Tinnitus from Playing a 15-Minute Set with a Band — Workout Made It Worse

I'm a 19-year old boy and thought I must share my story since I haven't really told about my tinnitus to anyone. It started in last August. We had a band, got together just a few months earlier. We were going to play our first gig, in a family event where the music wasn't loud at all. That's probably what tricked me to not use ear protection on stage. We had just a 15-minute set but very quickly I realised the monitoring was loud as hell and drums played right by my side. Okay, I fucked up.

Had weird feelings in my ears for a couple days/weeks, TTTS I'd say. But tinnitus was there to stay. I saw an audiologist and had my hearing checked and there was no noticeable damage, that's good at least.

Luckily my tinnitus was on a mild level and only in my right ear. It pretty much disappeared whenever hearing any sounds so I was usually able to go full days without noticing.

But every night in bed I remember it and the regrettal hits me: can't get over how stupid I was that one day. Sometimes I also tend to get pain in my ears and have to constantly fear for them, that's why I can't enjoy music exactly as much as before.

This week I did some workouts and suddenly the tinnitus got worse, to both ears and brought fullness in my ears back. It has scared me a bit: will my ears now feel like this forever? Worst is definitely the uncertainty about the future.

I know my situation could be a lot worse: I could've lost some of my hearing or my tinnitus could be a lot louder. And I definitely will remember to always wear earplugs from now on. Also, it would be amazing if I didn't constantly blame myself for what I did as I can't go back in time. Any tips to get rid of the regrettal?

 

You can’t live in the past... it happened... it’s over with... Cher says you can’t turn back time!

My first tinnitus around 20 years was very similar... didn’t wear earplugs... once with a band.

Take care of your ears... I bet your ears resolve in about two years at most.
Take a break from playing live, learn those scales and modes you always wanted to...

Look at IEMs, stage monitoring sucks.

Good luck.