Going to a Rock Concert with Tinnitus

Hi All - I figure I would post my personal experience. I have had tinnitus for a year a bit, probably noise related as I used to go to a lot of metal concerts.

Anyway I was bought tickets to see Parkway Drive and Killswitch Engage (pretty heavy stuff - check them out on YouTube) at Nottingham and to be honest I was nervous about the potential impact. I went on to a number of sites and read plenty of posts, with the net effect of me becoming anxious about it. Posts stating that metal concerts get up to 120 dB don’t help! My ringing in my ears got worse and I started worry about it to the point I wasn't going to go.

In the end I decided to go, took some foam earplugs with an NRR of 35dB and downloaded Decibel X to my phone so I could check the noise level. I started mid way back and moved to a third of the way from the front. The noise averaged 100 dB and topped out at 106 dB. Interestingly my wife asked to borrow earplugs after the first song as her ears started to ache.

In the end we had a wicked time, no spike in tinnitus, the anxiety disappeared and my tinnitus went down to normal levels. I don't go regularly to concerts anymore but the lesson I have learnt is don’t believe everything you read, plug up well, stay away from the speakers and keep an eye on the noise levels.

I accept this won’t be the same for everyone but there are more people going to concerts with tinnitus and not suffering than the internet would let you believe.

 

Don't go, you don't want to chance making tinnitus and hearing loss worse.

 

Did you even read the thread? He already went to the concert and had a merry good time.

 

Shame on me for not reading it, I pulled an all nighter due to a plumbing issue at my house.

Welp let's hope he doesn't get a spike, I hope he did use sufficient protection. I don't recommend this risky behavior, far more dangerous than using headphones and they are already a risk.

 

I actually had to cancel going to Mastodon last month because I just got tinnitus. Gutted as I've been wanting to see them live for years.

Glad you had fun and hope you and the missus don't get any spikes.

 

Glad you're okay, I however wouldn't risk it. I've also definitely developed phonophobia.

 

The thing with concerts is though that hearing damage can be CUMULATIVE. You might be fine THIS TIME AROUND, but next time might be the straw that breaks the camel's back... and then suicide is the only thing on your mind for the rest of your life.

 

Bit dramatic.. .

Many people still go to concerts with tinnitus, you just won’t find them on here.

 

Nobody's experience is going to be exactly the same - but if I were you I'd count yourself as having a lucky escape. Quit while you're ahead and before your luck runs out.

 

@freelance This is the worst place to come to if you’re looking for advice on going to concerts.

I’m a musician, and I go to a lot of shows. As long as your sensible I.e. don’t stand up the front and always wear your plugs you’ll be fine, so keep going.

In the last year I’ve rehearsed dozens of times, my band are currently recording an album- no impact on tinnitus which I’ve had for 13 years, almost a third of my life to date.

And for comparison I’ve hit the following gigs in the last year

- Behemoth
- God is an astronaut
- Slayer Obituary Lamb Of God Anthrax (Arena Show)
- Beyond Creation
- At The Drive In
-Incubus
- Europe
-Testament Annihilator Vader
- Paradise Lost
- Corrosion Of Conformity
- Pearl Jam (Arena Show)

There’s loads in the industry continuing to play and perform despite their Tinnitus, James Hetfield for example so please listen to those that actually know what they’re talking about.

 

YUP.

I've gone to multi day runs of jam bands that play hard and loud and never had an issue. Wear earplugs, stay in the back. The sound is always best by the booth anyways (it's literally mixed for that spot)- rail riding is not as good an experience.

 

this is my experience with every concert I've been to since my tinnitus got bad in 2010

 

Read the post that you had quoted.

 

That's not the entire tinnitus population though is it...

 

Last big show I went to was Beck last summer. I felt disconnected to the music by being so aggressive in jamming the earplugs into my ears and the way it rolls off all the highs that I really couldn't get into the music. Plus, the anxiety surrounding whether the tinnitus will get worse or has gotten worse makes it really hard to enjoy the show. There are a lot of acts warming up for the summer that I'd like to see, some playing open-air (which makes me feel a little less paranoid if I were to sit in the back) like Queen with Adam Lambert, Iron Maiden, Heart reunion, but I just don't think I can enjoy it anymore because of the above. It sounds better in theory than reality. It's a tough judgment call.

 

I tried to post on this site to share my experience as I was one of those people who trawled through Internet sites trying to find reassurance and finding little. People post on sites like this when they have a bad experience. It's just human nature. If you don't have a bad experience you don't feel the need to share so no one hears about it.

 

Conversely, the people who say that they are about to go to a concert are less likely to share their subsequent experience, if the experience ends up being bad.

 

It’s actually the opposite. If they go and it goes bad, they are more likely to post. If they go and it’s fine they have no reason to post.

 

Dont go anymore. I went to a concert with ear peace plugs and my tinnitus came back worse. Before that, my T was really mild. The show ruined my natural recovery (took more than 2 years). Now it is still fluctuating in volume and changing tones since 24-10-2017.

It´s only my advice.

 

I don't see how people risk their T getting worse by going to a concert. I'll never go to one again and if my T improves to the point I don't want to off myself, i will still avoid concerts. I don't even have as much passion for listening to music now and I konw that is a shame. I also changed - when I do want to listen to music, I am not as interested in the genres I used to listen to. I liked hard rock, classic rock and the odd metal/instrumental rock tune but now, if I ever get in the mood, would listen to something 'quiet' or not as 'aggressive/loud.' Easy listening, folk rock, acoustic etc. - maybe, if my T ever improves. I would never risk my T/hearing/ear problem getting worse by a night out at a loud concert - not even with musician's ear plugs - although, I would probably want such plugs for when I did listen to music or if I am out and about and worried about high pitched, loud sounds causing an issue. Anyway, all that is probably redundant at this point until I can truly recognize improvement. :-(

 

It was my worst decision. But your mind change when your T improves. And after some time you feel really well and want to live a "normal life".

 

You are talking about a random person. I am talking about a person who makes a post here before they go to a concert. In the post they brag about their commitment to not let T win, and make all sorts of statements that would make them look like an idiot if their next post is - now I have a huge spike and it is not going away. Few people will want to lose face that way. They will likely Not follow up with a confession that their recklessness hasn't worked out for them (so they will be more likely to make a follow up post if they don't collect their "reward" for being reckless).

 

There are millions of Tinnitus sufferers yet a very small minority visit these forums. I would been on this forum for over a year now and would have expected to see more questions and posts from members but I don't see it. Tinnitus is a major problem for a few which I entirely sympathise with but the rest just get on as it doesn't affect them and able to distract themselves from Tinnitus. They continue living with perhaps slight modification in their lifestyle. Only ones like myself are concerned over Tinnitus visit these forums as it affects our lives to a degree. Rest of the world don't care about Tinnitus and they just deal with it.

 

Most people like the sound of wind chimes. I bet most people on this forum can't stand wind chimes. Also, most people just read the forum without posting. Not everyone is aware of these forums. Most people believe that they don't need a forum as they will learn all they need to know from their doctor. Of course they are wrong, as evidenced by
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...orum-more-useful-than-your-ents-advice.28006/

How do you know?! Many people recognize that it is usually a good idea to listen to the signals from their own body (e.g., pain after they broke their arm). They don't need a forum to tell them to stay away from loud noises (after they get spikes following exposure to loud noises).

 

Yet you’re on a tinnitus support forum. If you were ok with it, you wouldn’t be here. Trying to stop others from worsening their condition is a good thing.

 

If you are suffering from diabetes and want to stop taking insulin and begin eating cake all day, the worst place to go to to get people to cheer what want to do, is a diabetes forum.

 

Fact is, many of us are susceptible to more damage and the doctors definitely don't know to diagnose this susceptibility, Some of us can, some can't. Roll the dice. If you roll go, wear those earplugs deep and don't go to the front row or anywhere near it.

 

@Gman

What a deeply ignorant statement

“Yet you’re on a tinnitus support forum. If you were ok with it, you wouldn’t be here. Trying to stop others from worsening their condition is a good thing.”


I’m doing ok thanks and I don’t NEED to be here, I’ve had Tinnitus longer than a lot of you so I’d like to think I know what I’m talking about, especially when it comes to concerts etc. I’ve had the experience.

Being as you were quite snide and assuming with your remark, the reason I come here is because I’m doing well with it, I’m sharing my positive experiences, something that’s a distinct scarcity round here. Indeed the question is often asked, where are the people that have habituated or how can musicians still continue to have careers? Well here’s an example!!!! I’m not forcing anyone’s hand.

 

@Bill Bauer

With due respect its easy to find this forum by just typing tinnitus. Most people are just not concerned about Tinnitus if they were then you would be on this forum full time If my tinnitus resolved itself then certainly I would not be posting here.

You are right I don't know but no one knows the impact apart from the minority of suffers that posts here.

You mentioned diabetes but some people will continue to eat cake as they love cake. Its something they will find difficult giving up altogether and most will not end up with Type 2 Diabetes. Some will. Like with tinnitus some that continue their lifestyle with loud sounds and will pay the consequences while the majority of others it may not have any significant repercussions. No one can tell what the outcome will be unless there is any a large scale studies carried out.

No one can say don't do this or go but surely a more sensible message is there is a risk but just be ultra careful.

 

You were lucky.