Tinnitus

[BillyBass]

1 hour ago, Happy Jack said:

 

I forgot to mention that! I no longer need any foldback for singing ... with the on-stage sound reduced by 15dB and my own voice sounding (relatively) louder from the inside, it's WAY easier to hear myself and to pitch correctly.

 

Win - Win all the way.

 

 

1 hour ago, Dood said:

 

Took the words right out my mouth! When I'm not using IEMs this is how I pitch for singing. I own different values of filters for my plugs so I can set the attenuation depending on the gig - and, since getting moulded plugs, if there was ever a singing gig, I needn't have any vocals in my monitors at all as I would pitch my harmonies against my bass not anyone else. (This is very useful as my bass won't wander from pitch, so I find it much easier to lock in on intervals).

I do the backing vocals in our band, though I was roped in to lead vocals once when we were between singers.  Thanks for the tips

[scalpy]

Another long term sufferer here, (hear?) Totally agree about all the above advice but would also recommend not freaking out about it. You can learn to dial it out, focus on other things, essentially forget you’ve got it- whilst of course doing everything you can to protect yourself from further damage. 

[BillyBass]

Judging by some of the comments on this thread my tinnitus is mild.  I often forget it's there, particularly if I am concentrating on something else or there is background noise.

 

I also haven't had any more hearing loss, more that is than my usual imperfect hearing.  People often comment that I speak loudly, I think I do this as my hearing is not as good as it should be.  

3 minutes ago, scalpy said:

Another long term sufferer here, (hear?) Totally agree about all the above advice but would also recommend not freaking out about it. You can learn to dial it out, focus on other things, essentially forget you’ve got it- whilst of course doing everything you can to protect yourself from further damage. 

I'm not freaking out about it.  I've got tinnitus, never mind, worse things happen at sea.

 

I'm an ex-Buddhist monk.  I have done loads and loads of meditation and this enables me to deal with life's vicissitudes, most of the time.

[Owen]

Get ACS plugs.

 

Get coloured ones. They are easier to find when you drop them.

 

Get them on strings so you will drop them less.

 

Coloured ones do not show ear wax like the clear ones do.

 

When you get the moulds done ask for the things which wedge your mouth open. You get a better seal. 

 

My tinnitus rolled into permanence in a quiet harp, piano and EUB rehearsal

 

You will get used to it. Regret is useless, it will not change anything. Do everything possible to make sure it does not get worse.

 

But if you are reading this, do not have tinnitus, are in loud situations, and do not have earplugs I do not understand your behaviour. Obv this is for the casual reader, not the OP.

Edited August 9, 2021 by owen

[Happy Jack]

34 minutes ago, owen said:

Get them on strings so you will drop them less.

 

 

This also works for mittens. 😗

[scalpy]

1 hour ago, BillyBass said:

 

I'm not freaking out about it.  I've got tinnitus, never mind, worse things happen at sea.

 

I'm an ex-Buddhist monk.  I have done loads and loads of meditation and this enables me to deal with life's vicissitudes, most of the time.

My apologies that didn’t translate in text- my wife has started to have issues with it and is very upset about it despite it being mild. I didn’t mean to suggest you were, but it sounds like you’ll be able to tune it out well enough.

[chris_b]

Take care. If you think ACS plugs are expensive, checkout the prices of hearing aids!!

[MuddBass]

Another ACS hearing protection user here and long-term sufferer of mild Tinnitus. I use the 17s, as close to flat-response with Db reduction as you'll get (IMO): https://www.acscustom.com/uk/products/hearing-protection/pro-series/pro-17

 

I also (ordered using the same moulds) use the ACS Sleepsound https://www.acscustom.com/uk/products/sleep-sound

These were purchased to protect from a loud snorer at home; equally as annoying as Tinnitus.

 

[BillyBass]

42 minutes ago, scalpy said:

My apologies that didn’t translate in text- my wife has started to have issues with it and is very upset about it despite it being mild. I didn’t mean to suggest you were, but it sounds like you’ll be able to tune it out well enough.

Apology unnecessary, I wasn't offended.  Most people, I assume, would be upset by it as the NHS seems to focus very much on therapy to help people come to terms with it.  Our singer has it one ear and she got cognitive behaviour therapy from the NHS, which helped her.

 

Sorry to hear about your missus☹️  

[Skybone]

Another long term sufferer ringing in...

 

It's a PITA, but it's just a case of trying to manage it. Must admit, I only use the Etymotic plugs, only ever got as far as looking at the custom made plugs.

 

One downside to it is that you need to remember to carry some earplugs with you, as in some "normal" situations, the background noise is just way too loud and it does start to make you cringe. It also makes you realise just how much "background" noise we all "put up with".

[PaulWarning]

1 hour ago, Skybone said:

Another long term sufferer ringing in...

 

It's a PITA, but it's just a case of trying to manage it. Must admit, I only use the Etymotic plugs, only ever got as far as looking at the custom made plugs.

 

One downside to it is that you need to remember to carry some earplugs with you, as in some "normal" situations, the background noise is just way too loud and it does start to make you cringe. It also makes you realise just how much "background" noise we all "put up with".

I've always got a set of earplugs in my wallet, I never forget that 😀.

I did try the moulded ACS earplugs, never got on with them, to difficult to take in and out, I couldn't hear normal conversation with them in and when lost one I didn't bother replacing them, I've been using the generic ACS ER20's, easy to take out to hear what someone is saying,  and as I said earlier in the thread, my hearing hasn't got any worse while using them

[briansbrew]

6 hours ago, owen said:

Get ACS plugs.

 

Get coloured ones. They are easier to find when you drop them.

 

Get them on strings so you will drop them less.

 

Coloured ones do not show ear wax like the clear ones do.

 

When you get the moulds done ask for the things which wedge your mouth open. You get a better seal. 

 

My tinnitus rolled into permanence in a quiet harp, piano and EUB rehearsal

 

You will get used to it. Regret is useless, it will not change anything. Do everything possible to make sure it does not get worse.

 

But if you are reading this, do not have tinnitus, are in loud situations, and do not have earplugs I do not understand your behaviour. Obv this is for the casual reader, not the OP.

Hi Owen,

My Tinnitus kicked in about 4 months ago permanently in one ear, I don't play live anymore but play along to tracks with headphones on but not fully over my ears, is this a bad thing or is there an easier way so as not to damage or make the situation worse.

I work from home all the time and play the HiFi on in the background to distract me and I find this helps during the day but when my concentration goes back to the noise it can be difficult to shift. Any advice would be appreciated.. 

[PaulWarning]

18 minutes ago, briansbrew said:

Hi Owen,

My Tinnitus kicked in about 4 months ago permanently in one ear, I don't play live anymore but play along to tracks with headphones on but not fully over my ears, is this a bad thing or is there an easier way so as not to damage or make the situation worse.

I work from home all the time and play the HiFi on in the background to distract me and I find this helps during the day but when my concentration goes back to the noise it can be difficult to shift. Any advice would be appreciated.. 

I would say if you keep the volume down you won't do any more damage

[briansbrew]

Just now, PaulWarning said:

I would say if you keep the volume down you won't do any more damage

Cheers Paul, I don't have it too loud thankfully 

[vinorange]

I too am a tinnitus sufferer. I probably had it since my teenage years but very minor until a rehearsal in a small room with a heavy handed drummer around 4 years ago. The other band members had to compete for levels and unfortunately I had my back to a monitor. I came away with the normal post gig type ringing but it didn't go and still hasn't.

I probably won't gig again but got some specsavers moulded ear plugs with -15db protection. As HappyJack says they reduce the overall volume but you van still hear everything.

I also have been trying tinnitus therapy at the tinnitus clinic in Manchester. This is expensive but aims to pipe into your ears a similar frequency to convince your brain that it doesn't need to produce the tinnitus noise any longer. Tinnitus is caused by the ciliary hairs in your inner ear falling over under the sound pressure caused in loud environments. They normally recover and get back up but once over permanently then your brain reproduces the missing frequency (mine is around 4khz) and makes a rather poor job of it by producing a hissing we all know as tinnitus.

Anyway, I have Signia hearing devices (like hearing aids) and wear them 8 hours a day. Firstly they mask the tinnitus entirely and present a much more acceptable noise in its place. When you take them out the tinnitus is still there but the idea is that over time the impact of the tinnitus is softened.

I used to have to sleep with a background sound from the Ambience App playing all the time but almost immediately was able to stop. I'd say the perception of my tinnitus has reduced but, as others say, it's critical not to get exposed to those frequencies that will upset it again.

I don't know whether I'd advise splashing the cash on these devices but there has been a definite improvement in my tinnitus to the extent where I'm tempted to gig again (but keep bottling it for now!!)

Edited August 11, 2021 by vinorange

[mcnach]

18 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

 

This also works for mittens. 😗

 

 

I thought I had read 'kittens' and I was very confused.

Need coffee...

[Happy Jack]

7 minutes ago, mcnach said:

I thought I had read 'kittens' and I was very confused.

 

 

It probably works for kittens too, but I'd suggest steering clear of the RSPCA.

[leroydiamond]

ACS moulded plugs all the way.

Initially tinnitus drove me crazy. Distraction methods were a waste of time in my case. Instead I used mindfulness techniques, where I would go to a quiet space and pay attention to my tinnitus, thereby becoming more acquainted with it and diluting its impact. This allowed me to dance with it, rather than engage in a wrestling match, where I was always going to come out the looser. 

[BillyBass]

10 hours ago, leroydiamond said:

Initially tinnitus drove me crazy. Distraction methods were a waste of time in my case. Instead I used mindfulness techniques, where I would go to a quiet space and pay attention to my tinnitus, thereby becoming more acquainted with it and diluting its impact. This allowed me to dance with it, rather than engage in a wrestling match, where I was always going to come out the looser. 

I have been doing mindfulness meditation for 34 years.  I ordained as a Buddhist monk in 1987 and disrobed in 2001.  During that time I did a lot of very long meditation retreats, mainly with Burmese masters.  Without this training I'm sure I would be tearing my hair out now.

 

Since disrobing I have returned to my last monastery (in Northumberland) at least once a year for a short meditation retreat and I will be back there again in September.  Not being a monk any more, having to go to work, having a wife etc mean that the level of constant mindfulness I had as a monk has dropped dramatically, however, one benefit of mental training is the ability to make determinations, as in when such and such happens, I will be mindful.  The silver lining in this cloud for me is the determination, which so far I am keeping up, to be mindful whenever my tinnitus comes to my attention.

[Hellzero]

You can use black currant and ginkgo biloba to really lower the tinnitus effect. Black currant is a natural antiinflammatory and ginkgo biloba is a natural blood fluidifiant, so both are excellent against tinnitus. Gemmo (bud) therapy  is really effective and easy to use.

[Owen]

23 hours ago, briansbrew said:

Hi Owen.....

 Any advice would be appreciated.. 

The best advice I could give is accept it and make sure you do not give a chance to get any worse. Proper earplugs are imperative. 

[dmccombe7]

When i notice mine it stops if i bite down with my back teeth but comes right back when i release again. It gets more noticeable if i have any sinus problems which is quite regular. It never bothers me too much and more noticeable at night when i first go to bed. Def the more i think about it the worse it seems to be.

I've been trying to stop thinking for many years 😂

I also have the ACS plugs but only use if a band is getting  a bit loud. Most bands i play in have learned to play at lower volumes thru much persuasion from me. Some drummers have problems playing quiet tho. 

Mine started when i bent down to adjust a floor pedal at exact same time the drummer decided to test his kit and hit a crash cymbal right next to my right ear.

My hearing has been tested every 2-3 yrs thru my work since mid 80's and i always had one frequency lower in my right ear than others. As i aged my hearing deteriorated slightly and that one frequency got lower and i think that's a contributing factor to noticing the tinnitus more. I only have it in my right ear.

My right ear was always the one that got painful when flying if cabin pressure changed quickly when landing. Not so much with modern planes but back in 80's it was regularly a painful experience flying.

 

I really need to start wearing my plugs all the time.

To be fair i've had it from 2012 and its never really changed or got worse.

 

Dave

[briansbrew]

22 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

When i notice mine it stops if i bite down with my back teeth but comes right back when i release again. It gets more noticeable if i have any sinus problems which is quite regular. It never bothers me too much and more noticeable at night when i first go to bed. Def the more i think about it the worse it seems to be.

I've been trying to stop thinking for many years 😂

I also have the ACS plugs but only use if a band is getting  a bit loud. Most bands i play in have learned to play at lower volumes thru much persuasion from me. Some drummers have problems playing quiet tho. 

Mine started when i bent down to adjust a floor pedal at exact same time the drummer decided to test his kit and hit a crash cymbal right next to my right ear.

My hearing has been tested every 2-3 yrs thru my work since mid 80's and i always had one frequency lower in my right ear than others. As i aged my hearing deteriorated slightly and that one frequency got lower and i think that's a contributing factor to noticing the tinnitus more. I only have it in my right ear.

My right ear was always the one that got painful when flying if cabin pressure changed quickly when landing. Not so much with modern planes but back in 80's it was regularly a painful experience flying.

 

I really need to start wearing my plugs all the time.

To be fair i've had it from 2012 and its never really changed or got worse.

 

Dave

Thanks for your input Dave, I have in in my left ear but can't recall how or what may have started it but probably as mentioned earlier the practicing in a small room years ago. It can vary from day to day and will be quite low at times if im concentrating on other things.I also have a bit of a balance issue since it started but not vertigo which I think may be linked,  I am waiting to see the audiologist since the start of the year but due to covid the appointments are not looking too promising.

I agree the more you think about it the worse it gets but I will just have to embrace it like @leroydiamondsuggests 

[vinorange]

I was reading about a couple of other therapies for tinnitus.

 

One is associated with the temporomandibular joint (your jaw to skull joint). If your tinnitus worsens when clenching your jaw or if you have teeth misaligned, neck pain etc. coupled with tinnitus then this could be making things worse;

https://www.tinnitus.org.uk/tinnitus-and-tmj

The other treats normal tinnitus (is there such a thing) with a different type of neuromodulation but seems to have high success rates;

https://www.lenire.com/the-science-of-lenire/

 

[Happy Jack]

11 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Most bands i play in have learned to play at lower volumes thru much persuasion from me. Some drummers have problems playing quiet tho. 

 

 

This ^. Absolutely this ^.

 

I have my own rehearsal space (i.e. converted garage) and the two main bands I play in both rehearse there. Part of my persuasion technique was to buy a half-decent electric drumkit, since my space is not 'properly' soundproofed and I have close neighbours.

 

Even the most Neanderthal of the many drummers who have played the leccy kit over the years have ended up really liking it, to the point of being prepared to gig with it at smaller/quieter venues.