Hi All,
This is my first post, and it seems like a great community here.
I'm a musician and have had tinnitus for 20 years, with ups and downs. Sometimes it spikes, sometimes it settles. However, the last few years have become increasingly challenging. After being sick and starting a tour last year, I developed a new tone in my left ear, which had never had issues in the previous 19 years.
For the last 20 years, I've always worn custom earplugs while playing. Last year, I had to start using in-ear monitors (IEMs). I was initially excited about the possibility of things being much quieter, but it hasn't worked out that way. The main issue is the occlusion effect I experience when my ears are plugged with IEMs. This is manageable on festival stages and outdoor events, but it's a nightmare in clubs and theaters where there's a significant buildup of sub-frequencies. Loud sub-bass resonates heavily in my head with the IEMs in, and despite decent isolation from the IEMs, I experience a massive spike in my tinnitus due to head resonance. The new tone in my left ear is now almost twice as loud as it was last year, and the tinnitus in my right ear is as loud as I can remember.
Currently, I wear my IEMs (with approximately 20 dB reduction) along with a pair of Honeywell 35 dB industrial earmuffs over them while I perform. Although this setup doesn't eliminate the occlusion effect completely, I now use slightly looser-fitting tips on my IEMs to allow my ear canals to vent. I know I'm not the first musician to wear industrial muffs in a loud band, but I'd prefer to use ambient IEMs if any exist with good isolation. To my knowledge, however, such models aren't available and, by design, they're not suitable for loud environments.
Has anyone had experience with the occlusion effect while wearing IEMs? Any insights on ear damage due to loud head resonance with occlusion?
My tinnitus has become so severe that I'm considering stepping back from touring, not only for next year but possibly for good. Music is my life and my joy, so it's difficult to process the thought of ending this work.
I'd appreciate any advice or shared experiences.
Thank you,
Matthew
This is my first post, and it seems like a great community here.
I'm a musician and have had tinnitus for 20 years, with ups and downs. Sometimes it spikes, sometimes it settles. However, the last few years have become increasingly challenging. After being sick and starting a tour last year, I developed a new tone in my left ear, which had never had issues in the previous 19 years.
For the last 20 years, I've always worn custom earplugs while playing. Last year, I had to start using in-ear monitors (IEMs). I was initially excited about the possibility of things being much quieter, but it hasn't worked out that way. The main issue is the occlusion effect I experience when my ears are plugged with IEMs. This is manageable on festival stages and outdoor events, but it's a nightmare in clubs and theaters where there's a significant buildup of sub-frequencies. Loud sub-bass resonates heavily in my head with the IEMs in, and despite decent isolation from the IEMs, I experience a massive spike in my tinnitus due to head resonance. The new tone in my left ear is now almost twice as loud as it was last year, and the tinnitus in my right ear is as loud as I can remember.
Currently, I wear my IEMs (with approximately 20 dB reduction) along with a pair of Honeywell 35 dB industrial earmuffs over them while I perform. Although this setup doesn't eliminate the occlusion effect completely, I now use slightly looser-fitting tips on my IEMs to allow my ear canals to vent. I know I'm not the first musician to wear industrial muffs in a loud band, but I'd prefer to use ambient IEMs if any exist with good isolation. To my knowledge, however, such models aren't available and, by design, they're not suitable for loud environments.
Has anyone had experience with the occlusion effect while wearing IEMs? Any insights on ear damage due to loud head resonance with occlusion?
My tinnitus has become so severe that I'm considering stepping back from touring, not only for next year but possibly for good. Music is my life and my joy, so it's difficult to process the thought of ending this work.
I'd appreciate any advice or shared experiences.
Thank you,
Matthew
