Who's Been to a Concert Since Having Tinnitus?

I went to one on Wednesday night, wore musicians ear plugs, tinnitus was fine the next day!

 

Same for me. As long as you stay away from the speakers, there's no real issue at an average gig. I use my 26db ACS pro filters which attenuate at 35db in the most damaging frequencies; the higher ones. Any frequency if loud enough can cause damage, but without a doubt it's the high shrill frequencies that are the most dangerous.

 

I can understand why people would stay away. It's an obvious choice and gives certain safety at a time when you are on edge at the best of times, but with ear plugs/muffs and common sense the risk is no where near what you'd be lead to believe on here.

Like I've said before, it's not even an issue if music is not a part of your life on a deeper level. You will not miss out. The problem is when you are a professional or a real enthusiaste, where music is very much a part of your life. So much so, that for some, saying don't go with such casual ease is almost insulting.

I estimate with plugs that the average decibels I'm exposed to are around 70-72db from the lower frequencies to 6khz, and around 60-63db from 8khz and above.

I am exposed to more decibels on the journey there then the gig itself in most cases. This goes for many other outdoor activities that no one seems too bothered about.

All this being said there's always the slightest of risks, but it's minuscule when you compare this to other events you most likely don't give a second thought to. Life itself is a risk; we can't wrap ourselves in cotton wool forever. There's a risk every time we use public transport or go up a ladder, but it's a calculated risk and we make our choice.

 

Yeah life itself is a risk but if I could use earplugs and visit a loud venue without my t turning up, then I would be happy with a necessary party or restaurant.
I know a man with T over 20 years his is not reactive and never changes he says, he plays in bands and visits loud venues OK if there is no change ever.
For me if mine is improving I will not do anything I don't have to. To be fair the gig would be torture even with earplugs.

 

That's fair enough @noisebox, if it's no longer enjoyable then the decision pretty much makes itself.

It's not nice to see people withdraw through depression, because they cannot continue on a path that has played a huge role in their life.

 

I still go to concerts but always make sure to bring a good pair of earplugs. I have a history of hearing loss in one ear (which is the underlying cause of my T). So I was always careful about bringing plugs to concerts. With the plugs, T is kept in check and isn't any worse the next day.

 

Yes I have withdrawn from life and am depressed.
Concerts are no loss but I planned to see more musical theatre, I also loved driving to the coast but the car it hard now as is listening to crashing waves.
This condition with H is the cruelest form of torture

 

My gf goes to concerts (no plugs) and she has had T her entire life. It seems the spike from the shows dont bother her. She mentions her ears ringing louder after the show but says she doesn't care. Hope she never gets it bad.

 

Hey man, long time no speak! how are you doing these days?

 

I'm just going to go for it and take procautions. I'll take ear

What gig was it out of interest and what size venue? I've been to small acoustic gigs but they're so quiet. This however is a metal concert in a huge venue.

Cheers.

 

What sort of gig and what sized venue?

 

I took a calibrated meter to all these events and measured both room and stage SPL levels where applicable.

• Town hall: Rock band, one of the loudest environments you're going to get. Measured 95db but I was stood nearer the back.

• Black tie event in a hotel hall: Covers band doing a range of eras. Around 88db from where I stood.

• Function room above a pub: funk rock/fusion bands (watched one, performed lead guitar in the other). Room SPL measured at 98db from where I stood.

• Civic centre: (250 capacity room) 3 rock bands in total, plus 10 solo acts. Performed with the final band. Room SPL measured at 86db (measured from seating area which was set right back from the stage). On stage volume was around 95db from where I stood. This was almost entirely from the drums in which a great deal of the damaging frequencies are high.

• Student and friends birthday party. A band performed in his living room, which is a big room for a house. Highest measurement at 102db stood back away from the speakers. No chest rattling or discomfort at all with the ACS pro 26 filters in. I took breaks and went upstairs a lot to be on the safe side. Approx decibel to my ear drum would have been around 76db up to 6khz and 67db for anything above. Still well within the safe zone. This was the loudest measured mainly due to the size of the room.

There was absolutely no change in my tinnitus whatsoever. In fact, maybe the opposite. I was so happy to feel alive again that I had what I'd call a very meaningful period of habituation. The tinnitus was there but I didn't react to it anywhere near as much as I am currently. This is mainly because during the Christmas break I started reading the forums again, and about tinnitus in general and it sent me back to square one.

Last week I went to see another specialist to get some tests done and to have a chat. My audiogram was perfect (which I'll post when I receive my copy this week), as was the tympanometry and OAE results.

I am well aware of hidden hearing loss but I'd need an ABR to measure my wave functions. In fact has anyone on here done an ABR?

 

@Ed209 those "ACS pro 26 filter" what is the average noise reduction in db?

 

@Zora
These are custom moulded earplugs, mainly available in the usa.
Better find a company in germany and have some customized earplugs made near you.

 

@Zora

Zora they are 26db average, although you can use a blanking plate which takes them up to 30db.

They are available worldwide: http://acscustom.com/uk/international/

Cost me around £250 for 3 filters and a blanking plate.

 

Okay sorry, looked like they were only available in the us, my bad!

 

@Ed209

I think the main point is "how damaged are you ears" to begin with.

Since you have a perfect audiogram like you say, your ears aren't as damaged thus will suffer no further damage on 75-85db levels .

Not sure where your tinnitus comes from but maybe its just anxiety or other causes.

The issue is for people with more damage in the under 8khz range, like a 30-40db dip at 4khz and then also very little hearing ability above 12khz - for these people the 75-85db safe limit rule isn't going to prevent further damage as the hair cells are in overall far worse condition and cannot protect themselves as well.

The sound wave power required to permanently bend a healthy cell is higher than what it takes to shred to pieces an already bent hair cell.

 

I'd say I have hidden hearing loss Bobby, at which a standard audiogram is not picking up. My cause is most likely noise damage caused by a loud gig I went to 2-3 days before I woke up with the screaming noise in my head. Unfortunately I did not wear any ear plugs and didn't take any breaks and was close to the speakers. I can't go back in time and change this, even though I beat myself up about it constantly.

With adequate protection (double up if need be) and standing away from the speakers, I don't believe gigs are any more dangerous than daily loud noise exposure; which is another issue entirely.

The risk mainly lies with gigs that are insanely loud, in which case leave, or with under-protection leaving you exposed to a lot of damaging higher frequencies.

 

Whilst I was still playing with my band last year, I monitored all rehearsals and would not allow the levels above 95db.

It's a touchy subject I know, but I'm trying as best as possible to give a musicians perspective on the matter.

 

by standard audiogram you mean testing steps of 1000hz up to 8khz ?

 

Yea Bobby, it's annoying they don't go higher but here in the UK it's hard to find a test that will measure the upper frequencies.

From memory, my hearing dropped off at 8khz to 10db from -10 in some of the mid frequencies. I believe there may be a drop here where my hearing goes into a ski slope in the higher pitches.

From what I've read I seem to be suffering from the compensation of my brain turning up the gain. An ABR may show a difference in waveforms I and V, indicating hidden hearing loss.

I'll add my tinnitus is a high pitch; circa 12.5khz with a constant hiss underneath it.

 

(un)fortunately my audiogram is far easier to figure out - I also haven't found places that do above 8khz but there is plenty of things going on under 8khz so maybe I don't want to even see what's happening above that ... I cannot hear much above 12khz even at higher volume like 60db on my PC/Iphone and at 8khz it already starts to plunge down to -40db from an average -15db with a 25db dip at 4khz
It was worse a few months ago but I have been very diligently using my 31 db ear muffs pretty much everywhere and lasering my ears with LLLT so I pray for a few more db to come back.

Luckily I am no musician so I can avoid noise in my daily life besides talking over the phone in an office

 

I wish you well Bobby and hope it works out for you. The problem is some of us can't escape certain environments that are work/life orientated. It's a very grey area.

Like I've already mentioned, I'm taking time off from my band (a year or so) which has other implications. Ironically it's making my tinnitus worse (not louder but my emotional reaction to it etc) as I'm paying more attention to it. I haven't got the distraction/enjoyment of doing what I do best anymore.

 

To be honest this thread scares me a little,it reminds me of the false hope I was given when I first developed T(unknown cause).
I had a mild T for a year and in that year I was extremely careful,only went to friends parties etc where there was no loud music etc.By the end of the year my T was gone,ecstatic is an understatement!So on St.Patricks day all my friends were going to a club and I refused to go,just didn't want to risk it but after some convincing that I would be safe if I wore earplugs I decided to go,this was information given to me by a supposed expert,go figure.Needless to say the next day my T had returned louder than ever and depressed is an understatement of how I felt!Sold my beloved cars and just sat in my room giving up on life.Eventually my T had gone to a very mild hiss and I began hanging out with my friends again to take my mind off it,whether it be driving around or hanging out at a local pub chatting,I even began going to car shows again which was my passion!As far as my ears were concerned I never risked it again,if I had to be somewhere that was quite loud I would stay as far away from the noise and strictly limit my time there,I always put my ears first even turning down two great jobs because I felt the work environment was too loud.Needless to say after two more years I was going through a spike when an unexpected high pitch noise was exposed to me.My T worsened and in came the formidable H.Two years more of hard work and I got my T to what it was pre exposure and my H 80% reduced.Finally got confidence in myself again and went back to pursuing my passion,cars!I even met a wonderful girl who understood my problem and didn't force me to do anything noisy.We attended car shows and family gatherings together we even went bowling one night,a feat for me considering what I'd been through.Anything we had to do that was noisy I wore hearing protection,and where am I now?Crawled up in bed with Severe H and Roaring T unable to live my life.It seems no matter what I do it always gets worse and for others it just doesn't.My advice is don't risk it,or at least pray your one of the lucky ones.Not trying to scare anyone just speaking from experience,my life is over because of useless hope and info given to me,but of course it's your call
P.S apologies for the block writing.

 

I've just bought these ear defenders...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/3M-Peltor-O...r defenders&qid=1459200073&ref_=sr_1_5&sr=8-5

I'm wondering if it's worth wearing both or one or the other. I guess the defenders are more likely to provide better protection?

Skull attenuation is approx 40db I read? so both wouldn't have a huge affect.

Cheers for any advice.

 

I haven't been to a concert since tinnitus, but I was inside Yankee Stadium for Derek Jeter's last home game. That was LOUD at many points. I can't imagine what the db readings were.

I had no issues afterward.

 

Thanks for the input, glad you were able to go without consequences!

 

Hi @geg1992, they look fine to me and the protection in the most damaging frequencies is around 40db, which is really good.

Here's a chart breaking down the protection you're getting at each frequency:

For clarity, (Mf) is the mean attenuation; (sf) is the standard deviation, and (APVf) is the assumed protection value.

 

Wow, that's great, thanks for the information! Bit worrying how little protection with the lower frequencies though :/

You don't happen to be able to source a similar table for HEAROS XTREME ear plugs do you? as they are the ones I normally use if I go clubbing or to bars.

Cheers!

 

I've got a box of Hearos as I've used them in the past. The data is on the back but here's a pic of it.