I'm Bob, Tinnitus Since April 2017, from Playing Electronic Drums Through Headphones

Nice to meet you all. I have had tinnitus since April of 2017 from playing electronic drums through headphones.

My tinnitus gets very loud. I realize that the only true thing there is is habituation. By the looks of things it is not all that simple. When I tried TRT the hearing aids made my head scream.

First clinician I saw actually charged me for a hearing test when I have had 5 previous audiograms which are free at most places.

I have negligible to no hearing loss depending on the clinician.

I have had clinicians REFUSE to sell me hearing aids saying it was overkill. Of course the TRT snake oilists want to sell me the most expensive ones. The trial I started had the actual hearing aid portion turned off so basically they were a $4,000 white noise player.

I was able to see through their BS right away. To start digital hearing aids $3600, another $400 for the charger because the batteries don't last long. Then another $400 for a neck dongle because the Bluetooth portion was only compatible with iPhone and so on. Since it was a trial I was only out $100.00 for the "testing".

8 week MCBT session with psychologist part of a group so it was reasonable with partial coverage with my plan. Mindfulness is cool but does not do much for my tinnitus.

I have also tried acupuncture, cranial sacral massages etc.

 

Tinnitus Talk is the best forum out there, welcome!!!

Do you still play electronic drums or have you had to give up that hobby? I agree habituation is not easily achieved, can take years for some. How are you coping every day, do you use any masking at home?

 

No I had to stop drumming since last July. I went back to a regular kit since it projects differently and no longer drum in my condo since I had it renovated in Sept of 18. It has been a challenge. I was wearing ear protection. I have had professional OTO molds with 25 dB reduction made. I even doubled with industrial cans on top and still had bad reactions. I came to understand that it is due to vibrations traveling through bone specially low frequencies. I plan on revisiting it.

The fact that according to the last audiogram I had a few weeks back which proved nothing has changed it is perception based and part of it is most likely psychological.

I have been on another forum that is mostly habituation based for a while but am curious to see if perhaps different suggestions can be offered here.

I also have a certain level of misophonia or whatchoocallit hyperacusis.

I did read on this forum that white pink noise played through Bluetooth speaker can cause reactions. I have had this happen as well.

Therefore decided this may be a good place to explore. I mask, I call it welfare TRT LOL walk around at work with sounds on my phone Bluetooth speaker and tablet at night.

Oh yeah mine sound like desert crickets.

Wow you have post editors impressive!

 

Ugh... I would not recommend that: unlike an e-kit, you can't control the volume on an a-kit. I find that the combination of headphones at low volume and a throne thumper works pretty well with an e-kit.

 

Actually e-drums caused as much of a reaction. I stopped using headphones and was running them out of studio monitors wearing ear protection. The reaction was more or less the same. I'm going to sift through various suggestions.

 

Interesting. And the a-kit didn't affect your ears at all?

 

HI @bobvann

If you want your tinnitus and possible hyperacusis to improve, then my advice is to stop using headphones even at low volume. Secondly, I advise you to stop using the drums for a while I know this may not be easy to do. If you want your symptoms to improve then those I my suggestions.

Please click on the links below and read my posts. There is also information on TRT and the correct way it should be administered under the care of a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist that specialises in Tinnitus and hyperacusis management and treatment.

All the best
Michael

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/what-is-trt-and-when-should-it-be-started.19024/

 

Both gave me the equal reaction if that makes sense. When I do attempt to drum it is with industrial ear muffs of course. I find it gives it a studio like quality sound. I just scored a 6 piece 80's Tama Artstars. I had a Roland TD50 then swapped the module for a pearl MIMIC PRO. Sold it when I got a space to play an A kit.

Thanks Mike. Will read. I have stopped drumming since July & do not use headphones. There is something I learned through TSMB is that tinnitus is going to do what it is going to do no matter what. I am not new. I am over 2.5 years in.

What I mean is 2 main things cause reactions. 1 - Going to the gym the environment at times 2 - Drumming. As mentioned I have not drummed in more than 6 months. Like most people I get lazy spells, so even if I don't attend the gym my tinnitus will still spike every other day or sometimes a few days in a row like it has been since the beginning.

If I go to the gym it can calm right back down and almost disappear all the same at times.

I do suspect the TRT clinicians may not have been the most competent. I am in the Lower Mainland British Columbia Canada.

They seem more interested in getting every dollar they can out of you. We all understand the level of desperation. Why else would people be willing to fly to Dublin to purchase a device from what I am reading is getting mixed results. Perhaps if I have not habituated by the time it comes available here it may be worth looking into.

I tried TRT fitted hearing aids twice, both times cause nasty spikes. No different than using apps and earphones or earbuds. When I mask it is from the open speaker on my phone or Bluetooth speaker off a tablet.

I'm liking the community so far. Thanks for the warm welcome