Tinnitus

The_Robster · #1 10-27-2010, 10:28 PM

I'm 20 years old. I have been playing loud music with a marshall halfstack cranked ungodly loud pointed straight at my head on one side and a drummer beating the hell out of his drumset on the other for probably 4 or 5 years now.
What really pisses me off is that for the majority of it I've worn hearing protection, in fact I was the only member of the band doing so. Well it turns out it wasn't good enough... For the past year or so I have been struggling with on and off ringing in my ears. However just recently, it has gotten incredibly noticeable. It used to be that I would only hear it at night when I was going to bed. Now I can hear an audible high pitch frequency, at all times, even during the day, when other sounds used to block it out. It is getting really bad and noticable when I want silence and try to read a book for instance.
I'm really scared. I'm scared that I'm going to have this ringing in my head for the rest of my life and never have another day of silence in my life. I really don't know what to do. I am worried that I'm going to have to quit music, music is my life. But I just got back from practice a little bit ago and my ears and my head are literally hurting..
If I quit playing and listening to music entirely for a while do you think that my ears will return to normal or am I doomed?
I'm sorry this is kind of a rant, but I'm scared right now that I am going to have to life with this tinnitus for the rest of my life and I just don't know what I can do about it, I feel helpless..

If anyone has any experience with tinnitus, please share your story/experience/tips/ whatever.

**BullHorn** · #2 10-27-2010, 10:51 PM

Please see a doctor before coming to conclusions, self-diagnosis is rarely accurate.

I'm beginning to think hearing protection is not really effective as 'sound' still reaches the inner ear through your bones.

sonic assassin · #3 10-27-2010, 11:06 PM

eh.. im used to it. just dont let it get any worse. im 21 and i just deal. been meaning to get some molded ear plugs..

Skitch it! · #4 10-28-2010, 06:17 AM

If you have tinnitus, you will have to adjust to it, it won't completely go away, ever, that is the fact my doctor explained by telling me to 'get used to it'.

The moulded customs are the way forward, my tinnitus started after one particularly loud 3 piece gig, 10 years ago through not wearing ear protection. Caffeine, alcohol, stimulants all make it slightly louder I've found, but I don't notice it during the day and I don't think it is as prominent as it used to be.

I take the custom plugs everywhere with higher noise levels, gig's, working next to a chain saw, machinery etc, if you expose your ears to any high level noise after the onset, it does exacerbate the tinnitus for the next day or 2 I've found.

IMO there's nothing macho or rock n' roll about exposing your ears to high volumes, it's just dumb, I can see/hear that now. Take it easy, and be more aware of what helps and what doesn't ; )

Don't delay in buying custom's, as a player they really should be top of the list before that distortion pedal or anything else ; )

Phalex · #5 10-28-2010, 06:25 AM

I was playing around with my bass and my tinnitus, and it turns out the ringing in my head is a 1/4 step flat D. I thought it was interesting......

**Vorago** · #6 10-28-2010, 06:26 AM

My story is kinda similar.

Pain is bad, quit music for now, at least until the pain is gone.

See a doctor asap.

Skitch it! · #7 10-28-2010, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalex

I was playing around with my bass and my tinnitus, and it turns out the ringing in my head is a 1/4 step flat D. I thought it was interesting......

Mine changes, the worst I've had is a different pitch in each ear beating against each other out of tune, like hearing a slightly flat b5 interval, that was a bloody curse. Better now though ; )

You got Db constantly? I used to own a refrigerator that buzzed in perfect G, great for tuning the bass too ; )

Phalex · #8 10-28-2010, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skitch it!

Mine changes, the worst I've had is a different pitch in each ear beating against each other out of tune, like hearing a slightly flat b5 interval, that was a bloody curse. Better now though ; )

You got Db constantly? I used to own a refrigerator that buzzed in perfect G, great for tuning the bass too ; )

I had no idea it changed! It's a constant thing, but I guess I'll have to check it periodically to see if my head stays in tune or not.....

spade2you · #9 10-28-2010, 06:57 AM

It doesn't go away. Almost any damage you do to your ears is permanent. While ear plugs are hardly rock n' roll, you don't hear musicians who use ear plugs complain about their ears because it works.

Keep in mind that you can still cause more destruction to your ears, so it's not too late to start using ear plugs.

Skitch it! · #10 10-28-2010, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalex

I had no idea it changed! It's a constant thing, but I guess I'll have to check it periodically to see if my head stays in tune or not.....

Horses for courses, each case is different for everybody I've found, 90% of the drummers I have worked with have it (watch those cymbals, high end killers). The cause for me started years back, I looked for a bigger rig while in London to start playing the bigger clubs with a couple of incredibly loud drummers the band was using at the time.

I blew-up and returned to a well renowned bass dealership, around $5000 worth of gear, Eden WT800, Hartke, Peavey + over the course of a month (I eventually had to sign a disclaimer, I gave the stuff the most thorough of tests ; ) before getting the Ashdown stuff (which goes up to 11), that's the kind of volumes we were talking about, silliness ; )

I'm older and a bit wiser now, just a bit, definitely more careful with the old ears that's for sure, but the price for the nonsense back in the day is always there, but managable.

bassrique · #11 10-28-2010, 07:50 AM

Quote:

I am going to have to life with this tinnitus for the rest of my life and I just don't know what I can do about it, I feel helpless.

I hate to be callous, but you will get used to it. I've had it for 20+ years now and rarely think about it anymore.

Uncle Snake · #12 10-28-2010, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassrique

I hate to be callous, but you will get used to it. I've had it for 20+ years now and rarely think about it anymore.

+1

Skitch it! · #13 10-28-2010, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassrique

I hate to be callous, but you will get used to it. I've had it for 20+ years now and rarely think about it anymore.

+1. To the OP, tension and stress will make it seem more perceivable, don't be freaked, it's done, but the plugs/preventative thinking will make it subside I've found, if I had not read the op earlier, I wouldn't have even thought about it. For you, it's time to be more careful now imo, your not the first, and you certainly won't be the last with this deal, you will adjust ; )

6jase5 · #14 10-28-2010, 02:50 PM

I'm sorry, what did you say?

EdHunter · #15 10-29-2010, 01:11 AM

Hmmm. I've had 7 years of concerts, and two years of standing in front of a very loud amp, all of the time with no ear plugs of any sort, and my hearing is still 100%....

Skitch it! · #16 10-29-2010, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdHunter

Hmmm. I've had 7 years of concerts, and two years of standing in front of a very loud amp, all of the time with no ear plugs of any sort, and my hearing is still 100%....

On your own head be it, hindsight is a lovely thing, but always too late ; )

RestInPieces · #17 10-29-2010, 09:22 AM

It would be nice to have a constant E tinnitus (or some other open string). Wouldn't need a tuner anymore.

But seriously, I've had a few tinnitus bursts that lasted maybe about 10 seconds tops, even before I started playing bass. Annoying as hell. I have always been wearing earplugs when playing with a drummer, I just hope I never have to deal with constant tinnitus.