 years old. Since I started working construction 10 years ago I've been using earplugs.
Sometimes my ears start to physically hurt inside when I'm exposed to loud noises, which worries me. I hear other sounds, as well, although I'm told that has more to do with an untreated chemical imbalance in my brainpan more than hearing damage.

[adam on bass]

After going to the audiologist 2 years ago I decided to bite the bullet and purchase my musicians plugs from Westone. The audiologist stated I had excessive hearing loss for someone my age (33 at the time, I have been playing for over 20 years, LOUDLY). I now never rehearse, do a show, or work in my shop without hearing protection. I use the 25db pads and they work great. It's like listening to the radio in rehearsal now, and I love it.

I have noticed a difference in my ringing and other drop-offs. It has subsided a little. It will never go away but it helps. I suggest to anyone having this problem to go to an audiologist, not your regular doctor to have them run the tests. Spend the cash on the musicians plugs and enjoy playing again. The musicians plugs really bring out the bass to so you don't have to fight the guitar all the time. If you sing, it helps with monitoring your mix as well.

[groovaholic]

I was an aircraft maintenance officer in the Air Force, and then I worked in a factory. Both positions required annual hearing tests. So, I've had the unique opportunity to have my hearing tested once a year over a 10-year period (1994-2004).

That said, I started playing in bands in 1986, and I've ALWAYS played with loud drummers. Almost immediately, I disliked the sensations of overly loud, sharp noises. So, I started wearing earplugs early on and have never been without them.

So, after 20 years in loud bands, 7 years working in close proximity to jet engines, and 3 years in a factory with 100dB+ ambient sound levels, I have only a VERY minor loss at 4 kHz in my right ear. But overall, my hearing is quite a bit better than normal.

When I go to see bands I take several pairs of earplugs. All of them have slightly different frequency attenuation curves. Often, I hear some unnatural peak in the high mids and by cycling through several options, I can usually get rid of of it. It makes me wonder if the soundman isn't tweaking the EQ with HIS earplugs in...

I simply refuse the endanger the sense that allows me to perceive music!

I'm almost 22, have tinnitus only when it's dead quiet (nonetheless, use a fan when I sleep normally, though I've been sleeping without one as of late), but occassionally get the loud midpitched sine wave in one or the other ear. That doesn't worry me too much yet, as I've had that happen since I can last remember, but nonetheless I always use earplugs in a loud playing environment, and I also use noise attenuating Maxwells intentionally so I don't have to turn the volume up so loud on my CD player. With those headphones, I can usually hear the music just fine with only a sliver of volume on my player.

[adam on bass]

My father had ringing for years and then went to the audiologist to find he had MENIERE'S DISEASE. Horrible thing, everyone should be tested.