Tinnitus

hugbot

Has anyone else got it? Its fucking bollocks.

Mine seems to have gotten worse in the last month or so. I suspect its being aggrivated from the whine of my laptop fan?

Drew_TNBD

A little bit in my right ear. Do you wear earplugs when kicking out the jams?

guitarfishbay

Some people have triggers that make it worse (or them more aware). Try cutting back caffeine and alcolohol and see if you can cut back on stress too. 

hugbot

Drew_TNBD said:

A little bit in my right ear. Do you wear earplugs when kicking out the jams?

In rehersal yes on stage I feel like too much of a plank.

lasermonkey

Yes. I've had it for quite some time. I always wear earplugs (ER20s) at jams and whenever I go to gigs, but it has got worse over the last month for some reason.
 It's not really bad, but it still pisses me off.

octatonic

Get some proper moulded earplugs and go get a hearing test.

lloyd

There was a thread about this a while back if I remember right.

Drew_TNBD

lloyd said:

There was a thread about this a while back if I remember right.

He couldn't hear it.

TURRRR HURRRRRRR!!

MartinBlythe

I have had it for 18months none stop now (I'm in my early 20's). I had always previously worn ACS pro17 for gigs and rehearsals but decided to take them out for 10mins at a session with a new band 18months ago. I now have hyperacusis and tinnitus - particularly bad in my left ear. Just after that one session!

My only advice having been to countless specialist is try to stop researching treatments (as I did) and if you find it's bad at night download an app called 'Oticon Tinnitus Sounds'. It has been fantastic for me for just giving me something other than a bloody ringing sound to listen too when trying to sleep. 

Falling that, you can't beat a large Whisky

Roland

I've had it as long as I can remember, certainly from before the age of five. I assumed it was how the ear worked. It was only in my teenage years that I discussed it with other people and found that it isn't something that everyone has.

Strat_a_tat_tat

Yeah... had it constantly for nearly 30 years. It's always there - but some days are worse than others. Things that make it worse... loud noise for a sustained period (especially cymbals), too much alcohol (not the Rory Gallagher tune... the liquid), late nights, stress, some medication (that's not even for hearing).

Not life threatening... just annoying... but one learns to live with it.  Just some days are a bit aaaaarrrrrggghhhh... but we all get days like that. :-)

hywelg

Be aware chaps that tinnitus isn't exclusively caused by loud sounds. I believed that my original tinnitus was caused in part by an ear infection, though I was rehearsing with a band at the time so couldn't be sure it wasn't the loud music. 

That was about 8 years ago. Two weeks ago a bunch of us went to Tiree on a windsurfing trip. I woke up one morning with earache and deafness. I started using drops but there was virtually no earwax, certainly not an excess. After about 4 days the tenderness went away and my hearing came back to normal, but my tinnitus has gone up a level. This time I am absolutely sure it's related to the ear infection as I've not been to a jam in the two weeks prior. 

Not sure this is of any help, it's not possible to prevent an ear infection unless you take unrealistically onerous preventative measures. At some point I'm going have to ask the Dr for a referral to a specialist,  but I doubt theres a cure. 

Strat_a_tat_tat

Yes... @hywelg is correct. I have friends that have suffered permanent tinnitus after an ear infection. I also have a friend that took prescription medication for a digestive problem... took the drugs for just three days and ended up with permanent tinnitus (well it's been permanent for the past 4 years). He stopped the medication after 3 days... but the tinnitus continued.

stickyfiddle

I get a little but it's only noticeable when i'm in extremely quiet places. 

Massive +1 for proper earplugs - they barely cost any more than a half-decent dirt pedal. I wouldn't gig without them now.

hugbot

octatonic said:

Get some proper moulded earplugs and go get a hearing test.

I got a measurement and They dont fit my earholes.

scrumhalf

I get the occasional bout of blood pressure tinnitus.

octatonic

hugbot said:

octatonic said:

Get some proper moulded earplugs and go get a hearing test.

I got a measurement and They dont fit my earholes.

I don't understand- the point of taking moulds is so they fit your ears.
How can they not fit your ears?

lasermonkey

A friend of mine bought some of those ACS moulded ones. He hated them- he said they were very uncomfortable and sounded considerably worse than the cheap Alpine ones. He ended up losing them in a taxi and was glad to be shot of them.
 Not exactly a glowing recommendation!

hugbot

The plastic/rubber part is custom moulded for you, but theres a filter they put in it. My ears are the wrong shape apparantly and they couldn't fit the filter to the mould. Maybe the place I went to were just cowboys I dunno.

ESBlonde

Yes, back when we gigged too fukkin loud in pubs two or more times a week with cranked Marshall etc. Now in sings all the time, I have background noise to help sleep like low level TV or radio. I am suceptable to loud noises which make my ears ring badly like hammer blows or circular saw blades. Conversation in environments with background noise like pubs or car journeys.

littlegreenman

Yep, either caused by a day at the Guitar show last year or the meet-up afterwards. I'd worn ACS plugs all day and most of the meet-up but took them out for one jam. Next morning and ever since I've had the low volume high pitched whine in my right ear.

As with everyone else, tiredness and hangovers exacerbate the volume, but I have thankfully found it doesn't interfere with my sleep. Still a fucking annoyance I'd rather not have though.