Tinnitus for Almost Three Months Now After an Acoustic Trauma (Headphones on a Film Set)

I’ve been reading posts online for a few months. And I’d like to thank you for all your postings and stories. I think that it’s finally time for me to write.

It’s been almost three months. I’m an academic, I’m used to silence. I sit, I read, I write and I occasionally lecture. That’s pretty much most of my work.

April the 22nd, it was the end of the term. Both a hobby and research of mine is film media, so I occasionally volunteer on film sets. To be brief, the no budget indie shoot didn’t have enough crew, too many people had bailed (all of them that bailed I might add, are smarter than me). I was asked to do sound. I declined the first time, even though I am qualified (I have taken courses in film production) we had not gone over properly blocking the camera and sound and I didn’t feel comfortable. But there was no one else, so the director asked me if I could please do it.

The concept for the shoot was that it was an indie film crew trying to scrape together a movie. Director wanted me to bring the boom pole into the frame. I brought it down, and then she hit the live microphone. I was wearing noise cancelling headphones, and there was a loud “BANG”. I took them off and shouted to the director, “Don’t hit the microphone!”

I stayed four hours to finish the shoot. I drove the camera guy home. I should also mention that the shoot was outside at a park. Outdoor shoots mean that your volume levels are higher than they would be for indoors.

So, I drove him home and, in the car, I noticed that they left ear felt off. The microphone was set to mono sound, so sound was only coming from the left earpiece. It felt as if my ear was underwater.

I thought it would go away in a few days. Three days passed, there was no difference. Then a week passed. Now, I was freaking out. So on day 9 went to emergency at the hospital.

After hours of waiting, the doctor saw me. He examined my ear, told me that I had suffered no visible issues with my middle ear. My eardrum was fine, there was no puncturing so any damage would be nerve related inner ear. I was referred to an ENT a few days later.

ENT took an audiogram and discussed the results a few days later. The audiogram showed that my right ear (the good one) heard most frequencies up to about 15,000 Hz at 15 dB. My right ear, the hearing was closer to 25 dB in the higher frequencies, so about 10,000 Hz or 12,000 Hz and above. I was not given a copy of the audiogram, or else I would post it here.

All they told me to do was wait. After a few weeks I got tired of waiting and came upon this forum. I have been taking all manner of supplements, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Ashwagandha, Astragalaus, Zinc, grape seed extract, Ginkgo biloba and Panax Ginseng..

I tried a couple of treatments of acupuncture. They didn’t seem to make much difference. However, when I had gone to the ENT there was a gentleman waiting who had sudden hearing loss. He was undergoing hyperbaric treatment. I read about hyperbaric treatment and how it seems to be commonly used for soldiers who have suffered hearing loss due to artillery fire in Europe. I went back to the ENT, and I was told that no, they only prescribe HBOT for compete hearing loss. I was disheartened. However, I found a private clinic. It’s not cheap, $189 for a 90-minute session. It’s also only 40 kPa of pressure as opposed to close to 200 kPa which the military and hospital grade chambers have. I think that it’s referred to as mild hyperbaric treatment. I’m trying to go twice a week. I don’t know if it’s helping. I feel better, but that just might be the oxygen.

Like many of you, I was in tears the first few weeks. The ringing from the tinnitus kept me awake. I was hoping that it would go away within three months. Yet here I am. I have had good days and bad days. Today has been particularly bad. I didn’t sleep well, and then I took a three-hour nap in the afternoon.

However, just right now, this second the ringing lessened, just a bit, but enough to notice it. So I guess that it goes up and down?

I’m still going to hyperbaric treatment twice a week. Although I am starting to run out of money. And I still take the supplements.

I have read certain cases, as with @Jason C, where there was healing over a course of some time. But everyone’s experiences are unique. Also, because my ear was damaged from the initial microphone hit, I also wonder if for the rest of the shoot my levels were too high? It’s hard to say. But it would have been a total of maybe 30 minutes of audio recording over the course of four hours.

I’m 44 years old. And as an academic I’m used to being in complete silence when I work. And I fear that it’s over now. I keep going over in my head how I just should have bailed on the set and just walked away when I felt the director didn’t know what she was doing. I was as volunteer, I wasn’t getting paid, I should have just left.

I’m hoping for some advice or wisdom. Or maybe I’m simply reaching out because I’m in pain.

 

I am not qualified to say much about any technical or medical issues that you mentioned. I can only address your comment regarding being used to complete silence when you work.

Not long after I first acquired tinnitus, I visited an ENT surgeon in a top NYC hospital, who told me that he has a pretty bad case of tinnitus himself. He tried every type of remedy including Ginkgo, etc., and nothing worked - only time. I realized that if surgeons can successfully perform extremely difficult operations, despite tinnitus, there is hope for almost everybody.

When you have achieved habituation, your brain will filter/ignore the sounds and it will be the same as silence, most of the time. I have had tinnitus since 2017, and have been much better for several years. Although the tinnitus is still there, I hardly notice it and if I do, it causes me no pain at all.

Good luck, try not to blame yourself, stay positive, and keep us posted.

 

@Luman, thank you for your kind words and the surgeon story.

I wonder though, is there still hope for healing? Or is habituation the only answer? Even now as I type these words I hear a constant high pitched frequency in my ear, something akin to perhaps a strange whistle.

 

Hi @Knightsky.

You are in the early stages of noise-induced tinnitus. It usually improves with time and therefore, I agree with the advice your ENT has given you and that is to wait and give your ears and auditory system time to heal. The ear is a delicate organ and tinnitus can easily become worse if any type of treatment is started too soon. If I were in your situation, I would leave HBOT alone.

My advice is not to listen to audio through headphones even at low volume. This includes earbuds, headsets, AirPods, noise cancelling and bone conduction headphones, as there's a risk of making the tinnitus worse. Keep away from other types of loud sounds to give your ears time to heal. This doesn't mean to wear earplugs everywhere you go as this could make matters worse, by lowering the loudness threshold of your auditory system which can make it more sensitive to sound.

Try to avoid being in quiet rooms and surroundings especially at night by using low level sound enrichment. Click on the link below and read my post: New to Tinnitus, What to Do.

I and others in this forum helped @Jason C some time ago when he was going through a very difficult time with noise induced tinnitus. I am pleased that he has made a good recovery and now helps people at Tinnitus Talk. Please click on the link below titled: From Darkness Into Light. It explains what Jason went through and his recovery. His name was changed at time of posting.

Please go to my started threads and read: The Habituation Process, How To Habituate To Tinnitus, Will My Tinnitus Get Worse? Hyperacusis, As I See It, Tinnitus And The Negative Mindset, Acquiring A Positive Mindset, Tinnitus, A Personal View.

I wish you well,
Michael

New to Tinnitus, What to Do? | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum
From Darkness Into Light | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum

 

Hi,

Thanks for the advice @Michael Leigh. I've also been reading posts by @Bill Bauer.

I have been avoiding all headsets and earbuds. Are there any noise reducing earplugs that you can recommend?

Today is a strange day. This marks exactly three months since the acoustic incident. My ringing today seems less; however, I can feel the aural fullness much more. I have another follow-up hearing test next week.

I will try to get the results so that I can post them here.

Thanks.

 

Hi @Knightsky,

I bought my noise reducing earplugs from the BTA (British Tinnitus Association). They reduce external sound by 18 decibels and are good fit. Made by ACS. My earplugs are not custom made.

Noise reducing earplugs are easily available online but you need to be careful because they aren't all the same. I bought a second set that are little too large but wasn't aware of this when I ordered them. The seller said they were universal, giving the impression one size will fit all types of ear canal because the earplugs are cone shaped. This is not the case so be careful.

Some people use custom made noise reducing earplugs. Although good, my advice is not to go down this route, as there's a tendency for some people to wear them everywhere. This can cause long term problems by lowering the loudness threshold of the auditory system which will make it more sensitive to sound and increase hyperacusis if the person has it.

Noise reducing earplugs should only be used on a temporary basis because they are not a long term solution.

Michael

 

Noise-cancelling headphones can be useful for long flights for example to reduce the steady low pitched engine roar. But for sudden bangs and thuds, high-pitched sounds, especially acoustic feedback they can actually intensify such sounds. This happened to me at a band practice one time resulting in a steady whine in one ear which has gradually reduced over time (3 years in my case, I'm 57, your healing time may be less as you're younger).

If you're ever around such environments again, first I would say wait at least 3-6 months till your symptoms stabilise. Spikes and permanent worsening are common in the early stages while your hearing is freshly damaged and you are learning the adjustments you should make to your life.

In the meantime, invest in earmuffs - Peltor is a popular brand though mine are MPOW and I like them - and experiment with different types of earplugs which can give up to 32 dB reduction for foam earplugs. Soft silicone earplugs are easier to fit but typically offer only up to around 24 dB reduction. As Michael says though, try not to get overly dependent on them. Only use them briefly where you cannot avoid noise that feels "wrong" to your ears.

Good luck!

 

Thank you @Michael Leigh and @Mister Muso.

I can hear the tinnitus tonight quite clearly. It's upsetting.

Tomorrow I have a three month ENT audiogram follow-up. I'm nervous.

I have been heeding your advice. I always carry earplugs with me and I try not to overuse them. I will purchase a higher end noise cancelling pair. The ones that I use right now are the 3M clear silicon variety, the ones that look a bit like trees.

@Mister Muso, what do you mean by "permanent worsening"?

And what is the likelihood that my ear might be okay? @Jason C's story gives me hope, but that seems to be rare.

From @Jason C's post this really throws me off,

"So it is possible so noise induced (acoustic shock) to go away. I’m sure the damage is still there but in some way the inner ear can and does heal but takes a long time, Obviously I will always be careful around loud noise. It’s something that will be with me forever now."​

What I don't understand is that I keep being told that the inner ear does not heal and that hair cells do not grow back?

Thanks.

Thanks.

 

Providing you follow the advice @Mister Muso, I and others in this forum that are experienced with noise induced tinnitus, you have every chance of making a good recovery as @Jason C has and it's not rare! Keep away from all types of headphones and don't expose yourself to overly loud sounds.

Read the articles that I have mentioned and you will realize it takes time to recover from noise induced tinnitus, with or without hyperacusis. Sometimes specialist treatment is required, but many people do make a good recovery.

It is true that damaged hair cells do not grow back but remember, there are over 26 thousand hairs attached to the cochlea. Some of these would be affected by loud noise exposure and this is the reason you have tinnitus. However, this doesn't mean you won't make a good recovery because you can as many people do.

To have tinnitus does not mean you won't be able to lead a fulfilling life doing everything that you want to within reason. More often than not it is negativity that can prevent a person from moving on with their life with tinnitus. It can be very debilitating for some people, particularly when it is caused by an underlying medical condition that might get worse over time.

In most (but not all) cases, people affected with noise induced tinnitus, with or without hyperacusis that has progressively got worse, is a result of a second or third noise trauma, using headphones or subjecting themselves to other types of loud noise exposure often without realizing it.

Michael.

 

@Knightsky, by "permanent worsening", I mean that I made some mistakes after my initial tinnitus damage resulting in additional tones and hyperacusis. If I had stayed away from concerts and loud environments after the first symptoms then I would have had fewer issues to deal with.

As for whether it really will be permanent, there are the good news stories. Hair cell damage may well be permanent, but the sounds we hear as tinnitus are generated in the brain, not the ear. It seems that over time the brain can learn to tune out or actually turn down its responses to noise. I'm no doctor or expert but this is my understanding.

 

Hi!

I developed tinnitus two months ago (tomorrow will be the second month) and, as a lawyer, I work in silence most of the time. At this moment I'm able to work and read in silence despite I'm hearing the noise quite clearly.

But most importantly, there are a lot of successful people though they have tinnitus. For instance, Sir John Warcup developed tinnitus in his twenties and was one of the most amazing minds ever:

https://www.innovation-intelligence.com/bios/john-warcup-cornforth

Other people like Beethoven, Rosseau or Darwin had also tinnitus.

And of course, maybe you'll heal. You've only had tinnitus for three months. But in any case, you will be able to work in silence and to have a normal life.

Sorry for my English.

 

@Javimaltes, your English is excellent.

 

Hi Javimaltes,

The most common cause of tinnitus is exposure to loud noise. If you regularly listened to audio through headphones, earbuds, headsets, AirPods, noise cancelling or bone conduction headphones then your tinnitus is likely to be noise induced. If you attended venues where loud music was played or exposed to other types of loud noise, then the possibility of your tinnitus being noise induced increases.

Tinnitus can also develop without a cause and go away by itself with time. However, keep in mind that stress or an underlying medical condition within the auditory system can also cause the onset of tinnitus. Please click on the links below and read my posts that you might find helpful.

Since you have had tinnitus for just two months and seem to be coping well, I have some suggestions that I think will help you further and hope that you don't mind me telling you.

Although you are able to work in silence and still hear your tinnitus, it's something I don't advise. Silent rooms and surroundings are not good for anyone that has tinnitus even if it's low and especially for someone that is new to the condition like yourself. The reason being it can make the habituation process more difficult and it's possible for your brain to focus more on the tinnitus and make it louder over time which may not be noticeable at first.

When at work, place a small portable sound machine that plays nature sounds on your desk. Nature sounds is not like music so won't draw attention to itself as long as the volume is kept low. The idea is to set the volume low enough so it doesn't draw attention to itself and your brain is able to easily ignore it. The only time you should be aware of the sound, is when you deliberately focus on the sound machine.

Once the nature sound is set correctly, your brain will begin to habituate to it and slowly push the tinnitus further into the background making it less noticeable. The tinnitus should not be masked or covered up so it can't be heard, because the brain cannot successfully habituate to tinnitus unless it is able to hear it. This doesn't mean one should be keep themselves in a silent room for reasons I have explained. The same applies when retiring for bed at night - place a sound machine by the bedside and set the volume low. Nature sounds should play throughout the night until morning. More about this is explained in the links.

It takes about 8 weeks to get used to using sound enrichment so give it time. Oasis sound machines are made for people with tinnitus. They make various models. S-850 is a small portable unit that is ideal for placing on the desk at work. Please go to my started threads and read my posts: Sound Machines and Tinnitus, The Habituation Process, How To Habituate To Tinnitus, and hope you find them helpful.

All the best,
Michael

New to Tinnitus, What to Do? | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum
Tinnitus, A Personal View | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum

 

Thank you, @Mister Muso! Well, being Spanish I have always doubts regarding whether my sentences make sense.

I don't know the cause of my tinnitus. I think it is not noise induce, as according to the audiogram I don't have hearing loss and the iWatch indicates that I was always in environments under 80 dB the previous months. I think that I developed tinnitus due to COVID-19 or stress. In any case, I have decided that I will not use any more music devices like headphones or earbuds, etc. The risk is not worthy.

Well, now I feel better. The first month I was crying all the time. I felt so miserable and went to a psychologist.

Thank you for the suggestion, I have already implemented it. I read your comment yesterday while I was reading and immediately put some background noise.

Thanks for your advice, @Michael Leigh.

Best wishes.

 

Many people that have noise induced tinnitus do not have any hearing loss. Even if you are in environments that are below 80 dB you can still get tinnitus. Therefore, decibel meters and the one on your watch is no guarantee that you won't be affected by sounds.

Another thing to keep in mind: Even wearing the best earplugs or other types of hearing protection will not necessarily stop you being affected by loud noise and it causing tinnitus to spike. If external sound is loud enough, it will pass through the head and transfer to the inner ear by bone conduction and cause irritation to the auditory system.

Before your tinnitus began, if you regularly listened to audio through headphones, earbuds, headsets, AirPods, noise cancelling or bone conduction headphones, then it's likely your tinnitus is noise induced. If you went to clubs, concerts or other venues where loud music was played this can also cause tinnitus, even when wearing hearing protection.

If you are sensitive to sound it is almost certain the tinnitus was caused by loud sound.

Take care,
Michael

 

Thanks, @Michael Leigh.

Before having tinnitus, I used headphones for listening to podcasts, though not too much (twice a week, like half an hour) and very rarely, for listening to music. So, this could be the cause.

Concerts, gigs, pubs, clubs, etc are not a possible cause of noise induced tinnitus in my case because I don't go to these places.

I don't know if I'm sensitive to loud noises, but I always enjoyed the silence and quiet environments.

Anyway, whatever the cause, now I have tinnitus and the only remedy is to adapt myself to this new condition.

 

You are welcome Javimaltes.

I suspect your tinnitus is noise induced because it's one of the most common causes of the condition. You have only had it for two months and you have said that is low? If I am correct this puts you in a good position and with time the tinnitus is likely to reduce further because your brain will accept it and realize the tinnitus is unimportant - it could even disappear completely.

Please be aware, if your tinnitus reduces to a very low level or completely disappears, my advice is not to use any type of headphones again even at low volume. Be careful of being exposed to overly loud sounds, this does not mean to wear earplugs everywhere you go or to be afraid of sound, because this can make matters worse. Please take your time and read my articles.

My noise induced tinnitus reduced to such a low level after 2 years that I only heard it in very quiet surroundings. Unfortunately I had a second noise trauma 9 years later that caused the tinnitus to return with a vengeance and ferocity that I didn't believe was possible. It took 4 years to habituate again but it hasn't returned to what is was once like. I am able to cope and accept it as my new normal. I hope my advice helps so you don't make the same mistake as me and many others that have this type of tinnitus.

All the best,
Michael

 

How long does it take noise induced tinnitus to reduce?

 

It can take 6 to 18 months, sometimes longer. Specialist treatment maybe required for some people, which involves seeing an audiologist that practices tinnitus and hyperacusis management. Read my posts in the links that I have posted in this thread. They go into more detail how you can help yourself.

My advice is not to listen to audio through any type of headphones, even at low volume.

Michael

 

Yes, at this moment I would classify it as low. It seems that is getting lower and lower every week. Today, I can hear it, but it's not annoying at all because seems very weak. Sometimes is like the tinnitus is dying.

I thank you with all my heart for your suggestions. I will read your articles. I've read one of them already.

Best wishes,
Javier

 

This is not uncommon but remember, it doesn't matter how low the tinnitus is, it can change if you do something careless like exposing yourself to overly loud sounds or use any type of headphones even at low volume, as you risk making the tinnitus worse. Some people do not believe this is true until they find out too late.

Forewarned is to be forearmed which puts you at a distinct advantage.

I wish you well,
Michael

 

Thanks for all the comments.

It's 2:00am. I'm feel anxious. The audiogram came back the same as it was three months ago, about a 10 dB loss in hearing. I have a meeting with the ENT next Thursday to go over it in detail. But from the chart, there was no change.

@Javimaltes, I also cried, for almost two months as I wasn't able to sleep well. Difficult to fall asleep, and then to be woken up by that awful ringing sound. I would often crash in the afternoon at about 2:30pm because I was so exhausted. But I am glad that your tinnitus is "dying".

It's not that I'm suicidal, or at least I don't think so, but I have this strange feeling that if I was dead right now, I'd be fine, that it would be okay and I would make my piece. That's not something that I would have thought before, so I have decided to make a counselling appointment to see someone in a couple of weeks.

The ringing has gone down. I hear it, but it is less. I don't know if it's habituation or healing.

@Michael Leigh, I am religiously heeding your advice. I am not wearing any earbuds on my left year, and not wearing any headphones at all. I also carry earplugs with me everywhere that I go.

I'll keep you updated and post again after my ENT appointment on Thursday. Thanks.

 

Hi, @Knightsky.

I went to a psychologist as I said and that helped me a lot.

Believe me, you will be better soon if you take care of your feelings. One month ago I was very very sad, today I feel great. I don't know about tomorrow, but now life is as it used to be despite this ringing.

As I explained previously, I have two colleagues and two close friends that have tinnitus. I didn't know it before I developed it myself. They are having normal and happy lives and are developing their jobs as lawyers and pharmacists without trouble.

One of two, your tinnitus will disappear or you will be habituated to it, but everything is going to be good again. The main key is to take care of our mental health, anxiety and sadness is a great part of the problem in most cases.

I hope this comment helps you.

Best wishes,
Javier

 

Hi Knightsky,

You are in the early stages of noise induced tinnitus and it will take time to settle down. I advise that you print and take your time to read the articles I have mentioned in my previous post. This way you will absorb and retrain the information better rather than reading on your phone or computer screen. You will have a more understanding of the things you are going through and this will help to lower stress and anxiety.

ENT doctors are good and certainly have their place when treating medical conditions that affect the ear and auditory system. However, most are not tinnitus specialists because this is not their area of expertise. It is people that have long term experience of living with noise induced tinnitus and have experienced hyperacusis that will be able to help you. Therefore, if you are referred to an audiologist that specialises in this type of tinnitus, in my opinion they must at least be living with tinnitus, then they are able to understand how a person's mental and emotion wellbeing is being affected by the condition to be able to give good quality counselling, because tinnitus cannot be learnt from a book in order to give high quality counselling and what is required going forward through the habituation process.

There is nothing wrong in having earplugs on your person but they should be used with prudence. One must be careful not to become over anxious about every little sound in vicinity as this can create stress and lead to other conditions like phonophobia which I have covered in my posts: Hyperacusis, As I See It and The Complexities of Tinnitus and Hyperacusis.

If you are feeling stress, this is understandable, so talk to your doctor.

All the best,
Michael

 

Hello everyone,

Here are my audiogram results from both May 2022 and, from last week, July 2022. Any input or insight would be appreciated.

I have been having a very difficult day today as today was my consultation with the ENT. I was basically told that it is unlikely that my hearing loss will come back.

Anyway, as I said, any insight would be helpful. I wish that I could start my life over again.

 

Hello,

@Javimaltes, the soonest I could get a counselling appointment is the 26th of August. A friend came to visit me yesterday and I was in tears. So, yes, I am following your advice about seeing a psychologist.

@Michael Leigh, @Mister Muso, I have posted my audiograms, please let me know if you have any insight.

The hearing loss seems a lot more substantial than what @Jason C had.

Thank you everyone.

 

Psychologists are so expensive and rarely take insurance. If you are able to see one, yes, it's great advice that you do. I hope you feel better soon. I relate to the loving silence part. I'm a book person and also just loved quiet moments to myself. It's gutting that silence is no longer in my life. Sending love and support!

 

I got my tinnitus in the same manner (loud, unexpected blast through headphones) and it's been absolutely devastating. I really sympathize with you and can relate to everything you said. It seems so incredibly unfair that all it takes is one second to ruin your life.

I'm a year in, and slightly better mentally, but nowhere near the happy and carefree individual I used to be. I am only in my 20s, and really struggle to come to terms with the fact that I may have to live with this for the rest of my life.

For now, all we can do is follow the clinical trials and research and pray that there will be some sort of treatment in the future.

 

How does one tell when it is appropriate to wear earplugs or not? I don't go to loud places anymore, but I find that even when I am in quieter environments, there always seems to be sudden and unexpected loud noises that will pop up. It seems impossible to avoid.

 

Thank you for your question @Beep Boop Bop.

I have taken a brief look at your post history and see that we have corresponded before. Sorry to bring this up but you mentioned having a pre-existing anxiety disorder and OCD. Tinnitus is an integral part of our mental and emotional wellbeing and cannot be separated from it. Stress makes tinnitus worse, and tinnitus makes stress worse. It can become a vicious cycle if stress is not managed.

If you have fully recovered from anxiety and OCD, that is good as I don't think this would have been easy having tinnitus. If you still have some issues with anxiety and OCD, they could be contributing to you noticing loud sounds more. I am not saying this is the case but it's something to consider.

Since your tinnitus was brought on by noise trauma, you may have symptoms of an oversensitive auditory system or even hyperacusis, both can accompany noise induced tinnitus and needs to be treated. There are various ways this can be achieved, either with self-help or seeing an audiologist that specialises in tinnitus and hyperacusis management. Please click on the link below and read my post: Hyperacusis, As I See It.

Wearing earplugs when exposed to loud sounds is the right thing to do but they shouldn't be overused. They are needed when using noisy gardening equipment or electric power tools. Noise reducing earplugs can be used at venues where loud music is played but one shouldn't put total trust in them. If the venue is too loud my suggestion is to leave.

One gets the feel for when they are in an environment that is too loud. Sudden bursts of loud sounds, a siren for instance, shouldn't be cause for concern, providing a person hasn't got hyperacusis or is suffering from an oversensitive auditory system. If they are, then the oversensitivity to sound needs to be treated, because wearing earplugs is not the answer and will usually make the condition worse by overusing them.

Hope this helps.

All the best,
Michael

Hyperacusis, As I See It | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum