Did I Blow My Eardrum?

mrjim123 · #1 09-07-2010, 06:51 PM

God, we played loud tonight. Outside gig, THREE piece band, chick singer/guitarist LOVES to crank it ... we're louder than my five piece blues band!

Anyways, I'm 59. Maybe I'm too old for this ****?

I knew we were playing loud, then when driving home I heard what sounded like an engine running in my left ear. I've heard high frequency hum after a gig before, but this is different. When I plugged my right (good) ear and listened to my wife talk it sounded like she was talking to me through a telephone. She says I busted my eardrum. No pain, but feel like I have a marshmallow in my ear. Jeez, I haven't worn earplugs since the 70's, maybe it's time to start again.

What ... did you say something?

ButtUglyJeff · #2 09-07-2010, 06:56 PM

Go to the doctor!

edot3021 · #3 09-07-2010, 06:58 PM

I say, if you have the means, have a doctor check it out. It is better to be safe than sorry. And at your age I think you need to take it seriously. From here on out, WEAR EARPLUGS! I do, just so I can still rock out when I am your age.

anonymous02282011 · #4 09-07-2010, 07:00 PM

Maybe.

I was going to say tinnitus, but this sounds more severe.

I'm glad you have a sense of humor about it.

I don't know who you are and I don't know your band at all, but I value my hearing too much to listen to bands that are that loud.

iamlowsound · #5 09-07-2010, 07:34 PM

Earplugs, all the time, every time. I wasn't alive in the 70's, but I assume that they have gotten much better and more comfortable since then.

lowsound

Jeff K · #6 09-08-2010, 03:35 PM

You very well might have damage to the eardrum. One time I had a situation where the best way to describe it was that it was like somebody "turned a valve", and I couldn't hear properly out of one of my ears.

I went to the doctor. He looked in my good ear, then in the bad one. All of a sudden he looked at me and said, "Are you in pain?!" I said, "No. SHOULD I be?" He said, "Well, your eardrum is perforated."

It healed up with antibiotics. But the point is, I wasn't in any pain at the time. Go get it checked ASAP.

MooseLumps · #7 09-08-2010, 03:43 PM

I agree that you may have perforated the membrane, or even have some swelling, but you would not be hearing anything of note if it was completely ruptured.

This is the good news.

The bad news is that this might be the best you ever hear out of that ear again.

I had a similar experience once... Earplugs everytime.

Figjam · #8 09-08-2010, 04:35 PM

I have tinnitus in my left ear. Wear ear plugs. I used to just wear one in my right ear when playing.

MIJ-VI · #9 09-08-2010, 07:01 PM

Hearing Loss and Ear Plugs

tearalong · #10 09-08-2010, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edot3021

I say, if you have the means, have a doctor check it out. .

That tells me so much about our countries' different health systems. In Australia, the question of means needed to see a doctor would never come up.

MrLenny1 · #11 09-08-2010, 07:41 PM

Take care of your ears. Don't end up like me.
Tinnitus in both ears. Hearing aids in both ears.
High frequencies are shot, well at least I play bass.
I'm miserable too. Heed the warning on the back of your amps
We play too damn loud. You can laugh it off but bottom line is , It Sucks.

abstractart06 · #12 09-08-2010, 09:36 PM

When I was much younger I attended a lot of concerts, Sly, Hendrix, Santana, Third World. I was always close to the stage and the speakers. I developed Tinnitus and have lived with it for years. Now I Know not to get too close to loud music. I still go to live venues, but I listen at a safe distance.