My Tinnitus Story So Far (Partial Success)... But What Is Going On?

[Damien Cavanagh]

Hi all - my tinnitus arrived after a DJ gig in a small club 7 weeks ago. It wasn't particularly loud (I was able to chat at near normal volume) but the small sound system was distorting, sending daggers into my ears.

When I left the club I was surprised to find my ears ringing.
After two weeks I began to get very concerned... but then the R ear stopped completely, and the L turned from a harsh tone to a hiss. This hiss is getting softer and more intermittent with time.

I had an audiogram 4 weeks ago - L significantly down at 4K, R slightly below normal.
Had another one 2 days ago, L significantly improved (still below normal) R just about normal.

However, I have other symptom which are really, really getting me down.

1) there is a harsh, rasping hiss with each footstep. It tends to be on the left of centre, but can sometimes go 'stereo' and go L-R-L-R as I walk. If I walk while gently pressing my temples, cranium, upper jaw or clenching my teeth, the hiss dies almost completely away. If I get a flare up, it also pulses with my heart. Is this pulsatile tinnitus or somatic tinnitus?

2) I have stonewall pulsatile tinnitus in my right ear, mostly quite soft.

3) I have stonewall somatic tinnitus that is silent unless I jut my jaw forward, chew or swallow. It can spike and linger. It got aggravated the other day when I attended a pub gig with heavy duty earplugs (must have been base getting into my inner via bone conduction.)

4) My music perception has collapsed. Cymbals distort, vocals warble, everything sounds harsh and congealed. I've managed to alleviate this somewhat by carefully EQing my music.


Basically if I can do something about (1) I think I can live with the rest. At the moment I'm very, very down.
Does anybody else have this "footstep tinnitus"?
Is it pulsatile tinnitus or somatic tinnitus?
Could it die down as my 'classic' tinnitus seems to be doing?

BTW saw an ENT on Tuesday, had MRI scan today. Will see ENT for the follow-up. As I thought, the only practical thing he has suggested is seeing a psychiatrist and getting mood medication.

 

[James Brown]

Tinnitus could be a strange stuff.I have a lot of symptoms like yours.Press any part of the head and it goes up.Turn the neck and it increases a lot,yawn and the sound goes up.Just eating any stuff and the sound always changing. One day i use earplugs and the sound stays the same.Other day i use earplugs and the sound in my head goes up 4 or 5 times and becomes a hell.If you read other posts here you will find anyone has different symptoms.Some are common to a lot of people ,others are more rare.My advice is that you avoid this gigs.One thing i´ve learned from this 20 years of T is the fact it can always get worse if you don´t take care.Don´t stop listening to music ,but keep volume at a fair level. Because of bad luck and some bad choices i have to quit listening to music after 15 years of T.Take care of your ears.

 

[Damien Cavanagh]

Thanks James. I have friends who say "don't worry about a little buzz in your ear, you'll get used to it" but when you have a troupe of tinnitus banshees all competing for attention it's impossible to tune them out.
Have you quit listening to all music, even quietly without headphones?
Thanks for your advice about decisions and caring for what's left. I too have made many bad decisions, and the last one tipped me over the precipice (I had plugs in my coat at the club... for once I didn't put them in...) But I know there are bad decisions in the future to be avoided... Thanks again.

 

[GregCA]

@Damien Cavanagh - sorry to welcome you to the club.
Take it easy with sound. I don't know if you're the one on your avatar pic, but if you're a drummer you should take it easy for a while and consider using e-drums where you can control the volume (that's what I do).

 

[Damien Cavanagh]

Thanks Greg. Yes that's me. I do have e-drums too. I've recently done a gig on cajon, that was fine.
I'm seriously considering attempting a band rehearsal in January on acoustic drums, placing me behind the backline to avoid the bass- and wearing foam plugs + industrial defenders. Playing e-drums live, you have to rely on the volume of the PA or your monitor. What do you think about that approach? (Deluded?)

 

[GregCA]

Thanks Greg. Yes that's me. I do have e-drums too. I've recently done a gig on cajon, that was fine.
I'm seriously considering attempting a band rehearsal in January on acoustic drums, placing me behind the backline to avoid the bass- and wearing foam plugs + industrial defenders. Playing e-drums live, you have to rely on the volume of the PA or your monitor. What do you think about that approach? (Deluded?)

On using acoustic drums for rehearsal: you need to make sure you have very serious ear protection... which is likely to distort the sound. You can give it a try to see how you feel about it, but don't push it if you feel uncomfortable at any time, even if that is 10 seconds into the session.

With e-drums, you do have to set up the IEM/PA appropriately indeed, but at least you don't have to have loud sounds blasting in your ears. In addition you can use the EQ to compensate for your hearing loss in the feed that goes into your IEMs, and leave the PA feed set up for "general audience". That's what I would do.

Acoustic drums are insanely loud.

 

[Damien Cavanagh]

Thanks Greg. I've normally (but not always) used ear protection with acoustic drums throughout my career.
I don't mind that the sound gets altered. If I go acoustic again it will be the plugs and very highly-rated defenders. Thanks, I'll go *very* gingerly!

The thing about IEMs is that I'm now a bit nervous about headphones of any sort. I can see the bassist tripping over my lead and sending a massive spike of static straight up my lug-holes.

Perhaps I'll take both to the rehearsal. Mind you, when I've used e-drums live I've normal used real cymbals. But then my e-kit is 15 years old now (Roland + TD-8)

 

[jjflyman]

Hi all - my tinnitus arrived after a DJ gig in a small club 7 weeks ago. It wasn't particularly loud (I was able to chat at near normal volume) but the small sound system was distorting, sending daggers into my ears.

When I left the club I was surprised to find my ears ringing.
After two weeks I began to get very concerned... but then the R ear stopped completely, and the L turned from a harsh tone to a hiss. This hiss is getting softer and more intermittent with time.

I had an audiogram 4 weeks ago - L significantly down at 4K, R slightly below normal.
Had another one 2 days ago, L significantly improved (still below normal) R just about normal.

However, I have other symptom which are really, really getting me down.

1) there is a harsh, rasping hiss with each footstep. It tends to be on the left of centre, but can sometimes go 'stereo' and go L-R-L-R as I walk. If I walk while gently pressing my temples, cranium, upper jaw or clenching my teeth, the hiss dies almost completely away. If I get a flare up, it also pulses with my heart. Is this pulsatile tinnitus or somatic tinnitus?

2) I have stonewall pulsatile tinnitus in my right ear, mostly quite soft.

3) I have stonewall somatic tinnitus that is silent unless I jut my jaw forward, chew or swallow. It can spike and linger. It got aggravated the other day when I attended a pub gig with heavy duty earplugs (must have been base getting into my inner via bone conduction.)

4) My music perception has collapsed. Cymbals distort, vocals warble, everything sounds harsh and congealed. I've managed to alleviate this somewhat by carefully EQing my music.


Basically if I can do something about (1) I think I can live with the rest. At the moment I'm very, very down.
Does anybody else have this "footstep tinnitus"?
Is it pulsatile tinnitus or somatic tinnitus?
Could it die down as my 'classic' tinnitus seems to be doing?

BTW saw an ENT on Tuesday, had MRI scan today. Will see ENT for the follow-up. As I thought, the only practical thing he has suggested is seeing a psychiatrist and getting mood medication.

Most likely your ears have suffered an acoustic trauma, and there is swelling in there. Our ears are very delicate and heal very slowly.
The most likely outcome is your ears need time to heal, so protect them from any loud noise for a while (6 months).
IMO you will be just fine, but it may take 6-18 months to fully fade to zero. Protect your ears from now on.

 

[GregCA]

Thanks Greg. I've normally (but not always) used ear protection with acoustic drums throughout my career.
I don't mind that the sound gets altered. If I go acoustic again it will be the plugs and very highly-rated defenders. Thanks, I'll go *very* gingerly!

The thing about IEMs is that I'm now a bit nervous about headphones of any sort. I can see the bassist tripping over my lead and sending a massive spike of static straight up my lug-holes.

Perhaps I'll take both to the rehearsal. Mind you, when I've used e-drums live I've normal used real cymbals. But then my e-kit is 15 years old now (Roland + TD-8)

Cool. Sounds like you know the trade-offs. Yes the dangers with IEMs is that you can get blasted if someone makes a mistake (even the sound engineer) somewhere. TD-8 is a tad old but would do great paired with something like Superior Drummer.