Hello

Hello everybody!!

So i am 30 years old and play drums (not professionally)...throughout the years i have wore protection but of course every once in a while played a little without anything on for a short period of time....

sadly without understanding the true risks of tinnitus i found myself waking up sunday with the noise and it hasnt gone away since....i wish there was more info on this condition...they promote not smoking cigarettes but dont mention a thing about this...its just terrible...you dont realize that it can just happen so quickly without any recourse....

i honestly havent been playing my drums as much as i did 7 years ago...went a few years without even touching them...dont even play them during the week...but i did go out to bars quite a bit when i was younger so im sure that didnt help....that was about 6 years ago...

i do take the train at certain points of the year as well...dont listen to music on headphones but did when i was younger...so i have read up on much of what everyone has to say before joining...i know my chances aren't good at getting lucky and escaping this...

i have accepted it now as a better way to cope...i downloaded the white noise app...the crickets help a ton...i would consider my case mild because it is masked easily by outside noises...the only thing is i am very frustrated with the way the health care industry handles this...i tried getting an appointment with an ENT right away and of course they are all booked...

i got an appointment next week but from what everyone here says the sooner the better...why dont they take you in sooner if you are saying that you have this kind of condition? it boggles my mind...my main doctor tried treating it like i was congested...

I said i need a steriod and he said i needed an ENT?! i took half a pill of magnesium today to see how i would react...so far so good...no real results but i wasnt expecting that...anxiety has been on and off...really only occurs when trying to sleep...i felt well today after getting a good night of sleep though...the night before was a little rough..i couldnt figure out a way to sleep...downloading the app helped so much....

another tip i came up with on my own was those airplane neck pillows...i wear that to bed to prevent me from laying on my ears...it helps alot...i also want to add that i feel my hearing has not been impaired...i am sure there is some damage but nothing that ever made me think i was losing my hearing...

so please guys if you have any tips for me at the start of this i would greatly appreciate it...i am seriously considering earplugs every time i step outdoors because of the uncontrollable loud sounds that can occur. Still trying to figure out what is the appropriate volume for my ears to get exposed to...

On a positive note my uncle told me has had it for many years...he says it gets better and can only hear it at night but says he can barely notice it....he is 70 yrs old...i never knew he had it until yesterday.

Thanks for your help and support.

Joe

 

@Jomo

Hello Joe.

Welcome to Tinnitus Talk. You and I have a few similarities for what possibly started our Tinnitus. I was a drummer in many various bands for over 20 years. Also did not use hearing protection as often as I should have. I liked to hear the REAL ambiance of my drums without blocking it etc, in order to better understand how others hear it when it's played live.

As a person somewhat new to Tinnitus, you really need to understand that not much funding or research has gone into it. With hopes and with time, I plan on in some ways advocate for better hearing health learning that I feel should begin at the age of 3 years old. Much like brushing your teeth etc. Would be fantastic if it can be taught in schools to children in physical education formats.

About your Tinnitus and treatments....... Well get used to things going slow. Doctors do not respond to Tinnitus as an emergency. You need to step up and try to take better control of your appointments and ask, if not plead to be seen sooner if possible. Also be careful with stress, anxiety and other problems associated with Tinnitus. Doctors like to prescribe medications. Research them and ask yourself if you really believe they may help what ever issue you suffer. Many medications can also be habit forming and then you just added another issue to the ones you now have. You will know what works best for you in time. Online research, medical appointments, specialist appointments and medications are about as far as we have come with Tinnitus. Masking techniques have been developed and accepted as a treatment. Some even claim medications have reversed the Tinnitus. What works for them may never work for anyone else tho.

Feel free to ask me any questions. I am available for you anytime you need. I try to check in twice a day here.

Warm regards and best wishes from Canada.

Mike

 

Welcome to the forum. If you are thinking of carrying the earplugs with you to be ready for loud noises at times, that is a good idea. But if you are saying you will wear earplugs whenever you are heading out, then you may be over-protecting your ears which may eventually lead to sound sensitivity issue. Use wisdom while trying to protect.

 

@Jomo sorry to hear this - we are all in the same boat. I am generally ok during the day too - but at night, it's a different story.

Get an audiogram done - the ENT will want that. Don't expect a lot of love from them, mine was a pr ick, could have spat in his face.
At least you'll get some insight into your hearing, if nothing else.
I've found audiologists far more sympathetic and a much better resource than the ENT, especially if your tinnitus is idiopathic.

You can get the steroids, just in case. It's worth a shot. Can you go to an ED and insist on them? Otherwise ring around every ENT and see if you can get an urgent appointment, even if you have to exaggerate your symptoms.

Best of luck,

Sam.

 

Thank you all for your support and advice...i am curious...do you guys notice weird shifts in your head? The day after my incident i felt these same shifts in the front of my head..today i am feeling it on the right side of my head where i believe the tinnitus is coming from..doesnt hurt but its a weird feeling