- Dec 29, 2019
- 1
- Tinnitus Since
- 01/2014
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Noise-induced. Increased from noise: 10/2019, 12/2019
Hey everyone.
I've been lurking for a week or two. Thanks to all of you who have provided guidance and information on here over the years.
I got tinnitus in January 2014, after listening to a song on my iPod at full volume (I was angry at myself and tried to escape the feeling with music). I had almost certainly been causing damage by listening at higher volumes in the years prior, but that one time definitely pushed my ears over the edge. I realized what I had done and kept my emotional response to a minimum. It was only noticeable at night, and I habituated quickly. I still listened to music fairly loudly in different contexts with no apparent issues.
My life was basically the same until this year. In April, I'm pretty sure I caused a slight increase from listening to music through headphones at full volume. Intense life stress pushed me to listen at dangerous volumes again. Then at the end of October, a similar situation happened. Loud music to cope with intense life stress, a permanent increase in tinnitus. This time it went from "annoying at night" to hearing it all day. Each time I broke my rule of listening to music at more than 50% volume. I found an app to limit the volume output on my phone, which has been working for me since then.
I had just found a way to cope again, when I decided to see a movie in IMAX almost two weeks ago. I brought earplugs just in case. For some stupid reason, I didn't put them in until after the previews, which were so unbearably loud it should have been enough for me to leave the theater. But I didn't. I put the earplugs in, but the damage was done. Or it was being done throughout, I don't know. The lower frequencies were so loud I wouldn't be surprised if the increase was caused by conduction through my skull. If it was a 2-3/10 before, it's more like a 5-6/10. My left ear, which was closer to a speaker, is only just now starting to feel normal. The tinnitus is still louder on that side, and the volume seems to have permanently increased. I have a new, slightly lower pitched tone in both ears, too. Apparently the theater I went to recently upgraded their system. They said the dB limit was set at 85, but I find that hard to believe.
I play and write music in my spare time. I'm trying not to let this derail my enjoyment of music, but it's extremely difficult. Certain softer/quieter kinds of music, like solo piano, are depressing to listen to for obvious reasons.
I guess the main lesson is, regulate your emotions better than I did. Stop listening to music at more than 50% volume. Never worth it. And don't see anything in IMAX! I'm kicking myself so hard.
I've been lurking for a week or two. Thanks to all of you who have provided guidance and information on here over the years.
I got tinnitus in January 2014, after listening to a song on my iPod at full volume (I was angry at myself and tried to escape the feeling with music). I had almost certainly been causing damage by listening at higher volumes in the years prior, but that one time definitely pushed my ears over the edge. I realized what I had done and kept my emotional response to a minimum. It was only noticeable at night, and I habituated quickly. I still listened to music fairly loudly in different contexts with no apparent issues.
My life was basically the same until this year. In April, I'm pretty sure I caused a slight increase from listening to music through headphones at full volume. Intense life stress pushed me to listen at dangerous volumes again. Then at the end of October, a similar situation happened. Loud music to cope with intense life stress, a permanent increase in tinnitus. This time it went from "annoying at night" to hearing it all day. Each time I broke my rule of listening to music at more than 50% volume. I found an app to limit the volume output on my phone, which has been working for me since then.
I had just found a way to cope again, when I decided to see a movie in IMAX almost two weeks ago. I brought earplugs just in case. For some stupid reason, I didn't put them in until after the previews, which were so unbearably loud it should have been enough for me to leave the theater. But I didn't. I put the earplugs in, but the damage was done. Or it was being done throughout, I don't know. The lower frequencies were so loud I wouldn't be surprised if the increase was caused by conduction through my skull. If it was a 2-3/10 before, it's more like a 5-6/10. My left ear, which was closer to a speaker, is only just now starting to feel normal. The tinnitus is still louder on that side, and the volume seems to have permanently increased. I have a new, slightly lower pitched tone in both ears, too. Apparently the theater I went to recently upgraded their system. They said the dB limit was set at 85, but I find that hard to believe.
I play and write music in my spare time. I'm trying not to let this derail my enjoyment of music, but it's extremely difficult. Certain softer/quieter kinds of music, like solo piano, are depressing to listen to for obvious reasons.
I guess the main lesson is, regulate your emotions better than I did. Stop listening to music at more than 50% volume. Never worth it. And don't see anything in IMAX! I'm kicking myself so hard.
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