- Mar 24, 2025
- 3
- Tinnitus Since
- 2015
- Cause of Tinnitus
- No ear protection while shooting gun, outdoor concert
I am posting on behalf of my son, Kevin. He developed tinnitus ten years ago after firing a gun without ear protection. He eventually habituated.
In September, he attended an outdoor concert with what he believed was sufficient ear protection. However, the exposure caused a tinnitus flare, and it has continued to worsen. He now wears noise-cancelling headphones almost constantly and spends most of the day in his room.
Here are some of the descriptions he gives for the noise he is hearing:
We have seen ENTs, but all they offered were hearing aids. At this point, he can no longer tolerate maskers. He feels hopeless and completely defeated.
Is there any help available for him?
In September, he attended an outdoor concert with what he believed was sufficient ear protection. However, the exposure caused a tinnitus flare, and it has continued to worsen. He now wears noise-cancelling headphones almost constantly and spends most of the day in his room.
Here are some of the descriptions he gives for the noise he is hearing:
Look up a rabbit predator hunting call. That is what one of my sounds resembles in my right ear, but it is more prolonged, distorted, and violent.
Sometimes it sounds like men yelling in the back of my head. Screaming.
Sometimes it sounds like the loudest drill tearing through pavement.
There is a constant cacophony of extremely loud, distorted, mechanical interference noises, like alarms going off.
Imagine the sound of dial-up internet, but far more sinister, louder, shrieking, and unbearable.
Sometimes my left ear sounds like a fire truck blaring its horn as it speeds through traffic.
This is not simple ringing. These are unimaginable sounds being blasted through my ears and head all the time.
It also sounds like amp and microphone feedback blaring inside my head.
We have seen ENTs, but all they offered were hearing aids. At this point, he can no longer tolerate maskers. He feels hopeless and completely defeated.
Is there any help available for him?