Is It Safe to Go to Movie Theaters If You Have Noise-Induced Tinnitus?

[jess1]

Does anyone with noise-induced tinnitus have experience or advice about going to the movies? I've seen that many people still go to the movies with tinnitus, but is it a bad idea to go if the cause was noise-induced from headphones and possibly concerts?

 

[alwaysmasking]

This is one of those things that differs from person to person. You will find all kinds of accounts. Some people say their tinnitus became worse, while others say they still go regularly and notice no difference. You never really know until you try, and in my view, it is playing with fire. There is a good chance you can do this and be fine, but there is also a chance you could end up with irreversible damage. Unfortunately, part of this condition is never knowing what will or will not make things worse. Sometimes the best choice is simply not to take the risk.

Look at it this way: a good film will eventually come out on streaming, but your ears may never heal if they are predisposed to damage from a theater.

 

[MindOverMatter]

There is no definite right or wrong with this. I used to go to movie theaters for about ten to fifteen years after I first got tinnitus, and I had no issues whatsoever. If you ask me today, I would not go.

If you feel comfortable with it and do not have problems with the sound levels, you could try going with musician earplugs, for example.

 

[withintention]

I have a decibel meter and Westone custom-molded earplugs with 9 dB, 15 dB, and 25 dB filters. I use the appropriate filter to make sure I am never exposed to more than 80 dB for longer than a few minutes.

When the movie starts, I measure the decibel level and then insert the appropriate filter. No problems so far.