Dave’s Tinnitus Story

[Jazzer]

So proud of you Dave! Like I said before, the video is excellent.
The feedback is wonderful.
You will always find naysayers in this world.... pay no attention.
They never accomplish anything.

{{{Big Hug}}}
Once

Hey - did you see that guys?

{{{Big Hug}}} from a very pretty lady.

Spring in my step now lads.

Seriously
Thank you
Once.

Dave x
Jazzer

 

[Markku]

I think my story I submitted was way too depressing to be considered. And I would have most likely been given horrible responses rather than understanding.

No Jen. Your story is incredible and will be told. It deserves its own spot, not combined with anything else. I'm still thinking if it's going to be text only, or if you would be open to joining one of the podcast episodes and share it that way...

 

[Starthrower]

Thank you @Markku. Wow I am not sure. I break down in tears unable to talk sometimes and other times it is like talking about the weather. Definitely worth giving this some thought.

 

[Jazzer]

Hi folks - Over 1,000 Views.
This from my producer/photographer/ and good mate Phil Swallow this morning.
Thanks to everybody that took the time to watch: "Dave's Tinnitus Story" and special thanks to those who left a comment up on the YouTube comments option.

Hi Dave,
It was a very active night of views last night as we went over 1000 views, currently at 1037.
Here are a few additional stats:

• 600 unique viewers, the average views per viewer is 1.6
• Traffic source type: 73% external views, 13.3% found it by searching within YouTube, the rest found it through various means, suggested videos etc.
• Breakdown of external views: 70.5% from Facebook, 7% from Tinnitustalk.com, 4.5% from within YouTube, 2.4% from Twitter, 2.3% from Gmail
• 94% of viewers don't subscribe to YouTube, 3.4% of viewers do
• Top countries by watch time: UK 42.5%, USA 18.6%, Australia 1.8%, Canada 1.4%
• Devices used to watch it: Mobile phone 57.9%, Computer 25.5%, Tablet 16.1%, TV 0.5%

Perhaps my favourite letter from scores of them written to me - from the wife of a helicopter crew chief:

"Dave, thanks so much for making this video. My husband suffers from tinnitus, most likely from when he was in Vietnam Nam and crew chief on a helicopter. I never really understood what he was going through until I watched your video. Now I can certainly appreciate his trauma whereas before I truly didn't."

Thanks also to @TuxedoCat
for giving me a shove!

Dave x
Jazzer

 

[Jazzer]

'Video still raising awareness folks.'

Dave,
I have enjoyed your playing at Sylvie's Place for several years and I am really sorry to learn that you have had to retire. It was always so obvious that you were having a great time so I can understand a little how much you must be missing being able to play. Having watched the video, I really hope that you can find ways to alleviate the problem. By taking part in the video you are alerting many to the awfulness of this condition, thank you for that. And thank you for bringing joy to so many people over the years. Best wishes, Tony Pearson.

 

[Jazzer]

Another 'thank you' from great jazz pianist
Martin Litton, for my video raising awareness to the jazz fraternity in the U.K.

Martin Litton.
We're grateful for the warning. I worked many years with Tomas Ornberg of the Swedish Jazz Kings and he suffered tinnitus after a military aircraft flew below the regulation height above his home in Uppsala. As a result, he seldom slept more than 3 hours a night and would spend most of his time on tour resting in bed. It really does wreck lives. We miss you, Dave, on the jazz scene: one of our most underrated players, although not by musicians. Love to you and Sylvie.

 

[TuxedoCat]

It really does wreck lives.

This is a perfect one-liner to describe tinnitus. Proud of you @Jazzer and thank you again! TC

 

[Bobbette]

WOW this was so inspiring! Thank you @Jazzer!

 

[Jazzer]

WOW this was so inspiring! Thank you @Jazzer!

You're very kind.
I did get a bit uptight once or twice but I'm not ashamed of showing the intensity.
People need to know what we go through.
Best wishes
Bobbette
Dave x
Jazzer

 

[Daniel Lion]

Hey big man. Mr. Dave, Jazzer.

Thanks for making this film.

It's really helpful to the community, and for helping loved ones understand our condition.

All of your contributions are top notch, thanks.

Daniel

 

[JaiSea]

@Jazzer I just watched this on YouTube. Loved it.

 

[Jazzer]

Currently over 1,500 viewings.

I just want the public to realise what we have to live with, and to consider supporting us if they can.

 

[Jazzer]

@Jazzer

A truly wonderful video, Dave. You have always been able to make me smile and even laugh out loud. Seeing your tears brought tears to my own eyes.

Making this video for all of us to watch was an absolute, positive decision. Thank you

Contrary to popular opinion Ems - I am still the same person that made that film.
I still live in considerable noise, I still try my best to help anybody who calls on me for help,
I still hurt and cry sometimes.
I am very well aware of being discriminated against in certain quarters, but my integrity is firm and my approach honest.
I have not been able to reach you recently, but I hope you are well and doing okay these days.
Give my love to Jcb if you see him,
Best wishes
Dave x
Jazzer

 

[ajc]

Bumping for more awareness. @Jazzer I cried watching this.

 

[Jazzer]

Bumping for more awareness. @Jazzer I cried watching this.

Dear ajc - your comment means so much to me.

Perhaps the only positive to come out of the pure hell of this hateful condition is the very genuine empathy of other sufferers.

Because my life has been so affected I did not know if I could complete this project - at times I came close to cracking up and could barely get the words out - but our plight is so slighted by the public that we are truly neglected.
I was determined to be brutally honest,
and I 'got there.'

Much love, and thank you for coming back,
Dave x
Jazzer

 

[Jazzer]

I posted this today on my Facebook page.

It will reach a good few thousand people.

It has been a year since Phil Swallow and I made a video to arouse awareness of the dangers of excessive volume and of tinnitus.
"Dave's Tinnitus Story" is up on YouTube.

Tinnitus is a case of cause and effect.
There is no great mystery to it.
Acoustic trauma (excessive noise) destroys cochleas, destroys hearing, destroys our silence, and may destroy our lives.
It causes well over 90% of all tinnitus.

Every person working in a noisy environment is at risk.
Musicians are at particular risk.
Basically, musicians working in distressing volume must learn to:
Speak up and complain.
Use ear plugs as necessary.
Also be aware that ear protection may not be enough, as bone conduction is also a relevant factor.
Excessive volume is both irresponsible and totally unnecessary.
Damaged nerve cells in the cochlea cannot regenerate.

I have had severe tinnitus for over five years.
This last year has been a year of both silence and noise.
A silent trombone - a silent Baritone Horn - a silent Cornet
....but a very noisy head.

I watch all of you musicians on Facebook, and, of course, I envy your ability to still get out there and prove your jazz passion with great skill and artistry.

But do take care folks.
Please don't let it happen to you.
"Do not tolerate excessive noise levels !!"
We all have a duty of care.

*Now you won't hear another squeak out of me until this time next year.
Best wishes all,
Dave xx
Jazzer


(*Believe that and you'll believe anything.)

 

[Juan]

Amazing video Dave! It was great to see you play!

I am listening to a lot of jazz these days, just randomly... could you recommend some albums?

Also, for some reason, I can remember how jazz compositions that I have previously heard go, after there is a cue, when I hear the opening notes for instance, but if I wanted to evoke a full jazz composition in my mind I cannot really do it. So I guess there must be some type of musical memory that may be specific for different types of rhythms, and song patterns...

With classical music is more or less the same, but I can remember Mozart for some reason, and some pieces by other composers I have listened to many many times, but I cannot really listen to a piece of music several times and remember it fully. As a musician, does this happen to you at all?

 

[Marcuso22]

Here goes folks.

This is the video that my lovely friends Phil and Sue Swallow filmed, directed, and helped me to make.
It focuses on the devastating effect that severe tinnitus has had on my life and my career as a professional jazz musician.

I would just like to add that my adjustment to severe tinnitus seems to be improving as we speak.

Dave not to under appreciate your tinnitus but it seems very mild compared to what I have.

I was exposed to a little over 15 minutes of a bedroom alarm while in my bed. I had visited the emergency hospital three times within a week and half as the severity of the multitude of high pitch frequencies plus roaring hissing were exploding in my head. I was never suicidal prior to this event which I blame myself for but when I lower or miss a dose of Xanax I become instantly suicidal. It came close one time that it was as if I couldn't even stop myself from harming myself because of the severity of tinnitus running through my head. I had called 911 for help and took & waited for the Xanax to kick in which took about 1/2 hour about the time it took for the EMT's to arrive.

I'm in a very precarious position as I don't know if my PCP will renew my Xanax since it is not recommended for long use & comes with a host of complications. I don't see much hope without it right now unless another drug can give me as much relief to make the sound bearable.

You seem like you don't need any medication to control your tinnitus from continually getting more intense & higher pitched throughout the day, in other words it's at a constant sound level which is bearable. I wish I was in your position.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Dave not to under appreciate your tinnitus but it seems very mild compared to what I have.

I was exposed to a little over 15 minutes of a bedroom alarm while in my bed. I had visited the emergency hospital three times within a week and half as the severity of the multitude of high pitch frequencies plus roaring hissing were exploding in my head. I was never suicidal prior to this event which I blame myself for but when I lower or miss a dose of Xanax I become instantly suicidal. It came close one time that it was as if I couldn't even stop myself from harming myself because of the severity of tinnitus running through my head. I had called 911 for help and took & waited for the Xanax to kick in which took about 1/2 hour about the time it took for the EMT's to arrive.

I'm in a very precarious position as I don't know if my PCP will renew my Xanax since it is not recommended for long use & comes with a host of complications. I don't see much hope without it right now unless another drug can give me as much relief to make the sound bearable.

You seem like you don't need any medication to control your tinnitus from continually getting more intense & higher pitched throughout the day, in other words it's at a constant sound level which is bearable. I wish I was in your position.

You wish to be in the position Dave is in, having had severe tinnitus for MANY years, with no relief?

Come on guy! Your tinnitus is new, you still have hope that yours will lower in some months, which it does for many if not most people who had a single acoustic trauma.

Dave does not have that same hope, so be careful what you wish for.

 

[Marcuso22]

You wish to be in the position Dave is in, having had severe tinnitus for MANY years, with no relief?

Come on guy! Your tinnitus is new, you still have hope that yours will lower in some months, which it does for many if not most people who had a single acoustic trauma.

Dave does not have that same hope, so be careful what you wish for.

Since tinnitus is subjective, not yet objectively measurable it does make it impossible to compare one's level of severity of the sounds one's hearing in their heads/ears to another persons level. However, what I'm saying is that it is far better if one can 'manage' their tinnitus without the necessity of having to take medications daily in order to assist in lowering the loudness which would otherwise be unbearable. Mine is still very loud even with taking Xanax during day and night so I can be able to get some sleep. However the tinnitus plus the side effects of being nauseous & tired all day has made my day's miserable and unproductive.

I, like Dave, come from a musical background. I have played piano/accordion since I was 9 and started composing music at age of 14. Rarely missed a day of playing piano or music keyboards. It was my greatest enjoyment and personal achievement even though I'm not in the professional business. If anything it seems my condition is getting worse because my right ear is reacting to external noises. Last Saturday I tried playing piano for the first time since my trauma 6 and a half weeks ago and after playing for 10 minutes my right ear tinnitus level spiked like crazy and didn't return back down to what it was prior to playing until couple days later, although it may have caused more damage to my right ear, I'm not sure at this point but I know it's almost always worse than my left ear & spikes and reacts to certain external sounds i.e. Fridge compressor.

I, unlike Dave, am not sure I can continue on with this horrid nightmare. He has obviously proven he has adapted and can survive his condition. I'm not sure I can even handle another week of this awful curse.

"Single acoustic trauma" sounds so harmless but when it's long exposure to high frequency it can easily cause more harm than "Multiple" acoustic traumas within mild to moderate range like those who attended heavy metal concerts over spaced out period of time. Secondly, over 20 years ago I had another acoustic trauma when few of my piano strings broke causing a permanent hissing sound in my right ear. However it was at low consistent level which was only really noticeable at night. I had adapted to it within a short period of time & it didn't even affect my sleeping.

 

[Jazzer]

Here goes folks.

This is the video that my lovely friends Phil and Sue Swallow filmed, directed, and helped me to make.
It focuses on the devastating effect that severe tinnitus has had on my life and my career as a professional jazz musician.

I would just like to add that my adjustment to severe tinnitus seems to be improving as we speak.

Unlike every other tinnitus video on YouTube, I did not offer a cure. Why do you think that was?

Because as all of us sufferers on Tinnitus Talk know, there is currently no effective treatment, and certainly no cure, and I was honest enough to say so.

I did however recommend the 'Tinnitus Talk' website because I believe it is a very valuable resource, particularly because it enables fellow sufferers to meet up, chat and compare notes as to coping methods.

I still remember and appreciate those folks who helped me along the way, especially in my most desperate early days. It also gave me an opportunity to suggest that donations would be helpful.

 

[boneman]

@Jazzer, thank you so much for your video. As a fellow slider who also had to put my instrument down due to this awful affliction, I can really relate. I loved seeing you playing with the cats at the end—bravo! It brought tears to my eyes, reminding me of my own experiences.

Your message urging people to take care of their hearing is spot on. For years, both as a player and now afterward, I've always tried to politely warn others about the dangers and the importance of a good set of earplugs. In my opinion, they should be a required item on everyone's keyring because you never know when you might need them.

All the best to you!