- Dec 28, 2019
- 11
- Tinnitus Since
- 1993
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Concert - Bass Guitar issue so bad concert paused 20 minutes
Hello,
My name is Anita. I have had Tinnitus for 26 years. I remember when I first was diagnosed with it in 1993, how devastated I was and for quite a while! I had gone to a country concert (didn't even care for the artist, Dwight Yokam, but Someone at work was nice enough to give my husband and I tickets). In the middle of the performance, something happened to the Bass guitar and people were running away from the stage it was so loud. They had to pause the concert for a good 20 minutes it was so loud. My husband and I were so far away we didn't realize at the time we would become affected by this faulty equipment as well. I woke up with ringing in both ears but it was on and off. The ENT said he didn't see anything and to come back in 3 months.
NEVER DID HE SAY STAY AWAY FROM NOISE OR WARN ME ABOUT TINNITUS (which at the time I had no idea what it was). I then saw Frank Sinatra (not a Rock or country concert but lots of orchestra) and my ears again started on and off. Finally one night I was at a pub with some friends around the CD Juke box at the time playing songs and having fun and I woke up the next day to PERMANENT RINGING .
Again, I was never even educated on Tinnitus and was so young. I was told it was Tinnitus and it would be permanent! The nurse said to me "oh honey it will be like a light bulb you will never be able to turn off"! That was how I was told that it would be forever! I had finally moved on but must admit it took a while.
Flash forward 26 years later, I had been able to deal with tinnitus , wear ear protection when needed, knew it would be worse at times of congestion and I was able to Live with it and accept it, UNTIL RECENTLY!
My current ENT (which I learned later doesn't know how to deal with tinnitus and is rude to patients handing them a piece of paper saying; no caffeine, alcohol, chocolate etc.) Gave me an ABR (auto brain response) test, after my tinnitus seemed to be bothering me slightly more than usual, putting 95 decibels in my ear to measure brainwaves with sounds that sounded like jackhammers for almost 45 minutes! The point of the test was to rule out any tumors causing the ringing! Of course the test was done in his office so he got the money for this versus being sent out for an MRI. I almost walked out halfway through this test and I can kick myself for putting my trust in the audiologist doing the test and not walking out! It was SO LOUD and the noise was directly in my ears with headphones! She kept saying hang on, it's almost over, I know it's loud, you are doing well.
Well since the test (3 months ago) my tinnitus is TEN TIMES worse and I have trouble focusing, I can hear it almost over anything without many things masking it. It's almost like starting all over again from 26 years ago as it's a new louder, higher pitched noise!
I also have TMJ issues too and need my NTI guard adjusted. I don't know if the TMJ is also contributing to the loud noise but this change started after this horrible test. I'm having a very hard time adjusting to the new noise and think about it Often (how can I not, it's so very loud). I'm in the middle of acupuncture treatments which aren't doing much.
My next step is the audiologist (who said that ABR test definitely could have affected me due to my ear sensitivity) who wants to look into hearing aids to mask the tinnitus and also make custom made ear plugs. In addition, I may seek out a TMJ treatment center.
Any advice would be appreciated as this new noise is so much higher pitched and worse than ever. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME READING THIS. I look forward to being a part of this group!
My name is Anita. I have had Tinnitus for 26 years. I remember when I first was diagnosed with it in 1993, how devastated I was and for quite a while! I had gone to a country concert (didn't even care for the artist, Dwight Yokam, but Someone at work was nice enough to give my husband and I tickets). In the middle of the performance, something happened to the Bass guitar and people were running away from the stage it was so loud. They had to pause the concert for a good 20 minutes it was so loud. My husband and I were so far away we didn't realize at the time we would become affected by this faulty equipment as well. I woke up with ringing in both ears but it was on and off. The ENT said he didn't see anything and to come back in 3 months.
NEVER DID HE SAY STAY AWAY FROM NOISE OR WARN ME ABOUT TINNITUS (which at the time I had no idea what it was). I then saw Frank Sinatra (not a Rock or country concert but lots of orchestra) and my ears again started on and off. Finally one night I was at a pub with some friends around the CD Juke box at the time playing songs and having fun and I woke up the next day to PERMANENT RINGING .
Again, I was never even educated on Tinnitus and was so young. I was told it was Tinnitus and it would be permanent! The nurse said to me "oh honey it will be like a light bulb you will never be able to turn off"! That was how I was told that it would be forever! I had finally moved on but must admit it took a while.
Flash forward 26 years later, I had been able to deal with tinnitus , wear ear protection when needed, knew it would be worse at times of congestion and I was able to Live with it and accept it, UNTIL RECENTLY!
My current ENT (which I learned later doesn't know how to deal with tinnitus and is rude to patients handing them a piece of paper saying; no caffeine, alcohol, chocolate etc.) Gave me an ABR (auto brain response) test, after my tinnitus seemed to be bothering me slightly more than usual, putting 95 decibels in my ear to measure brainwaves with sounds that sounded like jackhammers for almost 45 minutes! The point of the test was to rule out any tumors causing the ringing! Of course the test was done in his office so he got the money for this versus being sent out for an MRI. I almost walked out halfway through this test and I can kick myself for putting my trust in the audiologist doing the test and not walking out! It was SO LOUD and the noise was directly in my ears with headphones! She kept saying hang on, it's almost over, I know it's loud, you are doing well.
Well since the test (3 months ago) my tinnitus is TEN TIMES worse and I have trouble focusing, I can hear it almost over anything without many things masking it. It's almost like starting all over again from 26 years ago as it's a new louder, higher pitched noise!
I also have TMJ issues too and need my NTI guard adjusted. I don't know if the TMJ is also contributing to the loud noise but this change started after this horrible test. I'm having a very hard time adjusting to the new noise and think about it Often (how can I not, it's so very loud). I'm in the middle of acupuncture treatments which aren't doing much.
My next step is the audiologist (who said that ABR test definitely could have affected me due to my ear sensitivity) who wants to look into hearing aids to mask the tinnitus and also make custom made ear plugs. In addition, I may seek out a TMJ treatment center.
Any advice would be appreciated as this new noise is so much higher pitched and worse than ever. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME READING THIS. I look forward to being a part of this group!