Is It Possible That My Tinnitus Is Permanent?

[jp1995]

On Friday, November 17, 2017, I practiced with my band in a small room. It was very loud and at one point my drums came out of place so I kneeled by the large guitar speaker my friend was still playing and fixed them. It was not uncommon for me to have ringing in the ears after practice but I found that it was normally gone by the next day. Today it is Monday morning, and although it seems as if it may be quieter and only in one ear. So it has been 3 days. The only other time I experienced something like this was over 4 years ago when I saw a very loud band and I ended up losing my hearing for about 3-4 days. Though, when this happened I did not feel anxious or worried about it coming back, and it soon came back to normal. It is very distressing to me to think that one of the only things I truly enjoy doing is causing me this much anxiety and stress. Provided it gets better or goes away I have purchased a large pair of ear muffs for future practices.

The sound was originally a louder ringing but has been reduced to a more gradual hissing. It seems to fluctuate between both ears but only in the right ear for short amount of times, it is mainly in the left ear, which also happens to be the ear that was closest to the speaker when I was fixing the drum.The left ear also had a small amount of pressure underneath, towards the junction of where my ear meats my jaw. I did not feel a piercing or anything inexplicably painful sensations in either ears during the practice. I have a doctors appointment with my general doctor this afternoon at 2:30. Is there anything he can do? Is there anything I can tell him? Thank you for reading.

 

[Adamwynn]

I'm sure you'll be fine! Its only been a few days! Try not to focus on it, I see it like your nose, you can always see the end of your nose no matter what so your brain filters it out. Try not to focus on it because youll find if you keep paying attention to it you'll keep hearing it. Best of luck and I'm sure you'll be fine

 

[Bill Bauer]

It is possible that you might recover (check the studies on pages 1, 2, and 4 of the thread below)
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/spontaneous-recovery-stats-over-70-recover-3-studies.21441

However it seems to me that unless you quit the band and will begin protecting your ears, eventually this will catch up to you and you will end up with a permanent T (or having to listen to T for over a year). Right now there is still a good chance that this problem will go away. But we are given a limited number of second chances...

 

[Taylorslay]

You can recover but I can't foresee the future so I can't give you a "garentee". Likely you can. It's been so recent.

I love music. I think many people on this forum love music. But LOUD music is one of the many reasons plenty of people on this forum suffer from intrusive Tinnitus and some of us Hyperacusis (like myself). I'm 17. I have an injury that someone in their 60-70 is to have. Due to my obsessive years of loud music. My ears gave way. I suggest considering that you've said you've had ringing before and had temporary deafness. That you stop with the loud music.

You may not like what I'm about to say. You likely could be suffering permanent but not visible damage to your auditory system. If I were you, I'd quit with the loud music. (Anything over 80-85 decibels). If at least wear earplugs (highly suggested with an NRR of 30+). But don't over protect your ears because it could lead to Hyperacusis. Trust me, you don't want that.

Honestly, many doctors can't help, even ENTs and audiologist. However, since you're not suffering from hyperacusis too (as of now). I think they may be able to help. Tell them everything. Tell them about the concert deafness (you triggered a giant Temporary Threshold Shift omg) but luckily you completely recovered all of your hearing. Tell them about the ringing after playing. Tell them how the ringing hasn't gone away. Tell them everything. Everything.

Be aware of this and tell the people you play with in your band. Beware, there are more to loud music injuries than hearing loss. I garentee you they are much worse. Many musicians do not know there is more than hearing loss. I can not fathom to you how dibilitating Tinnitus can be. If you experience deafness, ringing, pain, pressure, fullness, warmth. It's time to stop. This is serious. This isn't like a headache where it goes away with pain killers. Inner ear injuries are for life. There is little to no treatment besides hearing aids and cochlear implant, but those don't bring back your lost hearing. So once you can't hear a certain frequency, it's gone forever.

Now with that being said there is a bright side. It seems demeaning if all I do is preach negativity, because there is a positive. If you protect yourself for now on you can save yourself a lot of future trouble. I'm assuming you're young. Considering the bounce back you had from your Temporary Threshold Shift. The younger you are the easier it is to heal. I am a great example of this, I've had Tinnitus and Hyperacusis for nearly 2 months now. But they have healed tremendously. They are not gone though. If you protect yourself now you can save what you have left.

It takes 6months to 2 years (or more) for your ears to fully recover from acoustic trauma. That does not mean your lost hearing will come back. Once you've lost it through sensorineural hearing loss. It's gone. It is imperative you keep that in mind. Once you exhibit trauma your ears are fragile. Like an open wound. It takes time to recover. Even then it won't heal back to normal. It'll heal like a scar.

Like I said in the beginning post you mat very well likely heal. But next time you may not. Or maybe the time after that. Do not continue on a destructive path.

If you have any questions do feel free to privately message me.

It's important you take what I've said here to heart. I don't mean to scare you. But your health is important. Especially since this is 1 of our 5 senses. Each and everyone of them is important. Without even one, like the ability to hear. Is a major disability.

 

[Greg Clarke]

You'll be ok mate. But that's a warning sign, be sure to protect your ears going forward.


Don't quit the band, there's plenty of musicians here with the condition still active.

 

[jp1995]

(do not read if you're looking for hopefulness)

thank you all for you replies. it has been 4 days now and i wish i had good news. i am unfortunately extremely anxious and stressed as i feel i may have lost one of my only hobbies in this world, which was playing music with my friends. i went to the doctors yesterday and they advised decongestants, which i took, to no effect, my nose is still congested. i am having trouble concentrating on anything besides this sound, constantly checking if its still there, thinking every constant sound (static from a tv, the vent in the classroom) is the T and i feel i have to remove myself from the room. even when i realize that it is something external, i then hear the T again. today i was sitting in the library and it left completely 3 times for about 1-2 seconds. first 2-5 minutes between, and the last was 20 minutes or so later. nothing else since. i think i am falling into a depression, i only recently came out of one in late september. i hope it goes away.

 

[JurgenG]

Try to get asap to a doctor and inform about predisone. If you are early enough it might still have effect.

 

[jp1995]

Try to get asap to a doctor and inform about predisone. If you are early enough it might still have effect.

they mentioned corticosteroids at the doctors yesterday. they said if i still had ringing by 2 weeks to come back and they would give me them.

i did call the doctor again and ask to speak to the hearing specialist but there was no answer. hoping that they call back

 

[GregCA]

constantly checking if its still there

It sounds like your T is relatively mild, which you should be happy about (I'll explain below). Take it from a guy who has severe T: I don't need to check to know it's there. It's there all the time, so I never catch myself "checking". That doesn't mean your distress isn't important: even mild T can have a significant impact on a T sufferer.

The good news is that your distress probably has a relatively large psychological component, and so that means you have a good chance at habituating but also that there are a few tools in the psy-toolbox that you can leverage to get better (look into CBT for example).

The other good news is that there is a good chance that it's going to fade away in time.

they said if i still had ringing by 2 weeks to come back and they would give me them.

That doesn't make sense to me: the chances of recovery drop quickly with time. If you're going to go for corticosteroids, you better do it early.

 

[jp1995]

i am just so sad. i have been crying off and on all day. i know that it is still early (4 days) but it has never been this long and i fear the worst. i already cant do the things i previously enjoyed, play video games, listen to music, watch videos. i just focus on the sound and constantly refresh this forum to hopefully read good news about others. i have no right to complain.

 

[Luman]

i am just so sad. i have been crying off and on all day. i know that it is still early (4 days) but it has never been this long and i fear the worst. i already cant do the things i previously enjoyed, play video games, listen to music, watch videos. i just focus on the sound and constantly refresh this forum to hopefully read good news about others. i have no right to complain.

OK as others have said, it's still very early. The sounds of tinnitus, to a new sufferer, is a very, very hard thing to cope with, but rest assured you will be fine whether the symptoms go away or not. Even in the worst case scenario, and it does not go away, you will not lose your ability to play video games, listen to music, etc., you'll just have exert caution. This part of the brain that creates Tinnitus Distress is very close to the area that depression is, but eventually this changes as the brain gets used to the noise and you habituate. Since you are very new to this so there is a still a good chance that this tinnitus episode won't last, but remember, even if it does, the facts about tinnitus paint a completely different picture of what the future holds for you, as compared to what your thoughts are currently telling you. There are about 50 million people with Tinnitus in the United States alone, with hundreds of millions more world-wide. Living with it is totally doable, and 98% of us, after a while, are not bothered by it in the slightest. The brain has an enormous ability to repair itself, and when it cannot, it adapts. Do not lose hope, because there is not a single reason for you to do so.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Don't quit the band, there's plenty of musicians here with the condition still active.

Do you see a problem with your statement above? Some of those people might not have had the condition, had they quit the band.

 

[Bill Bauer]

today i was sitting in the library and it left completely 3 times for about 1-2 seconds.

Over the past 9 months, mine hasn't left even for a second. So the above is a very positive sign.

 

[jp1995]

i should probably quit the band then right

 

[Bill Bauer]

i should probably quit the band then right

Consider quitting it for at least a year or two to give your body time to recover.

 

[Jake007]

It sounds like your T is relatively mild, which you should be happy about (I'll explain below). Take it from a guy who has severe T: I don't need to check to know it's there. It's there all the time, so I never catch myself "checking". That doesn't mean your distress isn't important: even mild T can have a significant impact on a T sufferer.

I don't know how you do it sometimes greg

 

[Bill Bauer]

listen to music, watch videos

You CAN listen to music and watch videos. Just don't use headphones or earphones. Use the speakers and a computer in your room.

I also lived through a period of crying uncontrollably multiple times every day. This lasted for about a month during the second month. This stops for most people by the end of month two.

If you are less than a week in, there is a Really good chance that it will disappear.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Your T might not end, most likely (with a very high probability) it will change (and become easier to ignore). So the sound you are hearing now is most likely not the sound you will be stuck with.

 

[dpdx]

i should probably quit the band then right

I would totally quit the band and avoid listening to music over earbuds/earphones. I would also avoid concerts, cinema, clubs, loud venues, loud bars, etc etc. I had Tinnitus since September 23, 2017, it changed my life considerably and my outlook on life. I am a completely new person, please forgive me for saying this, you will know when your T is permanent. When i first got it I hoped that it would go away after the first week, second, third, fourth...eventually I knew it was going to stick around for good.

 

[dpdx]

Your T might not end, most likely (with a very high probability) it will change (and become easier to ignore). So the sound you are hearing now is most likely not the sound you will be stuck with.

only to a lucky few T will go away completely, otherwise if damage has been done T will stick around.

 

[dpdx]

i am just so sad. i have been crying off and on all day. i know that it is still early (4 days) but it has never been this long and i fear the worst. i already cant do the things i previously enjoyed, play video games, listen to music, watch videos. i just focus on the sound and constantly refresh this forum to hopefully read good news about others. i have no right to complain.

It will decrease in intensity trust me. After a second week it will go down and it will keep decreasing. Just dont overprotect your ears like i did. I developed H because i wore earplugs around moderate sounds, now i suffer with H and its is worse than Tinnitus.

 

[Taylorslay]

i should probably quit the band then right

Consider quitting it for at least a year or two to give your body time to recover.

I agree with Bill Bauer for the time being its best you quit. However, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy music and all the other things you love that involve sound. They just 1. can't be in earplugs or earphones and 2. be a safe volume.

Like Greg and Luman said the beginning of Tinnitus is very distressing and hard to cope with. I'd suggest trying to find ways to relax. The best way is to try to focus on something else than T. It is hard at first but in time it becomes much easier. Maybe you might want to get prescribed a light anti depressant to take the edge off. You might have trouble sleeping with the anxiety. If so I suggest chamomile tea and melatonin. If melatonin doesn't do it for you then Tylenol PM.

 

[Luman]

If you use earplugs, you can continue to play your music, as long as it's not at extremely loud levels for long periods. It has been estimated that approximately half of professional musicians have tinnitus, including many famous ones.

 

[GregCA]

I don't know how you do it sometimes greg

Neither do I, to be honest...

 

[Emperor-Drax]

I would totally quit the band and avoid listening to music over earbuds/earphones. I would also avoid concerts, cinema, clubs, loud venues, loud bars, etc etc. I had Tinnitus since September 23, 2017, it changed my life considerably and my outlook on life. I am a completely new person, please forgive me for saying this, you will know when your T is permanent. When i first got it I hoped that it would go away after the first week, second, third, fourth...eventually I knew it was going to stick around for good.

I can't quit the cinema. Godzilla: King of the Monsters will be out next May, the movie I've been waiting a lifetime to see!

 

[Bill Bauer]

I can't quit the cinema. Godzilla: King of the Monsters will be out next May, the movie I've been waiting a lifetime to see!

Why not see it on your computer?

 

[Emperor-Drax]

Why not see it on your computer?

I'm a cinemaphile. I like big screens and big sound.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I'm a cinemaphile. I like big screens and big sound.

I like to live on my own private island and to not work. You can't always get what you want.

 

[JohnAdams]

Hell yeah it's possible. If not, consider yourself LUCKY, like escaping HELL lucky. If it is, welcome to tinnitustalk.com.

 

[coffee_girl]

Is the op ok since 2017?