Playing Music and Tinnitus

[wonderful9235]

So, I've been a piano player for years. Even though I've never seen anyone do this, I've been practicing with earplugs since my tinnitus started.

But I notice that whenever I play, my tinnitus gradually goes up, even if I play for 15 minutes. And, sometimes it starts with a specific note. Like if I play a g my ears will start screaming.
I don't know why this is. My earplugs are -30 decibels and the loudest the piano gets is 90 decibels, and that's when I'm playing forte.

I'm still having problems with my tinnitus competing/rising about music and voices. Recently I got this ringing noise that feels like it's coming from my head. It's weird because it's not in my ears and it feels like outside noise, but I know it's not because it follows me everywhere.

Anyway I don't understand what the problem is. My tinnitus wasn't even noise induced in the first place, yet no matter what it gets louder. I don't wear earbuds, or go to parties or concerts. I have a decibel meter that I use. I don't know if it's getting worse it's because college is inherently loud (loud talking/laughter, occasionally yelling in conversations). Anyway, I want to protect my ears, but I also don't want to lock myself in a soundproof room and never come out.

Thoughts?

 

[Michael B]

@wonderful9235
Curious whether the key of C resembles your tinnitus? I ask because mine reacts if I play a tone similar to my tinnitus.

 

[another sean]

Your auditory system is damaged and you may have to take time off from music or loud places to give your hearing a chance to recover. If you don't, it may continue to get worse. So you are raising your base line because you are playing piano still, then you need to consider stopping so that you can live some kind of life. Because tinnitus can get so bad that it can home bound you. So try not to let it get to that point. Know when to stop and make your hearing a priority.

 

[wonderful9235]

Your auditory system is damaged and you may have to take time off from music or loud places to give your hearing a chance to recover. If you don't, it may continue to get worse. So you are raising your base line because you are playing piano still, then you need to consider stopping so that you can live some kind of life. Because tinnitus can get so bad that it can home bound you. So try not to let it get to that point. Know when to stop and make your hearing a priority.

I guess I understand that. I'm just confused because if I'm wearing earplugs, the sound should be reduced to about 60 decibels, which is an acceptable level. How could it still be damaging? Also, do you know how my auditory system may have gotten damaged? I didn't listen to loud music or attend concerts—it just gradually came on after a particularly bad bout if anxiety. My ENT says I don't have any hearing loss. I'm not trying to take too many risks, I just want to know how this could be getting worse despite hearing protection.

 

[wonderful9235]

@wonderful9235
Curious whether the key of C resembles your tinnitus? I ask because mine reacts if I play a tone similar to my tinnitus.

I'm not sure. My t is in the treble clef but not super high pitched—maybe around a b above middle c. Any thoughts as to why it may be reacting to music? Confused because this was brought on by stress/a potential jaw problem, not noise exposure.

 

[Kelvin]

Lots of us find our tinnitus 'reacts' to certain types of sound or frequency. Mine 'reacts' to high pitched metallic sounds ( like cutlery ) and also oddly to toilets flushing - no s*it !! I have given-up trying to work out why...but my best guess is it has something to do with the area thats damaged and can no longer process sound correctly. I use simple 3M foam earplugs ( inserted correctly ) when in I have to endure a lot of my 'reactive' noises. I remove the earplugs as soon a the noise is not an issue, in the vain hope that I may one day get used to these noises again. This hasn't happened in over Three years though Even with earplugs it can still sometimes 'react' a bit but they help. The 'reaction' is a ramping-up of a high pitched ( about 7500Hz ) background that ( like so many ) I have to live with. I do get days that are less reactive than others and this is re-set by sleep or what happens during sleep. I know as soon as I wake up if its going to be a hissy day. A bad day never changes. A good day never gets worse.
Its all beyond weird...but I think not stressing about it and accepting it is part of the road to a better life.
@wonderful9235. I truly hope you manage to 'knock the edge off' your 'reactive' situations and learn to live with this menace and that you get some better days at least. Peace in a noisey world X

 

[another sean]

I guess I understand that. I'm just confused because if I'm wearing earplugs, the sound should be reduced to about 60 decibels, which is an acceptable level. How could it still be damaging? Also, do you know how my auditory system may have gotten damaged? I didn't listen to loud music or attend concerts—it just gradually came on after a particularly bad bout if anxiety. My ENT says I don't have any hearing loss. I'm not trying to take too many risks, I just want to know how this could be getting worse despite hearing protection.

mine has gotten worse permanently on multiple occasions from going outside while wearing both ear plugs and ear muffs. So I stopped going outside and listening to music as my peace of mind was more important. It's been 3 years now and my hearing has stabilized a little but its a slow process. I wish I did it sooner so my baseline would be lower but it takes time to accept the reality of not going out anymore as its life changing. but I didn't want my tinnitus to worsen and become suicidal. so I respected the tinnitus and changed my lifestyle and stayed in and stopped further damage until doctors pull their thumbs out their butt and figure out what to do or the reactivity heals on its own.

 

[Luman]

Have you tried using an electronic keyboard, at very low volumes?

 

[JohnAdams]

@wonderful9235
Curious whether the key of C resembles your tinnitus? I ask because mine reacts if I play a tone similar to my tinnitus.

I don't the the key matters. it would be more likely individual notes, unless all your T sounds are exactly c,d,e,f,g,a, and b.

 

[wonderful9235]

Have you tried using an electronic keyboard, at very low volumes?

I would, but I'm in college and I don't have access to electronic keyboards. And I have to play piano because I'm in a piano/music theory class (I'm a music major)

 

[wonderful9235]

Also, I'm glad about all the replies so far. I'm just frustrated because music is my life and even with earplugs, 15 minutes of practice makes it worse. I've heard of a lot of people with t that play music so there has to be a way to fix this, right? How can I practice piano with earplugs and continue to pursue music?

 

[Twinkle18]

@wonderful9235

I think as time passes you will realize things that bother you now won't in the future. You are still very new to this. Music is part of my life too. I play the bagpipes and the first few months the bagpipes seriously hurt my ears. I slowly got back into it and over time it rarely bothers me anymore. But I always have to wear earplugs with bagpipes. They are loud. I wore ear plugs even before t and go figure I get t because of an anti depressant. but I'd imagine with a piano you can forgo ear plugs in the future. Please do not give up music because of tinnitus.

 

[Luman]

I would, but I'm in college and I don't have access to electronic keyboards. And I have to play piano because I'm in a piano/music theory class (I'm a music major)

That's a tough thing to manage. Since professional musicians have a high percentage of tinnitus, and seem to manage to continue, it's doable. Hang in there, and keep playing.

 

[PDodge]

This inspires me. I gave up playing because of T and now I'm bored AF with no real direction in life

 

[Twinkle18]

Oh I also wanted to mention... try to find a piano forum. I think you will be surprised that there is most likely a section talking about tinnitus. They may have ideas to make it bareable. I've been on hunting forums drum forums music forums motorcycle forums and all sort of people talk about it and still continue doing what they enjoy to do.