I’m at a Crossroads — Weightlifters with Tinnitus, Please Help

The way I see it, I’ve received one of the worst diseases (tinnitus & hyperacusis) in terms of prognosis in cooperation my career field. My undergrad was in exercise science, and my master’s in sport science and coaching.

My tinnitus is due to acoustic trauma (airbag blast) about 6.5-7.5 months ago (I developed the high pitched tinnitus in the middle of the night a month later). I had to quit my job as a strength coach of a local public school, and every time I lift, ear protection or not, my tinnitus spikes. My tinnitus is unilateral (left ear only). I feel like I’m just constantly doing this dance of 1 step forward, 2 steps back.

I don’t know if I should give up what I love in hopes that the tinnitus could get better. I recently took 16 days off, which I realize is not a long period of time, and my baseline tinnitus didn’t really shift. Lifted today with 32 NRR earplugs and the tinnitus has devolved from a static hiss back into its first form, the classic eeeeee.

Is weightlifting sustainable? Did anyone take time off and see improvement before going back? Does weightlifting continue to spike your tinnitus regardless of how far out you were from the initial trauma?

I feel like I have no identity, no personality. Just a wavering, nebulous hope for a cure. I don’t care about anything else apart from getting better. I literally don’t even care how the PTSD robs me of my ability to drive because I don’t wanna go anywhere, anyway.

 

When I was working out 3-4 days a week I didn't have spikes. I was about 1.5-2 years into tinnitus though.

 

I am sorry to know that your tinnitus is affected in this way. We are all different so what might affect one person's tinnitus might not affect another. Please be aware certain exercises like running on hard ground or treadmill can make tinnitus worse for some people and others are not affected. I know someone that had to stop lifting weights and other training at the gym as his tinnitus steadily got worse.

It is a matter of seeing what works or doesn't work for you. If you notice your tinnitus increasing doing certain exercises, my advice is not to ignore it and push on regardless. The reason being, your tinnitus might increase and not reduce to its previous baseline level. This can happen with noise induced tinnitus. I also advise that you don't use headphones even at low volume.

All the best
Michael

 

Perhaps you’re getting spikes because you have somatic tinnitus and weight lifting is putting pressure on those nerve related somatic elements. I know that if I mess with my neck the wrong way I’ll spike.

I would hope none of these are permanent. I used to strength train daily and I haven’t in eight months because I’m scared of spiking at the gym.

 

I lift four times a week with foam earplugs pretty heavy (competitive powerlifter before tinnitus). I did not notice any change in nearly two years. My tinnitus sometimes gets a bit louder after wearing foam earplugs for a longer period of time, but that happens also if i wear them aside from lifting.

I use the orange 3M 1100 foam earplugs since my tinnitus started.

 

Weightlifting does not cause further hearing damage or permanent louder tinnitus.

However, once you had noise damage - the airbag blast in your case - your ears will remain much weaker and easier to sustain further damage, therefore you need to protect them with plugs or earmuffs.

In a gym that means loud weights dropping inside a machine, close to the ears and loud music

Wearing protection may cause a temporary increase of tinnitus awareness, and the exercise itself as well, and tinnitus may increase when you feel tired etc... but it's never permanent. Big, big difference here.

I suggest you use the Peltor X5A for training, those are huge muffs, excellent noise protection, good comfort and will not be loud when banged to hard surfaces. Don't waste money on any other muffs, I tried them all. Easier to put in and out, easier for the flow of ear wax and no risks of ear infections/bacteria you may get with plugs.

 

Thanks, I never use headphones and always use 32NRR plugs. Pretty much any movement I do spikes it the same as the last. I’ve decided to say to hell with it and whatever will be will be. I can’t live my life in a cage chain smoking my juul.

I feel you man. The spikes don’t appear to be permanent but I definitely had more trouble getting to sleep last night.

Thanks for the reassurance dude. I do think wearing earpro will spike it for most people. In my case the heightened perception of it actually allows the signal to grow stronger for a certain period of time.

Thanks dude, I agree with plugs causing mostly an increase in tinnitus awareness but I think it actually spikes mine to some degree. Oh well. I read that doubling up on earpro can only lead to a max 36NRR (only 4 above max earplugs?) which is the only reason I haven’t bought muffs.

 

I meant to say - better use muffs than plugs, it's not loud enough to require both, 4 or 5 dB means double the noise level which is quite a large step.