Tinnitus and Strange Feeling for Certain Sounds

Hi,

I’m new to this forum. Just some background: I am 38 years old, in my childhood I played occasionaly with firecrackers and my ears was temporary ringing. Further, as a teenager I huntend without ear protection, also causing temporary ringing and in particular my left ear. Very stupid indeed

At the age of 18-20 I experienced a very mild tinnitus I think, and my left ear felt more sensitive to certain sounds. After that I have used ear muffs during hunting and ear plugs at concerts (with few exeptions for the latter).

One year ago I used an ear plug with filter at a rock concert, and I felt some discomfort due to the high sound. Little bit muffed feeling afterwards, I thought it was due to bad quality of the plugs. After weeks or months I recovered back to my mild tinnitus.

Three weeks ago I went to a rock concert with good quality earplugs with filter (SNR 16db). Despite the ear plugs I felt some discomfort, in particular my left ear. Unfortunately I was trusting the ear plugs and did not move further away from the sound. After this concert I have had a much stronger ringing, in particular on my left ear, also the sensitivity towards certain sounds are worse. It’s like it is ringing at higher freqency in addition to the ringing I had before. After reading about SNR db I understand that 16db was too low protection for this rock concert.

I am seing the doctor first coming week to get an ENT appoitment. To be prepared I need some advice. I find it easy to describe the tinnitus. My mild «baseline» tinnitus at both ears, being there for c. 20 years, is low frequncy, but after the last concert I’ve got a much louder and higher frequncy tinnitus in addition, in particular the left ear.

What I find diffucult to explain is the pain in the left ear (been like that c. 10-20 years, but now worse). Seems overall more sensitive to sound. And certain sounds, eg. bird call, tapping water, ignition of gas oven, gives a split second distorted sound. A bit similar to water in the ear, giving a popping or ‘plopping’ feeling, altough only for split second... Anyone with similar experience?

Since it is about three weeks since the concert I suspect that I have brouhgt the tinnitus to new level and that I will not recover. It so frustrating since I used ear protection.

Regards Kes