Another Concert Thread

It was dumb because 2 years beforehand I did a schoolproject where we actually tried to raise awareness about earplugs and hearing loss (T wasn't really emphasized though..). I would ALWAYS wear earplugs to concerts and the like. It just took one time unprotected to one of the loudest bands ever (+ I was tipsy, so I wasn't paying much attention to my earplug policy) to make T happen.

But this is in no way saying that we should avoid concerts and such. Do what you love and do it passionately. Why do we live otherwise. To suffer? I just make sure now I'm always protected, even more then I did before. But I still go clubbing etc. I'm even going to tomorrowland this summer

 

I really get what you mean. I love post-rock and I loved mogwai's music. Everything is just so intense with them. But yeah they probably know about tinnitus (It's impossible that not one of their band members has it) and to still play at such unreasonable volumes. At least warn their fans or something (facebook page etc), knowing that they've probably caused tinnitus with many of their fans. But that wouldn't be so rock and roll I guess..

 

The concert sounded great, Dr. Nagler. I'm glad you had a great time. I really admire your attitude towards your tinnitus. Hopefully, one day I will be able to do the same.

 

I remember @RaZaH talking about t being the music industry's dirty secret. I think that phrase sums it up so well.

The only band I think I've seen since getting t (other than friends in pubs) would the Dirty Three, and even then I didn't wear plugs, just stood at the back. That was my level of tinnitus education/awareness prior to discovering Tinnitus Talk and getting much worse t at around the same time. Bands and the music industry should be much more active in raising awareness. One thing I always liked about post-rock was the relative lack of posturing/'cool'/rock'n'roll, but even in that scene there is very little acknowledgement of the dangers.

 

Oh. So (to your great credit) up to that one concert you had been very vigilant in your use of earplugs when attending concerts and the like - but in this one instance you happened to overlook it. 99% of concert-goers don't bother with earplugs at all, but you had been really incredibly conscientious until that one time. You got caught up in things and either forgot about it or overlooked it. I don't call that being dumb. I call that being human.

 

I got tinnitus by going to a gig from the Prodigy while wearing 25DB filters, 2 months ago. The tinnitus moves around each day: 1 day in the left ear, next day the right ear, then a day of almost nothing, then back to the left ear. What should I make of this? The tinnitus started 14 days after the gig, but I had ringing for 12 hours (next morning, not immediately) after the gig that went silent (the 2nd day) for the next two weeks.

 

I have seen many concerts since the onset of my T. I suspect my T is noise induced from the many concerts I saw in my youth foolishly without protection and from keeping my iPod too loud. I now use etymotic er20 plugs and they do a terrific job maintaining the sound quality (as best I can tell) while protecting my ears. But I must confess that a couple of times recently I forgot my plugs. I probably would have panicked in my earlier days with T. Heck, at that early stage I was a bit scared to see Neil Young and Crazy Horse rip it up even with my plugs in, but it was awesome and I had a great time (Neil has T too!). I had no problems with the shows where I forgot my plugs because I made sure I was far enough away from the speakers that I could hear the person next to me talking normally during the concert. Just be smart, protect your ears and enjoy. Life is good. And by the way, if you can score a rare ticket to see Prince at one of his pop up shows in the small theatres this tour, go! I saw him play the most awesome set a couple of weeks ago with his girl band and he ventured into some fabulous psychedelic jamming before busting out the great tunes he is known for. That Stones show Dr. Nagler saw looks terrific too. So glad to see that he didn't miss out. Nor should you. Cheers.

 

When I put my er20 I barely can feel any difference. It is hard for me to notice any attenuation. Is this normal or they don't fit me well? I want to make sure they work and they protect me but they cut the sound environment just a little and I cannot believe that you use them for concerts? It would still be very loud.

 

How old are your ER20's? I believe they should last for four years. Sometimes they start 'leaking' after a couple of years or the shape of your ear canal changes. With some custom plugs, audiologists can pump a tiny bit of air into them, to see if they leak.

They should take the volume down quite a bit, but are not going to turn a rock concert into a small portable radio. They should definitely be good enough for listening to the average bar band or festival band at a distance.
Sometimes they'll take 'really really loud' down to 'really loud', and that's not enough. Use foam earplugs, which provide way more attenuation of the high frequencies and will sound a lot more 'quiet', or leave the room completely.

 

To be entirely fair.

I had great time at concert. It certainly did spike my tinnitus, and it definitely gave me some temporal hearing loss in low frequencies due to bone conduction. I will do audiogram and post results before and after for giggles. Never again anything loud in closed space and without sonometer. I will happily find a safe place with 90db and wear foam 30db plugs and barely hear music and still have fun. Doing same in closed space with 100db+ and massive bass spikes @100m from stage still was quite risky. But hey there was like couple thousand people inside and no one except medical staff wore earplugs.

12 hours after event up to 36 hours I had different kind of low volume beeps in my head. This was shittiest part and it made me reconsider how I approached event so I will make neccesary adjustments to be safer in future. I think one of sounds on very edge of hearing level sticked with me. I wonder if it will go away or not.

On a bright side my T sound is much more manageable now and it isnt bothering me, it was loud high frequency earlier like someone was screaming to my head, currently it sounds differently but much better. After concert I felt buzzing Tinnitus like high and low frequencies mixed. Today now 48 hours after event my T sound is better than ever.

Unless tommorow I get some delayed reaction and T volume/sound from hell I find life great today. Will continue nac1200 daily for 4-5 more days, then lower it and 5 days of 60mg prednisone. If it gets worse I will just make my own thread and cry in it how stupid I was but for now - it felt good to get in control of my life.

 

Can you get prednisone over the counter where you live? Usually that's only on subscription.

I just finished a course of prednisolone, as follows:

3 days x 60 mg
1 day x 50 mg
1 day x 40 mg
1 day x 30 mg
1 day x 20 mg
8 days x 10 mg

Be careful with that stuff though.

 

First and foremost - did it help you? how much time passed since acoustic trauma?
That would be helpful to anyone that reads this thread in future (and me now)


I got it from gp. She didnt want to prescribe it to me sadly i got 200mg only so I have to get creative with dosage.

My first course was 4x60 then 4x40.
Now I have 235mg so it can last me till monday and then Idk if its worth to go to ent privately and get prescription. About being carefull with it - its probably hard to get serious side effects in such short term.

 

2 months after wearing 25DB earplugs at a gig.

During the prednisolone course I experienced a few moments of absolute silence. But it also fired up the noise temporarily, so dont be affraid of that.

I still hear some noise so it didn't totally kill it. I have the option to do another prednisolone/pentoxifylline course through infusions in Germany as I am still within the '3 month window' after onset. But I am a bit hesitant to do that. I mean my hearing is great, and I am in good health and all body parts work (knock on wood). Another hormone course could seriously throw things over in the future.

 

Now that doesn't surprise me. Even in 2015! 2015...?!? Well, yes, that is actually 15 years into the 21st century, no less. And hence the very reason I wrote the following e-mail to the "EU Directorate for Consumers and Health" last year:

www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/bta-refuses-to-fund-drug-and-stem-cell-research.6599/#post-72413

attheedgeofscience
11/JUN/2015.

 

You do amazing work. Currenly i consider compili g some basic folder sheet about tinnitus and first line of treatments in hearing loss as doctors here dont even know nac and prednisone can have any positive effect. I will get it translated to polish too by translator under oath so docs will treat it seriously.

Imagine that my mothers gf for 5 years has tinnitus and ents only tried blood medication and they thought maybe its because her nose isnt symmetrical so they broke it surgically to improve air flow. Im out of words really. She works in high noise environment as she is hired in sewing business that makes covers for furniture. Do i have to add that no one did audiology exam in that timeline too?

I have no idea where to start with resources that can educate people but i have to figure something out.

 

I went to a festival with my college and oddly enough, my T didn't get worse. I wore earplugs and I was stranding as far from the stage as possible and the earplugs didn't even work properly. I know it sucks but you have to do that if you don't want to make it worse. I guess it's not a problem if you do what I did. Good luck!