Just Another Person Who Was at a Very Loud Concert and Got Tinnitus + Hyperacusis

About 5 months ago, this band cranked it up too loud and I got hyperacusis in 20 minutes. I have also some ringing. Coping is hard because I am a musician. I also use loud tools often.

Currently trying to "overprotect" because seems better than triggering more hyperacusis symptoms from loud noise.

Sucks. I'm a 45-year-old male. I love loud stuff like tools, cars, boats and guitar.

Hoping I will slowly get better and be able to do acoustic stuff.

Currently sad to miss summer music festivals but doing camping instead.

It's probably mild but it still sucks. My voice sounds loud and boomy, stuff is louder, I have ear fullness, tinnitus that changes (gets louder or even seems to go away some mornings), but can come back.

I seem to be doing a little better as the months drag on, but I do sometimes overdo it and it sets me back.

Doing some loud motors with double protection seems ok. I usually feel worse after loud social interactions or if I use a loud tool without double protection.

Hoping a summer of camping and quiet will help.

 

I'd cut my dick off to be able to go camping.

 

Anthony, that's extreme but understand the feeling (sorta).

Have non-diagnosed hyper sensitive ears that crack & fizzle, then set off a crazy radio tuning pitch at the lowest of sounds... Life is no more what it was just a month ago.

Glad you can enjoy camping Letsgetbetter!

That's amazing!

 

I’m in a similar position to yourself. Sounds like you’re doing the right things but it does indeed suck to not be able to do things we once loved. There are however so many other hobbies and interests out there to be discovered that can easily fill the void. Stay strong and stay positive! Camping sounds great

 

Camping? I wish I could go camping. If I am in any quiet environment all I hear is EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Camping would be a nightmare for me. BTW, like you I'm also a musician and have played in very loud bands for 30+ years. My tinnitus spiked about 4 or 5 months ago and has only gotten worse. It's in my left ear and I hear it above almost everything. TV, ambient noise while driving with the radio on, at work, listening to music, etc... White noise doesn't mask it anymore although some higher pitched masking sounds help a little.

But yeah, camping, which I used to love, would be a complete nightmare nowadays.

The only thing that has even come close to really helping me is Clonazepam but apparently, where I live, doctors are terrified of prescribing it.

Protect your ears so it doesn't get worse. If you don't already have some, get some custom earplugs from an audiologist. I recommend the -25 dB filters. I've been using -15 dB filters but at my last gig I got curious and veclro'd a dB meter to my mic stand to see how loud the sound was near where my ears are. It was anywhere between 105 and 115 dB. A 15 dB reduction would still leave me with a sound level of 90 to 100 dB which can cause hearing damage with even brief periods of exposure. Even -25 dB would leave me with 85 to 95 dB for 4 hours with only a 15 minute break every 45 minutes so I'd still be in a bit of a danger zone but not as bad as with a -15 dB reduction.