Am I at Higher Risk for Further Hearing Loss Now That I've Already Had Some? Can I Continue to DJ?

Am I at higher risk for more hearing loss now that I’ve had some?

Or is it just that don’t go over 80 dB without hearing protection?

Could I continue to DJ with professional earplugs or would I be risking making my tinnitus worse?

I’m taking the loud exhaust off my Subaru.
I’m trying not to use my gaming headset but is that all over top?

The ENT said I can use my headphones but keep the volume low, but I don’t know...

 

It's a no brainer if you ask me.

 

YES

 

Yeah that's a major risk. Better quit while your T is still tolerable.

 

dude, Lars Ulrich, the drummer for Metallica has tinnitus and still plays huge shows. Pete Townsend of The Who got bad tinnitus from his dumbass drummer Keith Moon putting a bomb in his drums, on TV, and went on to have a successful career, but you have to go get some custom musician's earplugs.

you can definitely spike you tinnitus, or even make it worse by exposing yourself further.

I say definitely continue your career, but be very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very CAREFUL to protect your ears and don't get drunk and pretend you're okay. I hate to break it to you but you are disabled now, we all are.

Life goes on, and this is more prevalent among musicians than people realize.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_with_tinnitus
Here's a few

Jeff Beck
Beethoven
Eric Clapton
Phil Collins
Danny Elfman
Trent Reznor
PAUL GILBERT (maybe is Buckethead?)
will.i.am
Ozzy Ozbourne
Moby

ALSO before your shows take high doses of something called Curcumin, it has been shown to protect against noise trauma

check this out:

Preventive effect of curcumin and its highly bioavailable preparation on hearing loss induced by single or repeated exposure to noise: A comparative and mechanistic study

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1347861317301093

 

No one can give you a definitive answer, but regardless protect your hearing going forward.

I personally would no longer be a DJ.