Is Going to a Beyonce Concert with Tinnitus Safe or Stupid?

Earlier this year I went to see Taylor Swift. I was very scared because it was my first concert since getting tinnitus in 2018. I left unscathed luckily. I wore foam earplugs with over the ear hearing protection and I walked out of the space and took a break every 40 minutes.

Beyonce is the next concert and then after that I honestly never need to see another concert again.

However, I’m so concerned. I’ve heard people say that the bass at her concert is super loud. Has anyone gone? Any thoughts? The Mercedes Benz stadium in Atlanta is closed top so I’m even more concerned. I might just sell the tickets if I feel too worried.

Let me know if any of you have gone and made it out or what your perception of the bass was.

 

I find that using double protection at a concert will drastically impede the listening experience; I tried it at the last concert I attended and it isolated me with my tinnitus and I could only feel the base through my body. It was not a pleasant concert and it was my last one that I attended. Concerts are too loud to enjoy anymore.

 

I got my tinnitus from a Beyonce concert and will never attend a concert again. Not worth it for me. It was a loud concert. My friend I went with also got tinnitus but luckily for her, it was temporary.

 

Earplugs protect the most from lower frequencies, those cilia are deeper in the cochlea. It depends where your seats are in relation to the speakers.

I did read about Beyonce concerts and most people confirmed the bass is very loud in the stadium.

I've been to several concerts without worsening my tinnitus with foam earplugs and sometimes musician's earplugs. I've even been in the front when there were several subwoofers that vibrated my plastic cup. The only time I remember feeling bass like that is when I was 18 during Grateful Dead drums. I was on the floor and had ringing in my ears for a couple of days afterward.

So this is up to you. If you go, bring double protection just in case. If the bass isn't vibrating your body, the foam earplugs will definitely protect your hearing. Do the 40 minute break like you did before. But yeah start off with double protection.

What phone do you have? Some are more accurate with decibel readers than others. Make sure you test the app before you go. Concerts differ in dB, most peak at 105 c but there are ones that get louder. I know there is bone conduction with powerful bass even with earplugs in.

I'm going in circles with this. I'm actually going to go against what I usually advise and I would recommend to skip this specific concert.

 

Unfortunately the reality is no one knows - although I totally understand why you have asked the question. We all do the same thing.

It does depend on how bad the tinnitus is, whether it's sound reactive, or if anything tends to make it worse.

I had mild to moderate tinnitus for 45 years and went to every concert and festival you could think of without any earplugs, and it never made the slightest bit of difference. I could listen to music and watch TV. Noise didn't seem to impact it.

Now, I have severe sound reactive tinnitus because of microsuction. I can't listen to the TV, can't listen to music - and miss nightclubs, festivals, travelling and music so very much - even though I have tried at times with up to 39 dB reducing custom molded earplugs.

The reality is you'll get a different answer depending on how severe someone is, how much that person can get on with their daily lives with a steady tone rather than one fluctuating to every little noise, and how risk adverse someone is.

I had a dream to see someone in concert for 25 years. The last person on my list I wanted to see live. I manage to achieve this dream just 4 weeks before I went for microsuction and got worse. I know I'd feel the same as you if I hadn't ticked this off my list, and how desperate I would feel for a 'one last time'.

I know you've had tinnitus since 2018 but is there a chance you can rest your ears for a couple more years and tick off this Beyonce concert in 2025 or 2026 maybe, and see where you are then?

 

From everything I've seen and from my own experience, earplugs attenuate higher frequencies more than they attenuate lower frequencies. So, music sounds muffled as the high frequencies are cut more, even with musician's earplugs.

One example (higher dB number in graph means less protection):

NY Times: Best Earplugs for Concerts

 

I have been to dozens of concerts with tinnitus. Wear earplugs and you'll be fine, but then again this condition is very subjective to the individual. I thought I'd never be able to go to a concert again when I got my tinnitus last May 2022, but I was wrong. I just hit 7-ish concerts at Madison Square Garden over 9 days and I'm perfectly fine.

I have also met so many "friends" at shows who I have learned also have tinnitus. It's just a part of the concert going lifestyle if you're as deep into it as I am lol.

 

If you have tinnitus (especially caused from loud noise), I would strongly advise not going to any concerts, even with earplugs. You really need to take care of your ears for the rest of your life.

Skip the noisy environments from now on.

 

Wouldn't recommend it.

 

That's the thing about hearing damage. It's cumulative so you don't know if you're causing damage until symptoms show up. You may be fine over and over again until you're not.

 

I personally would never do it. Nothing is worth the risk of tinnitus worsening. And all concerts today are too loud for human ears.

 

I don't see how that can be once you have got tinnitus. It makes sense that you get cumulative damage over time and that leads to constant tinnitus, but once you have it and are vulnerable, surely it would be apparent quicker that you have caused more damage, i.e. the tinnitus becomes louder or you get different or more tones.

 

That may be, but I don't care to find out.

 

I think it's fine as long as you wear earplugs. The chances of making your tinnitus worse while wearing earplugs is very low and you gotta enjoy life.

 

Did you see Phish? If so, I'm also a Phish fan. I've been seeing them for a long time now. I just saw the Star Lake show.

 

I've decided to never go to a concert again. I made that decision a long time ago, but made ONE exception when I attended Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers in London in 2017. It went fine, but I got that typical spike afterwards (most likely caused by worrying about my tinnitus having worsened.) With good protection it's most likely not harmful, but the risk and the worry make it a no for me.

Also, my experience is that the treble is much worse for your tinnitus than the bass.

 

What about bone conduction? Also, good earplugs only attenuate by 33 dB.

I'd say the chances are higher than "very low".

Would more and louder tinnitus help with your enjoyment of life?

Just like there are signed warnings for pregnant women not to go on fairground rides, there should be signed warnings for those with tinnitus attending concerts:

If I may indulge:

"Those with a propensity to suffer tinnitus should consider carefully attending this concert. The average noise level at this concert is 90 db and peaks at 105 dB. You should speak to your doctor for advice.

The management accept no responsibility for new tinnitus, worsening tinnitus or hearing damage from anyone attending this concert."

 

Its about one year anniversary of tinnitus (yay), but the way I felt during the first few months is enough to make me avoid concerts. A few days ago my favourite artist ever came to my country, but I ultimately decided to skip it. I feel like I still have a chance at a full recovery, and even if not, it might be risky for how loud these concerts are. It's pretty sad but the misery of the past is enough of a warning.

 

DO NOT SKIP CONCERTS UNLESS YOU HAVE HYPERACUSIS. And get REAL earplugs. Customs, with good filters. Not for more protection, so you enjoy the show more. I go to like 20 shows a year. It is safe.

 

I could not agree more! Why there aren't already signs like these at concert venues is beyond me! It should be a required-by-law standard warning as those we see on cigarette packages, alcohol and construction sites. Netflix even has warnings when some of their content might be triggering for photosensitive epilepsy patients. Tinnitus should not be treated any differently. We live in the middle ages when it comes to hearing damage and sound sensitivity, and artists as well as concert promoters should be sued when not ensuring healthy sound levels or applying the proper warnings to the people buying their tickets.

 

Personally I wouldn't go to a concert even with earplugs and earmuffs. That's just my opinion though and you must weigh up the pros and cons for yourself.

 

Hi @kit1048.

Were you just lucky at the Taylor Swift concert, or were you responsible? Double ear protection and you took breaks. Sounds like you had good plan.

If you want to go to that Beyonce concert (only you can decide), it seems you have some idea of what worked in the past. If you go, and try the same thing and find it is not working, as long as you can grit your teeth and leave (it can be so hard), it seems like you can give the show a try.

If you do, I hope you have a great time!

 

That is a thing but it is not that bad. I haven't had an issue with it and the vast majority of people don't.

I have actually seen warnings about tinnitus at some concerts and nightclubs. Concerts and nightclubs I have gone to several times now while wearing earplugs, while I have tinnitus and get pain in my ear from loud noises(sometimes) but my tinnitus hasn't gotten worse.

I would rather take the small risk that my tinnitus might get worse in return for enjoying one of my favourite leisure activities with friends.

The risk is really not that high for the vast majority of people if you just wear earplugs.

 

Do you just use the musician's filters? What dB protection do they have? I kinda want to get these because the foam ones block so much of the noise but I am slightly afraid since they aren't as protective and I particularly like loud techno events.

 

What would be your definition here of hyperacusis (noxacusis and loudness hyperacusis), and sound reactive tinnitus?

I don't have the first two, but my tinnitus is incredibly sound reactive and variable. I'm trying to get back out there. I have been to bars, bars with live singers and even a nightclub for 2 hours - all with custom molded earplugs. But four weeks ago took a worsening (either from nightclub 10 days prior or 6 hour work calls that same day) and IT hasn't really gone down since and it has become highly variable once again.

Also, I wanted to say, your success story kept me motivated in my early days. I saw a lot of similarities, how you pushed through and even returned to playing music again. It helped.

 

My annual hearing tests prove I have not experienced any hearing loss in the past three years, yet I developed tinnitus two years ago. There is a randomness to this condition.

YESSSSS! I saw them at the Mann and followed 'em up to NYC! I'll be at SPAC in two weeks!

 

You are braver than I @DeanD.

I went to a pub for a few drinks the other day, the pub never got above 75 dB with music playing and I was still on edge lol.

 

I had a hearing test three years ago when I had mild tinnitus, and took one after I developed severe tinnitus, and the two are identical. Lots of similar stories on here.

People do talk about hidden hearing loss in the upper frequencies, but the reality is I have had tinnitus since birth and my hearing has deteriorated heavily (quite bad now) but it didn't change my tinnitus. Microsuction and bam, now severe.

I believe some tinnitus is brought about by lost signals at certain frequencies, but not all.

 

It's your decision, but the bass at concerts can be crazy loud these days. I went to a church conference, and an open air festival this year, both of which I thought would be manageable. The normal sound levels would have been around 92 to 95 dB, which I find manageable with earplugs. But when the bass kicked in, it was peaking at 109 dB. That's the volume of a Slipknot concert. Given that was the maximum volume my phone registered at each event, the true volumes may have been even higher. Luckily I'm ok but arena shows are definitely off the table for me for the foreseeable future.

 

Haha, I have to admit the nightclub was a little foolish but I did enjoy it lol (it averaged at 85 dB - I was closely monitoring it), but I tend to find Wetherspoon pubs where I can as they don't have background music playing - a little easier on the ears if you can persuade your friends!

Did you wear earplugs, or could you handle the 75 dB without?