I Need Reassurance — Tinnitus Feeling Worse After Loud Music at Wedding

Hi all, I developed tinnitus about four years ago after attending a night club. I had been in front of a speaker for approx. four hours. Needless to say, that was no good and I ended up with tinnitus.

I am typically a anxious person, so it took me a good long while (maybe a year and a half?) to come to terms with it - but I finally did.

Ever since I had avoided weddings and clubs as best I can, and if I do have to go I wear EarDIAL ear plugs...

Being a naturally anxious person, when I get home after a night out I sit and try to listen to see if my tinnitus got worse... I wear ear plugs, so I’ve been safe...

Anyway, last weekend, I had my friends wedding... the music was really loud, I was wearing earplugs, so I felt somewhat protected. For the first time in years I went near the stage, I was there for probably 10-15 minutes.
I remember telling myself “this is going to be bad” (as I say, I’m naturally anxious). It was almost as if I was convincing myself it was going to be bad.

Fast forward almost a week and my tinnitus is bothering me. I’m not sure if it’s louder or if my brain is just focusing on it - un-habituated itself.

It feels the same as when I first got tinnitus.
It doesn’t really bother me when I’m out as it is easily masked by background noise or a fan or the like.

I am looking for some encouraging words.

Thanks

 

Hi Alexander, I am very guilty of what you describe. Especially early on, and it could really be over anything that I perceived as being dangerous. In my long experience of dealing with this condition, if you have to wonder whether it’s louder or not, then it’s most probably not. Anxiety can make our experience of tinnitus feel worse if we allow our mindset to drift back towards the obsessive. It can put us back into a state of fight or flight. I’ve been through this process so many times that I’ve lost count. In my case, and I can’t stress this enough - my case - I’ve realised that it’s easy to drift in and out of habituation. Once you allow the anxiety to take control of your thoughts again then you’re in for a rough patch. For me, these rough patches come and go and then I’m back to being fine again. These kind of situations were very prevalent for me in the early years. Nowadays, I have much better control of my thoughts surrounding this, so I’m nowhere near as affected.

If your tinnitus truly became chronically louder, trust me, you’d instinctively know it. You wouldn’t have to question if it was or not. I’ve been through a worsening (because of my own negligence) and to say it’s frightening is an understatement.

If I were you, I’d try to redirect your thoughts as much as possible and try to focus on something else entirely. I know this is practically impossible during these times, but you really have to try. In fact, don’t try because trying subconsciously gives your tinnitus more power over you by making it significant. Just don’t allow yourself to react to it and try to unwind as much as humanly possible. Do things that are really relaxing.

During my hard times, I actually used to try and do a load of house work that I’d been putting off. I feel that doing mundane tasks can also help. Just don’t sit around ruminating about it as this will make you feel worse and may further push your tinnitus into your awareness making your perception of it louder.

Stay strong, buddy. You got this.

 

HI @Alexander_M

I am sorry to hear that you are going through a difficult time at the moment with tinnitus, and hope things improve for you soon.

Noise induced tinnitus which is what you have, usually improves over time and you have had it for quite a while. Some people believe by wearing earplugs, external sound of the type you describe will not affect them and they will be safe. Nothing more could be further from the truth! The sobering truth is this: If external sound is loud enough, it will pass through the head/skull and be transferred to the inner ear by bone conduction which can spike the tinnitus. If the tinnitus should spike, one might be fortunate that the increase will be temporary and with time the tinnitus will reduce to it's previous baseline level. However, in some cases the spike can cause a permanent increase in the tinnitus so please be careful in future. Give it time and hopefully things will return to normal. Please click on the links below and read my posts on tinnitus, which you might find helpful.

All the best
Michael

PS: I advise you not to use headphones even at low volume.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-habituation-process.20767/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/is-positivity-important.23150/

 

The fact that tinnitus isn't bothering you very much is an encouraging sign and it looks like you have escaped without too much negative impact. From what you said in your post it seems like your close proximity to very loud music was of a relatively short duration which may also limit the damage.

However, this can also be a positive warning to you not to risk prolonged exposure to very loud music in the future and though earplugs can offer some protection, as has been pointed that protection can be quite limited. You don't want to risk losing all the progress you have made in habituating to tinnitus by risking future loud noise exposure.

 

Hi @Alexander_M.

Most tinnitus cases get better overtime.

As the limbic system is involved in our condition, anxiety plays a big role in tinnitus perception. So staying calm and positive are key to recovery.

Do some things that will help you relax. A warm bath, a camomile tea, meditation or soft massage might help.

Allow time to heal you.


Warm regards,
Albert

 

Sorry to hear about your unfortunate situation with the wedding. I can relate. Went 14 years with minuscule 1/10 level tinnitus until my best friends wedding on July 15th 2018. Loudest dance floor I ever heard. Needless to say, it caused a massive spike that’s never gone down since. Wedding music these days has gotten to a ridiculous level. Others that night were also saying “too loud”. You have people in their 70s 80s maybe even 90s at weddings and you got NYC nightclub level volume music and lord knows what kind of songs blasting. These people / DJ’s just don’t get it. It’s just so dangerous. I’ll never forget that night like I’m sure you won’t yours.

With regards to your spike the best thing you can do right now is understand that MOST of the time tinnitus subsides. Mine did in 2004 and lasted 14 years, as I said, until I foolishly spent too much time on that dance floor. In the meantime do whatever you can to remain calm, eat healthy, and come on here for advice from other more experienced posters. God bless.