Hearing Loss or Ringing in the Ears (Tinnitus)

[Groovissimo]

I noticed that many of us, after years of performing and listening to loud music , have either hearing loss or , like I have, Ringing in the ears (Tinnitus). It would be great to hear what you guys have to say about this problem.

Here is part of an article I picked up to start a discussion.
Anybody out there with these problems, and does anyone have a solution ?

Musicians Can Protect Their Hearing
Michael Santucci, MS, CCC-A

Hearing loss as an occupational hazard in the music industry is of increasing concern to musicians. Research has demonstrated that music, from orchestral to rock, has the capacity to cause permanent hearing loss. There are a number of possible causes for hearing loss other than exposure to loud sound. However, hearing loss that has resulted from working in a high sound pressure level (SPL) environment is different in one way--it can be reduced or prevented altogether with a comprehensive hearing conservation program.

Hearing conservation involves more than simply wearing ear plugs. A comprehensive hearing conservation program includes a detailed personal and family history, periodic assessment of hearing, measurement of work place sound levels, use of preventive measures, and education. An effective program should allow the professional musician to assess the risks and take preventive action in a way that is unobtrusive and takes into account the need to continue working in a high SPL environment. In addition, flexibility in accordance with the needs of the individual musician is necessary.

[JoesMechanic]

Groove??? What!!?? I can't hear you!!?? Wait!!! I have to answer the phone.......

oh....?? It's not ringing?? That's weird?? [img]wink.gif[/img]

But seriously..... having played way too much "loud" music at an early age, and then working in auto shops with pneumatic tools since childhood, I'm amazed I haven't gotten any herring loss. I usually keep my herrings in the fridge so nobody can get to them.

But seriously seriously..... You'd be surprised what ear wax will do with your hearing. Invest in a good ear wax cleaning kit. 1st time I did that, I was amazed at how well my herring was improved!!

[Vdrummer]

1) You've permanently damaged your ears.
2) It will never go away. Caffeine, alcohol etc. can make it worse.
3) Invest in hearing protection YESTERDAY and always use it.
4) You can expect further tinnitus and hearing loss.

Get it tested. I went to Sensaphonics (every major artist uses them), had the exams, got the I.E.M.'s, etc, not cheap (around $900 for the exam and Sensaphonic molds, and dual driver IEM) but hopefully I can write it off.

Sorry there's no good news, only prevention and management.

Brad

[drmaybe66]

Go out immediately and invest in a pair of musician's plugs. I've had mine for about 2 years and NEVER play drums (or hang out in loud clubs) without them. Several friends of mine have had their's for close to 10 years and still use the same ones. They're ridiculously reliable and can be cleaned easily. They are a bit spendy, and can only be obtained through an Audiologist (the same doctors that do hearing aids), but it's the best investment a musician can make. (Aside from a 20" K Custom Medium Ride, of course!!! MAN I love that cymbal!!!)

When you get them, they will probably "flush" your ears as well, which is one of the most strangely unnerving experiences I can think of, but MOST worth it! You will hear your feet crunching on carpet, hear the highest frequencies of your keys going into the lock on your car door, EVERYTHING! You'd be amazed how much you've been missing, due to wax/dirt buildup in your ear canal.

Musicians plugs are molded vinyl, tailored to your ear (not a big round piece of foam!) with a hollow tube down the middle to channel the sound directly to your ear drums. A 9, 15, or 25db filter fits into the opening on the outside of the tube, and drops the level of the sound without altering it. The 25db plugs do have a bit less accurate frequency response than the 15, which is the standard. I use the 15db filter and it works perfectly, in any setting. Not only are they great for being onstage, but it makes watching concerts a great deal more enjoyable as well. You can hear the intricacies of the music much better, and can still hear the radio in your car on the way home!

Here's more:

http://www.precisionweb.com/hrg%5Fpr...cians%5Fplugs/

If you're already experiencing the ringing (Tinnitus), and play drums or hang out in loud clubs frequently, I wouldn't wait! Bump the #1 item on your Gear Wishlist and spend that $150-$200 on the plugs instead. (You're mostly paying the doctor for the appointment, not the plugs themselves...) Make the appointment TODAY!!!

[matricks]

Caffeine, alcohol etc. can make it worse.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I did NOT know that... crazy, what more can you tell me about that? Being in Seattle, that would be a good thing to know about, with all the caffeine i drink!

[avi_bb]

Even something like a bad wisdom tooth can cause major ear congestion and tinnitus. If you are infection free and get your ears syringed (which, like JoesMechanic says, can really help), make sure you have plenty of earplugs available.

[Vdrummer]

It's common for people with tinnitus to notice their ears ring more (louder) after consuming caffeine.

[matricks]

So is that due to the fact that caffeine is a neuro-stimulant and therefore enhances how we perceive what is already there (the ringing) or is it because it actually does damage to nerves involved in hearing in some strange way?

[Dazzler]

Groover - you should ask erskoman about tinnitus - I believe he's suffered with it for years.

[XNavyDrummer]

Glad to see you guys interested in protecting your hearing.

Here?s the drill:

1) Earplugs go a significantly long way in protecting your hearing, as long the plugs are appropriate and fit well.

2) Sonic II?s or Doc?s ProPlugs will not provide the protection you need.

3) The Etymotic Research ?musician?s earplugs? are custom made, are a bit of an investment but worth it. The Etymotic Research ?high-fidelity? earplugs are over the counter and similar to the musician?s earplugs in that they offer a flat-frequency attenuation which is MUCH more natural sounding than probably every other plug on the market (and they?re less than $20 a pair).

4) Foam earplugs tend to mute the high frequencies. In other words, the attack of the stick on the cymbal and drums may disappear.

5) Just because your ears aren?t bleeding or in pain doesn?t mean you aren?t doing damage to your ears! Rim shots with ?Hot Rods? have been clocked at 140 dB peak SPL. Yes the equipment was calibrated. And the drummer was not slamming!

6) The signs of hearing loss are things sounding a little more ?muted?, ringing in the ears and increased difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments such as a crowded restaurant.

7) Hearing aids are a lot more expensive than earplugs and will NOT restore normal hearing.

8) The standard hearing test or ?audiogram? is not as sensitive to the early stages of damage due to loud sounds. A test called Otoacoustic Emissions is more sensitive to early noise damage than the audiogram. Also a ?Hearing in Noise Test? may show trouble with speech perception in noise not shown with the audiogram.

9) In-the-ear monitors at appropriate levels and with appropriate attenuation from the stage levels are great! At inappropriate sound levels they can also do some serious damage to your ears.

Practice Safe Sound!