A Year Later...

[Adamwynn]

I got Noise induced Tinnitus almost a year ago (11/10/17). Since then it's gotten to the point where I cannot hear it unless I'm in complete silence, and even then I think now I'm just listening for things. I'd say I'm 99.9% there, not total silence but close enough (touch wood).

For those wanting to know how it progressed. It was loud for the first month, then decreased to about 70% then after Christmas after an ear infection it dropped to around 15%. I'm not sure if it got better from there or if I've habituated.

Let me tell you though, this last year I've had more fun at uni than ever before. I've gone low level flying in helicopters over Dartmoor, taken up flying lessons (all noisey activities), been to classical music concerts etc. I aced uni exams, doing better than ever before, I have a new and amazing girlfriend, I've worked out for 3 months and lost 16kg and I'm in better shape than ever. Yeah I still worry about it and when I'm lying in bed on my side I can hear it but it's fine. I will always wear earplugs in loud situations but so should everyone else so it's not reminding me of tinnitus or whatever.

I believe in you guys and gals and we can all overcome all challenges set in our way.

I have one question to ask you all. My new girlfriend is like me and isn't really into clubbing etc, but she says she like she this one club, and as she likes it I'd like to go with her at some point. She knows about my ears and says she'd much rather just watch a film with me or something but I would like to go with her at some point in my last year at uni. I know it's not worth the risk and in all honesty I will 99.9% not go, but I was wondering if in ear foam plugs with over ear defenders designed for shooting (electronic ones that block out noise above 82 dB) would be enough? I mean this would most likely embarrass her so I wouldn't go but it's more a hypothetical situation.

Thanks guy and gals

 

[New Guy]

@Adamwynn

Congrats on your progress. That's an amazing story and it's great you've been so active while protecting your ears.

Can I ask what the original cause of your t was?

 

[Adamwynn]

Hi New Guy!

Yeah of course! It was a music concert where i stood very close to the front about 6ft from the speakers for about 2 hours

 

[HearsToHope]

I'd say it depends. I wore earplugs to all concerts I attended and I still got hearing loss and epic T. Sound can go "around" the plugs and earmuffs by transmitting directly through your skull. I'd say the key is to make sure you keep a healthy distance from speakers and if it seems too loud, it is. I hear getting drunk can make your ears more vulnerable to noise-induced hearing loss because alcohol is mildly ototoxic. I for sure was drunk at all the concerts I attended. I've seen "rumors" that taking lots of vitamin C, E, A, and magnesium (don't exceed daily limits) before and for 5 days afterwards can help prevent hearing loss, but that research is still in early stages.

 

[Agrajag364]

I got Noise induced Tinnitus almost a year ago (11/10/17). Since then it's gotten to the point where I cannot hear it unless I'm in complete silence, and even then I think now I'm just listening for things. I'd say I'm 99.9% there, not total silence but close enough (touch wood).

For those wanting to know how it progressed. It was loud for the first month, then decreased to about 70% then after Christmas after an ear infection it dropped to around 15%. I'm not sure if it got better from there or if I've habituated.

Let me tell you though, this last year I've had more fun at uni than ever before. I've gone low level flying in helicopters over Dartmoor, taken up flying lessons (all noisey activities), been to classical music concerts etc. I aced uni exams, doing better than ever before, I have a new and amazing girlfriend, I've worked out for 3 months and lost 16kg and I'm in better shape than ever. Yeah I still worry about it and when I'm lying in bed on my side I can hear it but it's fine. I will always wear earplugs in loud situations but so should everyone else so it's not reminding me of tinnitus or whatever.

I believe in you guys and gals and we can all overcome all challenges set in our way.

I have one question to ask you all. My new girlfriend is like me and isn't really into clubbing etc, but she says she like she this one club, and as she likes it I'd like to go with her at some point. She knows about my ears and says she'd much rather just watch a film with me or something but I would like to go with her at some point in my last year at uni. I know it's not worth the risk and in all honesty I will 99.9% not go, but I was wondering if in ear foam plugs with over ear defenders designed for shooting (electronic ones that block out noise above 82 dB) would be enough? I mean this would most likely embarrass her so I wouldn't go but it's more a hypothetical situation.

Thanks guy and gals

Happiness probably makes it more likely tinnitus will go in many (not all) cases. Congrats. I'd avoid the nightclub unless you have bloody good earplugs

 

[Adamwynn]

1. Agrajag, I'm planning on wearing in ears as well as over ear headphones!

 

[Agrajag364]

1. Agrajag, I'm planning on wearing in ears as well as over ear headphones!

Yer....the foam ones aren't that good though. I don't know enough about over ear. I think some threads here give very good information about the quality of different types of ear plugs.

 

[Roy114]

In my opinion there's nothing bad about going to clubs even after you got tinnitus. Don't live in fear of sound. I have very severe tinnitus from noise exposure. Mine never decreased unfortunately. I have been going to a ton of festivals and clubs since I got tinnitus (about 10 festivals last year). Even a festival in germany on an abandoned airplane base where there's no actual sound limit, so it surpasses 100db easily. My tinnitus has NEVER gotten louder since I got it. All I did was buy custom made earplugs that filter 30db. 25db is probably enough too. Stop worrying and just get some good custom made ones and visit whatever clubs you like. For most people the reason they think it gets louder after is because they start actively listening for it every time they are subjected to any loud sounds. Its mostly all in your head. Just protect them and you will most likely be FINE. (this is from my experience and 2 friends of mine who also have tinnitus).

 

[Autumnly]

The only reason some people think it gets louder after is because they start actively listening for it every time they are subjected to any loud sounds. Its all in your head. Just protect them and you will be FINE. (this is from my experience and 2 friends of mine who also have tinnitus).

Good to know that's working for you but you can definitely get permanent spikes (louder tinnitus, new tones) from clubs and concerts or other loud events even if you wear hearing protection. We have enough stories of that on TT. There are also many people like you who are fine but saying that everyone will be fine if they just wear hearing protection is not true and dangerous advice.

 

[Roy114]

Good to know that's working for you but you can definitely get permanent spikes (louder tinnitus, new tones) from clubs and concerts or other loud events even if you wear hearing protection. We have enough stories of that on TT. There are also many people like you who are fine but saying that everyone will be fine if they just wear hearing protection is not true and dangerous advice.

I think the people that (when their ears are well protected) actually get louder tinnitus after visiting a club is a minority. For alot of people its just in their heads. I have had times after a festival where I was sure it was louder than before, but after calming myself and thinking deeply about how my tinnitus used to be I soon realised that all that had happened was me paying more attention to it (because I wanted to listen for it to see if it had gotten louder) and thus amplifying the sound. Once I went on with my day I realised it never changed.

 

[Autumnly]

Just protect them and you will be FINE.

I think the people that (when there ears are well protected) actually get louder tinnitus after visiting a club is a minority.

 

[Roy114]

Sorry I get very enthousiastic about my opinion. Rephrased it now.

 

[Vic sara]

I have some musician ear plugs that I wear to loud fitness classes (near the same level as clubs) and I find them effective. My t never increased after it. I had them made with moulds at the audiologists so they fit perfect and you can't see them unless you were to look in my ear, which would be a bit odd! X

 

[Don Tinny]

Dont go to concerts, loud parties, etc even with ear plugs. I was you in 2015. And I am here again. The cause: 1 loud concert with ear plugs.

 

[Jack Straw]

Sharing anecdotal experiences are fine, but please don't fear monger. Everyone's T is different, so what can cause a spike for you may not for someone else.

Share your experience and let them decide. Don't say your experience will happen to them as if its a fact.

 

[Agrajag364]

Dont go to concerts, loud parties, etc even with ear plugs. I was you in 2015. And I am here again. The cause: 1 loud concert with ear plugs.

Did it go away before?

I remember one woman who had it for four years and it went away then it returned after she sat next to the speaker at a wedding

 

[vermillion]

I have very severe tinnitus from noise exposure.

With respect @Roy114 , could you define very severe ,please

 

[Don Tinny]

Did it go away before?

I remember one woman who had it for four years and it went away then it returned after she sat next to the speaker at a wedding

Yes. Almost gone. Only audible in very quiet places and some ring sounds disappeared entirely. Had it more than 2 years (moderate level). Then I lived a normal life for almost 3 years. I went to restaurants, pubs...nothing happened. But one day I bought ear plugs and went to a Gene Simmons concert. My tinnitus became worse than ever after that.

 

[Don Tinny]

Sharing anecdotal experiences are fine, but please don't fear monger. Everyone's T is different, so what can cause a spike for you may not for someone else.

Share your experience and let them decide. Don't say your experience will happen to them as if its a fact.

Yes. But I think is too risky. Only my opinion based on a very bad experience.

 

[Jack Straw]

Yes. But I think is too risky. Only my opinion based on a very bad experience.

I understand and agree with you. It's good to give opinions and talk about experiences, but our personal outcomes can't be used as fact for someone else who has a completely different tinnitus.

 

[Agrajag364]

Yes. Almost gone. Only audible in very quiet places and some ring sounds disappeared entirely. Had it more than 2 years (moderate level). Then I lived a normal life for almost 3 years. I went to restaurants, pubs...nothing happened. But one day I bought ear plugs and went to a Gene Simmons concert. My tinnitus became worse than ever after that.

Bloody Gene Simmonds. Sorry about that. From what I can remember I think it is fading for the other woman after a year so perhaps it will fade for you a second time

When you had it for two years the first time, did you have steady improval over time? Or did it go along at the same level and then begin to get better in the late stages? I had quite a bit of improval by six months but it has stopped now one year in

 

[Josh C.]

Hi New Guy!

Yeah of course! It was a music concert where i stood very close to the front about 6ft from the speakers for about 2 hours

Hello. I think we may of had similar situations. Would you mind maybe checking out my last posts, reading some of my comments and giving me your opinion/tips?

Thanks

 

[Don Tinny]

Bloody Gene Simmonds. Sorry about that. From what I can remember I think it is fading for the other woman after a year so perhaps it will fade for you a second time

When you had it for two years the first time, did you have steady improval over time? Or did it go along at the same level and then begin to get better in the late stages? I had quite a bit of improvement by six months but it has stopped now one year in

Hi. My previous bout was moderate. Was at the same level during 2 years and one day I woke up and the bothersome new trebly sounds disappeared 100%. It was a great moment. Only left some old tone that I have since childhood (really very mild and only audible in super quiet places or plugging my ears). At that moment I was making some changes in my life. I was taking my first pills of Finasteride drug for Hair Loss and I was starting to eat fish again (was vegetarian a couple of years before that). So maybe was the drug changing my free testosterone levels, maybe the fish or maybe just time healing my brain. I will never know.

I can´t try Finasteride again because it is a dangerous drug with possible permanent sides. Some people get permanent E.D with that (called Post Finasteride Syndrome). I experienced very high libido and E.D during my last months with the pills. Anyway, when I leave the pills, my mild tinnitus did not change. So probably it was just coincidence. God knows.

It became severe after the Simmons concert and I feel hopeless. It's true that I am having more good days than bad (today is good or nearly good) but I know I have more high frequency hearing loss now. So I can't mask the tinnitus properly anymore. There is maybe some mild hyperacusis.

Time will tell. I know it is almost impossible to return to previous baseline.

Take care

 

[Roy114]

With respect @Roy114 , could you define very severe ,please

Sorry haven't been on here for a while. For me severe is when you can hear it over everything. Even in loud traffic I can hear mine if I think about it. So I would categorize mine as severe actually. VERY severe would be when it's also unmaskable, which for me is luckily not the case. High pitched maskers work on me.

 

[Adam L]

In my opinion there's nothing bad about going to clubs even after you got tinnitus. Don't live in fear of sound. I have very severe tinnitus from noise exposure. Mine never decreased unfortunately. I have been going to a ton of festivals and clubs since I got tinnitus (about 10 festivals last year). Even a festival in germany on an abandoned airplane base where there's no actual sound limit, so it surpasses 100db easily. My tinnitus has NEVER gotten louder since I got it. All I did was buy custom made earplugs that filter 30db. 25db is probably enough too. Stop worrying and just get some good custom made ones and visit whatever clubs you like. For most people the reason they think it gets louder after is because they start actively listening for it every time they are subjected to any loud sounds. Its mostly all in your head. Just protect them and you will most likely be FINE. (this is from my experience and 2 friends of mine who also have tinnitus).

Agree 100%. Wear those cheap foam earplugs that reduce sound 32 dB and go to any concert you want. The key is not to be stupid about it. If you protect yourself, you'll be fine. Gotta live life and not let this head buzz get you down.