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My Experience and Tips — Tinnitus from Loud Music (Primarily Concerts and Headphones)

NAPman

Member
Author
Benefactor
Jun 5, 2022
9
Tinnitus Since
2003
Cause of Tinnitus
Concerts / Hearing Loss
Hello! I'm a new member and fellow tinnitus sufferer. I'm located in North Carolina after living in NYC from 1991 to 2019. I have a high pitched tone/hiss that I'm sure is caused from loud music (primarily concerts) and headphones over many years and it recently got worse – which is why I joined this forum. I'm not new to tinnitus, so I thought others may benefit from my story and I hope to learn what I can from others on this forum.

My History

I've always been in great health and also love pop/rock music. I love high quality music and have high end headphones. I don't often abuse the volume, as I knew it could damage my hearing, but I play music loud on occasion. In about 2000 a concert did get to me and I recall having some ringing in my ears. I did a hearing test and my hearing was normal. The ringing eventually went away or I didn't notice it. It was minor. But in 2003/04 I went to a U2 concert and forgot my hearing plugs. Kings of Lion opened and they were EXCRUCIATINGLY loud. It was so bad I couldn't really hear the words. The snare drum was a constant loud bang – almost like a gun shot. It was this concert that caused me to have temporary foggy hearing for a week or two and then tinnitus. I was very worried.

BTW, I'm almost certain my tinnitus is not from a drug, illness, vaccine or other outside source. It was caused by concerts and/or natural damage to my hearing over time. I can only speak to tinnitus from noise induced hearing loss.

From that point on I was more careful and had custom made silicon plugs made for my headphones and for concerts (some with 10 dB to 20 dB filters and others with no filters with 30 dB of protection). These worked great. I was told there was nothing that could be done about the tinnitus. It would flare up here and there, but believe it or not, over time it faded. It took years but I think I somehow habituated over time without knowing or my understanding is the hairs in the inner ear can sometimes recover some (if not completely broken).

Sidenote: I'm not well versed on all the hypotheses about what causes tinnitus, but it makes logical sense to me that mine is either (1) damage in my inner ear that is sending a constant signal to my brain (which I would think would be impossible to stop, or (2) the damage caused no signal to be sent and my brain is filling a void of some sort (the tone is generated in my brain). The fact that my tinnitus diminished over time tells me I have #2 and my brain somehow generated less tone or I habituated and was able to tune it out more often.

I had another hearing test in 2011 which showed mild hearing loss at high frequencies (4 kHz to 8 kHz). And I think I had a flare up in and around 2017 and did another test. Again, some mild hearing loss at the higher frequencies but getting close to moderate at 8 kHz. From 2017 to just a few weeks ago, if I was to close my ears and really listen for the tinnitus, it was there but at a low enough level that it never bothered me. It was more a muddled hiss. I would explain it as not having pure silence (like when you sleep and everything goes out), but some muddled higher frequency noise. Somehow I just go through it. So lesson here... be patient. It can take months to years.

What did I do over those years? I made sure I wore protection at all loud events and I kept busy! I work in an intense industry and I'm also very active. I'm the type who doesn't like to sit still. I have many hobbies (too many!). When your mind is focused on other things, it gets distracted from the tinnitus. Over time your acclimate and somehow your brain figures out that you don't need to pay attention to it. Or maybe I have some form of it that dissipates over years. I have no idea what helped me, but that's what I did. I went on with my life. My tinnitus us not painful and it didn't prevent me from getting to sleep (at the beginning it did, but that's from the initial anxiety of first getting it). I suggest doing everything you can to keep busy.

You will often notice that when you focus on a discussion, or are deep in drafting an email, reading a book or watching a movie, that the tinnitus is just not there. This is your brain focused on other input. We don't parallel process well (try listening to two different conversations at the same time - you can't). But if you stop and enter a silent room, then all of a sudden you hear it. This happened to me but over time I somehow learned to ignore it.

So up to a few weeks ago I was doing great. And that's when I seriously messed up (please learn from my mistake). I was traveling and got invited to a small venue concert with a friend. I didn't have my earplugs with me. When the music started it wasn't too bad and it didn't seem as loud as the big concerts. I stayed a couple hours and when I left my ears seemed ok meaning NOT cloudy or foggy. But nope. Within hours or a day, the tinnitus was back. And louder than I remember (but our memories can fool us, so I'm not sure). I likely had some more damage or the loud music somehow triggered my brain to generate the tone again. I've was so upset at myself. This was a stupid mistake. I should have asked if they had any type of protection or I could have run to the drugstore to find something. LESSON: if you have my form of tinnitus, take protection very seriously for the rest of your life. You can still enjoy all concerts with 15 dB to 20 dB filtered plugs and have no problems.

So now what?

Well this is why I'm here. I want to see what the latest research is on tinnitus. It's been a while since I have researched the topic. In doing so I came across Neosensory and the unit was delivered yesterday! I'm trying it because I believe that my history is someone related to being able to habituate over time. Take a look at Neosensory and learn about the research and progress being made here. Assuming my tinnitus didn't go away through some "healing" process, I have to assume I habituated over a long period of time. Perhaps Neosensory can help accelerate my habituation. I'll keep everyone up to date on my progress.

In summary, don't get down or give up. This is something in which "mind over matter" is important. We are only human and we are all going to have medical issues over time. I'm just glad I'm not paralyzed or have Alzheimer's (which my father had). Keep a positive attitude, exercise (that's the other thing I've been doing for years) and stay busy doing things you love. Focus on your life. Also, don't get caught up on vitamins and quick fixes. Those are highly unlikely to work and the time you spend trying to find a quick fix is time you're letting your brain focus on the tinnitus. Also, get outside. When I'm outside, the birds and other noise masks my tinnitus. It's ironic because when I wear my ear protector mowing the lawn, I don't hear the tinnitus at all when the mower is running (even though the volume is reduced by the earplugs). But as soon as the mower goes off, the tinnitus is horrible. It's as if steady noise (the mower0 at one frequency makes it worse when that noise goes off. You want your ears to get a diversity of sounds at normal levels. Birds and high pitched sounds work great for me (they mask or mix with the 3 kHz to 8 kHz tones). So I don't hear it when running outside or having a conversation outside. I also don't hear it in the shower or with running water. My tinnitus tone is just over 9 kHz, so high pitched tones mask it. But in a quiet room, it's noticeable.

Do everything you can to keep busy and enjoy any activities you can. Over years, hopefully it will slowly improve.

I'm far from being an expert on this subject, but I've dealt with a minor case in the past and now I'm dealing with what seems to be a worse. It doesn't keep me from falling asleep, as someone my brain turns off that part of my brain when I'm tired. However, for the first time, if I wake up early and I'm not in a deep sleep cycle, it was hard a couple times to fall back asleep because I wasn't as tired.

My latest hearing test, unfortunately, shows additional hearing loss. Now the 1 kHz to 2 kHz range has mild decline and the higher frequencies are also starting into moderate territory. What is interesting is I hear conversations perfectly, even in loud venues. I don't find myself asking people to repeat themselves. The audiologist said to come back in a couple years and if my 1 kHz - 2 kHz range falls, then it would be prudent to start amplification (hearing aids). They say to start them early so your brain doesn't lose it's ability to understand and process sound (something like that).

I will keep everyone updated on Neosensory. I've used it for two days and it is AWESOME TO USE. The tones are cool and it's actually relaxing. While the tones are generated, your brain doesn't focus on the tinnitus so it's a relief. The bimodal response from the motors in the wristband is neat. The premise makes sense - the vibration tells your brain this is a real tone from the outside world so pay attention and over time the brain adjusts and ignores the tinnitus. I love it so far but it will take a month or two to determine if it will work for me.

Looking forward to learning more from others on this forum!
 
...welcome to the forum and thank you for sharing your experiences and insights.
 
UPDATE:

My first post was in June 2022. I'm posting a quick update here and will also share this on the Success Stories subforum. This is going to be short and to the point.

I now understand what success means. It doesn't mean the tinnitus is gone—mine is not. Nothing worked to the extent I hoped. I do think the volume has decreased somewhat, but it's hard to tell. Frankly, I just got used to not letting it bother me. What you need is time. Move on with your life and do your best not to think about it. Keep busy and do things you love.

I still play loud music occasionally (but not for too long and never over 80 dB). I used to use a sound simulator to produce static noise at high frequencies, but I don't anymore. One night, I forgot to set it up and was tired enough to just fall asleep. The next thing I knew, I wasn't using it anymore. I fall asleep just fine now. I don't hear the tinnitus when I'm tired at bedtime and have other, more important things on my mind. I detect it once a day at most (like now while writing this update in a quiet room). I hear it when I use my noise-canceling earplugs because they lower the outside noise threshold, but it doesn't make me anxious anymore. I just move on.

Success is not having tinnitus go away (it may never go away). Success is adapting to it. Just work, play, and live. It will get better slowly over time. Don't waste energy trying to find a miracle cure. All that does is keep your mind focused on it. Learn to accept and live with it.

This is just my experience and humble opinion.
 
@NAPman obviously has very mild tinnitus—various comments support that. It's easy to forget about it and just move on in that case. I had mild tinnitus for over 20 years, and it was not an issue. I have had severe tinnitus for 2 1/3 years. Severe tinnitus is completely different.
 
Success is not having tinnitus go away (it may never go away). Success is adapting to it....

...This is just my experience and humble opinion.
And you have every right to express it.

I've said this on a previous post; success is used synonymously on Tinnitus Talk to mean either:
  1. An actual reduction of tinnitus volume/loudness/number of sounds.
  2. Habituation.
Indeed, most success stories involve 2, but there are also those who have achieved success with tinnitus perception reduction.
 
I still play loud music occasionally (but not for too long and never over 80 dB)
I hear it when I use my noise-canceling earplugs because they lower the outside noise threshold, but it doesn't make me anxious anymore. I just move on.
I am pleased that you can carry on with your life with tinnitus @NAPman, but I advise you to reconsider when you occasionally play loud music. You can manage the tinnitus at the moment because it is mild, but I assure you that it can change fast if you're not careful. Don't trust noise-reducing earplugs because the external sound can pass through your head and transfer to the inner ear by bone conduction and possibly spike the tinnitus if the external sound is loud enough.

If you are fortunate, the spike might reduce to baseline within a short period of time, or it could increase the tinnitus to a new permanent level. In addition to this, the tinnitus could change to what I define as variable tinnitus. This is a more severe form of noise-induced tinnitus. It can be ruthless and very unforgiving when it's severe. I am not trying to frighten you; I am just advising you to be careful because I don't think you fully understand what you're dealing with when it comes to noise-induced tinnitus.

Please don't think you are out of the woods; you can ride into the sunset and forget about tinnitus. The sobering truth is, if you're not careful about exposure to loud noise or you regularly listen to audio through any headphones, even at low volume, then you risk your tinnitus developing into something that you have never experienced before. Trust me because I know whereof I speak.

Please click the link below and read my thread: Can I Habituate to Variable Tinnitus?

I wish you well,
Michael

Can I Habituate to Variable Tinnitus? | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum
 
@NAPman, thanks for sharing. Your story is similar to mine, except I got severe hyperacusis on top of tinnitus. Five years later, things have improved, but I realize they can just as easily get worse again. I wouldn't say I have a success story to tell unless I get to the point where I can enjoy live music and play in small bands to some extent without having to be fearful or leave early because I've misjudged how loud it will get. Rock concerts are definitely off the agenda, although it was a loud folk concert that broke the camel's back. You're right that the key is to keep busy and look for other things you can still enjoy, adjusting your expectations as you go.
 
@NAPman obviously has very mild tinnitus—various comments support that. It's easy to forget about it and just move on in that case. I had mild tinnitus for over 20 years, and it was not an issue. I have had severe tinnitus for 2 1/3 years. Severe tinnitus is completely different.
Obviously? That's a strong statement. It's all relative. You don't know what I hear. What may be mild to you may be scary as hell to someone else. Maybe what I'm hearing is as bad as yours. You have no way to judge. Maybe I just learned to cope better.
I am pleased that you can carry on with your life with tinnitus @NAPman, but I advise you to reconsider when you occasionally play loud music. You can manage the tinnitus at the moment because it is mild, but I assure you that it can change fast if you're not careful. Don't trust noise-reducing earplugs because the external sound can pass through your head and transfer to the inner ear by bone conduction and possibly spike the tinnitus if the external sound is loud enough.

If you are fortunate, the spike might reduce to baseline within a short period of time, or it could increase the tinnitus to a new permanent level. In addition to this, the tinnitus could change to what I define as variable tinnitus. This is a more severe form of noise-induced tinnitus. It can be ruthless and very unforgiving when it's severe. I am not trying to frighten you; I am just advising you to be careful because I don't think you fully understand what you're dealing with when it comes to noise-induced tinnitus.

Please don't think you are out of the woods; you can ride into the sunset and forget about tinnitus. The sobering truth is, if you're not careful about exposure to loud noise or you regularly listen to audio through any headphones, even at low volume, then you risk your tinnitus developing into something that you have never experienced before. Trust me because I know whereof I speak.

Please click the link below and read my thread: Can I Habituate to Variable Tinnitus?

I wish you well,
Michael
Michael, you're entitled to your opinion. I work with one of the leading tinnitus clinics, and they disagree. I appreciate your caution, but I won't be a victim anymore of fear-mongering and worrying. Each person is different. Part of the problem for many is too much focus. In fact, I'm already hearing my tinnitus more after getting back on this forum. I'm done here. I don't need the negativity and fear. I meant my update to be positive for others. You just turned it around and essentially said we should all fear this forever. Beware, it may come back! It may get worse! Don't do this! Don't do that! If you're thinking about this every day, maybe reconsider your own approach. Sorry, I won't trust someone who doesn't provide hope and a positive attitude.
 
I work with one of the leading tinnitus clinics, and they disagree. I appreciate your caution, but I won't be a victim anymore of fear-mongering and worrying. Each person is different. Part of the problem for many is too much focus. In fact, I'm already hearing my tinnitus more after getting back on this forum. I'm done here. I don't need the negativity and fear. I meant my update to be positive for others. You just turned it around and essentially said we should all fear this forever. Beware, it may come back! It may get worse! Don't do this! Don't do that! If you're thinking about this every day, maybe reconsider your own approach. Sorry, I won't trust someone who doesn't provide hope and a positive attitude.
The vast majority of "leading tinnitus clinics" are the ones to be questioned and be skeptical of, not the real-life experiences of actual patients here who have first-hand seen how mild tinnitus can turn into something that cripples you for life.

The warnings you have received here are not fearmongering. Nobody is saying you should stay in a soundproofed room for the rest of your life. But common sense and caution is essential unless you want to come back here in future.

In my humble opinion.
 
Michael, you're entitled to your opinion. I work with one of the leading tinnitus clinics, and they disagree. I appreciate your caution, but I won't be a victim anymore of fear-mongering and worrying.
Oh my @NAPman, you gave me a right telling-off. I thought I was trying to help you.

If you read my thread in the link provided, you will see that it is not fear-mongering. Please go to my started threads and read Positivity and Tinnitus, Acquiring a Positive Mindset, Tinnitus and the Negative Mindset, and many others, all based on positivity to help a person live with tinnitus.

You are correct that I am entitled to my opinion, which is based on 28 years of living with noise-induced tinnitus. In addition to this, I have counseled and corresponded with many people over the years with this type of tinnitus. I believe my advice on noise-induced tinnitus and hyperacusis is quite valid. Even though no two people will experience these conditions the same, they will often share similarities, especially when it comes to exposure to loud noise and listening to audio through headphones, even at low volume. Some people can use headphones, but there is a risk of increased tinnitus. Please type headphones in the search box at the top of this page and read the posts.

You say you work with one of the "leading tinnitus clinics." You will often find so-called experts at these clinics who know very little about tinnitus. Tinnitus is a very common condition, and many people habituate to it with time, with or without specialist treatment. These "leading tinnitus clinics" rarely treat people who have severe unrelenting tinnitus. You may not be aware that most ENT doctors do not treat tinnitus; they treat underlying medical conditions within the auditory system that cause tinnitus, and there are many. However, tinnitus is an entirely different kettle of fish. Most (but not all) ENT doctors have never experienced tinnitus, and for those that have it, most likely, it is mild, nothing like the many people at Tinnitus Talk experience.

The same applies to some audiologists. They know about the anatomy of the ear but have never experienced tinnitus. Some do live with tinnitus and, therefore, are able to help counsel people with this condition. Tinnitus cannot be learned in great depth from a book or at medical school. One has to live with tinnitus to fully understand how it can affect a person's mental and emotional well-being daily. Ideally, they should have experienced it being mild, moderate, or severe.

The advice others and I have given you on this thread is not scaremongering. Quite the contrary, we advise you to be prudent and not subject your ears to overly loud sounds, as you have mentioned, or, as I recommended, not to listen to audio through headphones even at low volume as you risk making your tinnitus worse. This may not happen immediately, but the risk is always there if someone with noise-induced tinnitus uses these devices.

I am only trying to help you and not telling you what you want to hear, like those medics at the leading tinnitus clinic you have spoken of that know very little about living tinnitus and probably nothing about severe tinnitus, in my opinion.

I wish you well,
Michael
 

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