Using Headphones at Max Volume for an Hour a Day for Years — Now Tinnitus and Ears Feel Full/Hurt

[Stacken77]

so we will just walk around town, with good distance from the speakers. That should be fine, no? And with earplugs.

That sounds good, you ought to be fine, in my opinion.

We are also talking about going to Laserdome as a last fun thing to do together. Do you know if it's very loud in there? I've never been. I'm guessing I can't go

I've been to Laserdome once, but it was quite a while ago so I don't remember if it was particularly loud.

As I've said, I don't have the longest experience with tinnitus, but here's my thoughts; If you don't have hyperacusis, and your tinnitus doesn't spike to the sounds you're exposed to in your day, i.e. if your tinnitus remains stable throughout the day - I believe you'll be fine if you have earplugs for that special occasion. Try to relax and enjoy it, but if you feel that it is too loud, I'd take a break. You could take some supplements before the occasion, like NAC and Magnesium which may temporarily protect from further damage, just to be on the safe side.

Just my thoughts. Tinnitus behaves very differently for all of us, and no two cases are the same, so it's hard to give a definitive answer.

Congratulations on your graduation, by the way.

 

[matilda]

I went to the ENT today. It was almost shockingly useless. I wonder if they're usually that bad or if I was unlucky. He basically said it can't be the headphones since I didn't have any hearing loss and a perfect audiogram. He said I should just mask it and not think about it. I know about hidden hearing loss but I didn't feel like arguing with him. He also stuck his finger in my ear several times for no reason lol.

I'm not really dealing with it well. At first I was like okay, no more headphones, clubs or indoor concerts. That sucks but I'll be fine.

But now I'm so afraid of noise, my anxiety is killing me every time I go outside. My OCD won't let me think about anything else for even a second. I can't avoid loud events forever. And I'm only 18. I have sooo much time to make it worse

 

[Michael Leigh]

But now I'm so afraid of noise, my anxiety is killing me every time I go outside. My OCD won't let me think about anything else for even a second. I can't avoid loud events forever. And I'm only 18. I have sooo much time to make it worse

Using headphones, earbuds or headsets at too high a volume are common causes of tinnitus. If this applies to you then your tinnitus is is probably noise induced. Your ENT doctor is not useless. On the contrary, he is a highly qualified medical professional. He treats medical problems that affect the ear, nose, and throat. And there are many. He treats them medically or surgically. However, tinnitus is not his field of expertise. It is only underlying medical problems within the auditory system that cause tinnitus he will be able to treat.

Most but not all ENT doctors know very little about tinnitus, especially when it is noise induced, as I suspect in your case if you used headphones a lot and at high volume. Once it is determined no underlying medical problem is causing the tinnitus, the right medical professional you should see is either an Audiologist or Hearing Therapist that specialises in tinnitus and hyperacusis management and treatment.

I advise you not to use headphones even at low volume. Start to use low level sound enrichment, especially at night. More about this is explained in the links below. Go to my started threads and read my posts: Hyperacusis, As I See It, Will My Tinnitus Get Worse?

All the best,
Michael

New to Tinnitus, What to Do? | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum
Tinnitus, A Personal View | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum

 

[matilda]

Using headphones, earbuds or headsets at too high a volume are common causes of tinnitus. If this applies to you then your tinnitus is is probably noise induced. Your ENT doctor is not useless. On the contrary, he is a highly qualified medical professional. He treats medical problems that affect the ear, nose, and throat. And there are many. He treats them medically or surgically. However, tinnitus is not his field of expertise. It is only underlying medical problems within the auditory system that cause tinnitus he will be able to treat.

Most but not all ENT doctors know very little about tinnitus, especially when it is noise induced, as I suspect in your case if you used headphones a lot and at high volume. Once it is determined no underlying medical problem is causing the tinnitus, the right medical professional you should see is either an Audiologist or Hearing Therapist that specialises in tinnitus and hyperacusis management and treatment.

I advise you not to use headphones even at low volume. Start to use low level sound enrichment, especially at night. More about this is explained in the links below. Go to my started threads and read my posts: Hyperacusis, As I See It, Will My Tinnitus Get Worse?

All the best,
Michael

I didn't say that the doctor was useless but the visit was.

He also told me to continue going to parties (for graduation) without earplugs as long as my ears didn't hurt since I had no hearing loss. That's not just him being unknowledgeable but straight up offering dangerous advice.

 

[Michael Leigh]

I didn't say that the doctor was useless but the visit was.

My mistake. Thank you for correcting me.

He also told me to continue going to parties (for graduation) without earplugs as long as my ears didn't hurt since I had no hearing loss. That's not just him being unknowledgeable but straight up offering dangerous advice.

Indeed, this is bad advice the ENT doctor has given you and reinforces my point. Most but not all ENT doctors know very little about tinnitus.

Please read my articles in the links that I have given you as I think you will find them helpful. Try not to overuse hearing protection.

I wish you well.
Michael

 

[Benjaminbb]

I didn't say that the doctor was useless but the visit was.

He also told me to continue going to parties (for graduation) without earplugs as long as my ears didn't hurt since I had no hearing loss. That's not just him being unknowledgeable but straight up offering dangerous advice.

As someone who suffers with anxiety and basically had OCD around tinnitus, I can see from the way you are talking and your fears that it is the anxiety making this hard for you.

At your age it is very likely you will see some improvement and you have not ruined your life. You do not have to fear sound, just protect your ears as everyone should do. It's not a disability, it's a super easy change. In fact I wore earplugs before I even had tinnitus, yet suddenly when I was dealing with tinnitus it felt like I had to do all these extra things as well as avoiding other things, but it's mainly in the mind. You're going to have a great normal life, I assure you. You don't have significant hearing loss which is great, you're just fixating on something that may be temporary.

I got some mild tinnitus in one ear at your age and it hasn't changed in 10 years in that ear. I barely noticed it over the 10 years. But I did freak out when it first happened. And now I again freaked out like crazy after getting longer fleeting tinnitus episode in my left ear. But I'm pretty much back to normal now. Your behaviour and thought patterns remind me of how I was.

You will be fine and you will be able to do good things very soon and for the rest of your life once you let the fear die down and stop reading about tinnitus.

Did your louder tinnitus tone die down?

 

[matilda]

As someone who suffers with anxiety and basically had OCD around tinnitus, I can see from the way you are talking and your fears that it is the anxiety making this hard for you.

At your age it is very likely you will see some improvement and you have not ruined your life. You do not have to fear sound, just protect your ears as everyone should do. It's not a disability, it's a super easy change. In fact I wore earplugs before I even had tinnitus, yet suddenly when I was dealing with tinnitus it felt like I had to do all these extra things as well as avoiding other things, but it's mainly in the mind. You're going to have a great normal life, I assure you. You don't have significant hearing loss which is great, you're just fixating on something that may be temporary.

I got some mild tinnitus in one ear at your age and it hasn't changed in 10 years in that ear. I barely noticed it over the 10 years. But I did freak out when it first happened. And now I again freaked out like crazy after getting longer fleeting tinnitus episode in my left ear. But I'm pretty much back to normal now. Your behaviour and thought patterns remind me of how I was.

You will be fine and you will be able to do good things very soon and for the rest of your life once you let the fear die down and stop reading about tinnitus.

Did your louder tinnitus tone die down?

Thank you for the comforting words. They help. The loud wine glass sound did go away which is a relief, now it just switches between the beep and the hiss (kinda sounds like wind blowing in trees.)

Right now it is the catastrophic thinking that is the worst. Reading about people who had mild tinnitus that then worsened has terrified me so bad I'm anxious all the time again and have all the usual shaking, crying, sweating, heart racing etc so my body feels really tired. Some people report getting hyperacusis for no reason after having had tinnitus for a while. I just feel so hopeless and scared of the future just like I did when I was at my lowest with my OCD. I know this doesn't help but it's hard to stop, especially now that my brain has something actually real and scary to latch on to.

 

[Loui]

Thank you for the comforting words. They help. The loud wine glass sound did go away which is a relief, now it just switches between the beep and the hiss (kinda sounds like wind blowing in trees.)

Right now it is the catastrophic thinking that is the worst. Reading about people who had mild tinnitus that then worsened has terrified me so bad I'm anxious all the time again and have all the usual shaking, crying, sweating, heart racing etc so my body feels really tired. Some people report getting hyperacusis for no reason after having had tinnitus for a while. I just feel so hopeless and scared of the future just like I did when I was at my lowest with my OCD. I know this doesn't help but it's hard to stop, especially now that my brain has something actually real and scary to latch on to.

Hey,

My advice is to try to live as normal as possible. You are young and have the whole life in front of you. If I could go back in time, I would never go to a concert or a loud club. I would go to bars and restaurants with reasonable volume and use musician earplugs.

I'm also from Sweden and I didn't get the opportunity to use steroids. I don't think that's a standard procedure here. My ENT also told me that my hearing is almost perfect for my age but I would take that with a grain of salt. We all know that something is off and that we have sensitive ears.

I would recommend you to spend time in nature because nature sound helps to tune out the tinnitus. Also work out and try to stay as healthy as possible.

Follow your dreams but avoid dangerous sounds and always bring earplugs.

 

[Matchbox]

Thank you for the comforting words. They help. The loud wine glass sound did go away which is a relief, now it just switches between the beep and the hiss (kinda sounds like wind blowing in trees.)

Right now it is the catastrophic thinking that is the worst. Reading about people who had mild tinnitus that then worsened has terrified me so bad I'm anxious all the time again and have all the usual shaking, crying, sweating, heart racing etc so my body feels really tired. Some people report getting hyperacusis for no reason after having had tinnitus for a while. I just feel so hopeless and scared of the future just like I did when I was at my lowest with my OCD. I know this doesn't help but it's hard to stop, especially now that my brain has something actually real and scary to latch on to.

If it helps you at all, I had INTENSE distortions and issues with sounds after a bus ride, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, etc. I'm definitely not better, but that's due to other events.

Before I decided to take steroids yet again, those distortions DID subside over the course of 2 months, it was very gradual.

If you can sleep with earplugs in that seemed to help me out, along with LOW volume masking (yes it sounds awful because of the distortion/beeps/clinks I know but it seems to help long term). The clinks stopped, the beeps moved from one ear to the other then eventually stopped (madness), the wavering got quieter, longer and longer if I removed earplugs, the tinnitus would not be present (from momentarily to up to 30 seconds) I did nothing really special with diet, just moderation, quite a bit of water, I believe some Polyglycan powder of some kind might've also helped a bit, regular vitamins.

I can completely relate to you.

The best suggestion I have is everything in moderation (coffee, alcohol, hard noise volume limits of 55 dB). Do not mess with it (no steroids, SSRIs or GABA drugs).
SSRIs and GABA drugs seem to help me but I always end up paying for it. Steroids erased all the progress I made ONCE I TAPERED OFF (it was not worth the temporary improvement whatsoever).

Because of the steroids now I'm just fucked.

 

[matilda]

If it helps you at all, I had INTENSE distortions and issues with sounds after a bus ride, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, etc. I'm definitely not better, but that's due to other events.

Before I decided to take steroids yet again, those distortions DID subside over the course of 2 months, it was very gradual.

If you can sleep with earplugs in that seemed to help me out, along with LOW volume masking (yes it sounds awful because of the distortion/beeps/clinks I know but it seems to help long term). The clinks stopped, the beeps moved from one ear to the other then eventually stopped (madness), the wavering got quieter, longer and longer if I removed earplugs, the tinnitus would not be present (from momentarily to up to 30 seconds) I did nothing really special with diet, just moderation, quite a bit of water, I believe some Polyglycan powder of some kind might've also helped a bit, regular vitamins.

I can completely relate to you.

The best suggestion I have is everything in moderation (coffee, alcohol, hard noise volume limits of 55 dB). Do not mess with it (no steroids, SSRIs or GABA drugs).
SSRIs and GABA drugs seem to help me but I always end up paying for it. Steroids erased all the progress I made ONCE I TAPERED OFF (it was not worth the temporary improvement whatsoever).

Because of the steroids now I'm just fucked.

Hey! Thank you for the advice. I don't have distortions. It's a constant hiss and/or eeeee beep.

I will definitely not mess with any medication. Swedish doctors don't seem to hand out steroids in the first place anyways. I've been considering trying SSRI before tinnitus but I'll avoid it for now.

 

[matilda]

Hey,

My advice is to try to live as normal as possible. You are young and have the whole life in front of you. If I could go back in time, I would never go to a concert or a loud club. I would go to bars and restaurants with reasonable volume and use musician earplugs.

I'm also from Sweden and I didn't get the opportunity to use steroids. I don't think that's a standard procedure here. My ENT also told me that my hearing is almost perfect for my age but I would take that with a grain of salt. We all know that something is off and that we have sensitive ears.

I would recommend you to spend time in nature because nature sound helps to tune out the tinnitus. Also work out and try to stay as healthy as possible.

Follow your dreams but avoid dangerous sounds and always bring earplugs.

Thank you! I'm a bit sad that I never even got to step inside a club since I just turned 18 last year lol but yeah it's not worth the risk. Also worried about university life and how limited I'll be socially. I'll take a walk in the forest tomorrow, that's good advice.

 

[Loui]

Thank you! I'm a bit sad that I never even got to step inside a club since I just turned 18 last year lol but yeah it's not worth the risk. Also worried about university life and how limited I'll be socially. I'll take a walk in the forest tomorrow, that's good advice.

I understand your feelings. I have been partying quite a lot in my days, but if one has tinnitus I wouldn't risk it. I have been to open-air clubs with earplugs, maybe that's something you can try we your tinnitus is stable?

I try to live normally and avoid using earplugs in everyday situations. I think you should go to the university and get a degree. Hang out with friends, travel and don't limit yourself.

I got tinnitus when I was 29 and struggle with my life in silence (or maybe not the right word here). I have a lot of friends, travel frequently (before covid) and have a good job. It's manageable for me Remember that you only live once and that all people have struggles in life. You'll have your tinnitus and even if it disappear remember that your ears are prone to get re injured. Hopefully a cure will come one day but live your life at the fullest (with some limitations) meanwhile.

 

[buttercake]

Reading about people who had mild tinnitus that then worsened

This is undoubtedly true, tinnitus may (and sometimes does) worsen. But that's just one side of the medal. Tinnitus of any type can fade or at least lessen - there are countless accounts of spontaneous recovery. At the moment there is no whatsoever logical reason to believe that your tinnitus will not fade.

 

[Wrfortiscue]

If it helps you at all, I had INTENSE distortions and issues with sounds after a bus ride, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, etc. I'm definitely not better, but that's due to other events.

Before I decided to take steroids yet again, those distortions DID subside over the course of 2 months, it was very gradual.

If you can sleep with earplugs in that seemed to help me out, along with LOW volume masking (yes it sounds awful because of the distortion/beeps/clinks I know but it seems to help long term). The clinks stopped, the beeps moved from one ear to the other then eventually stopped (madness), the wavering got quieter, longer and longer if I removed earplugs, the tinnitus would not be present (from momentarily to up to 30 seconds) I did nothing really special with diet, just moderation, quite a bit of water, I believe some Polyglycan powder of some kind might've also helped a bit, regular vitamins.

I can completely relate to you.

The best suggestion I have is everything in moderation (coffee, alcohol, hard noise volume limits of 55 dB). Do not mess with it (no steroids, SSRIs or GABA drugs).
SSRIs and GABA drugs seem to help me but I always end up paying for it. Steroids erased all the progress I made ONCE I TAPERED OFF (it was not worth the temporary improvement whatsoever).

Because of the steroids now I'm just fucked.

What did the steroids do? How much did you take and how did you taper? I just started steroids and I'm worried lol.

 

[matilda]

My tinnitus is fluctuating a lot and new tones come and go, but it is still pretty mild at 3/10.

It's only been 6 weeks but I feel really defeated right now. I do not know how I will walk this tightrope for the rest of my life with an anxiety disorder.

 

[Tau]

I have anxiety and tinnitus. Please just try to calm down, drink soothing tea in the evening, maybe take valerian root.

I wasn't able to calm down and hurt my ears even more (did a frequency sweep test and upped the volume) so I now probably have hidden hearing loss. All music sounds distorted, even though and extended audiogram shows no hearing loss.

Before this I thought I could not live with my tinnitus. It turns out it was not that bad! And the initial tinnitus that I had is subsiding a bit, but the distortions that I caused are here to stay (probably).

It should subside for you, or you will habituate, or both.

 

[Benjaminbb]

I have anxiety and tinnitus. Please just try to calm down, drink soothing tea in the evening, maybe take valerian root.

I wasn't able to calm down and hurt my ears even more (did a frequency sweep test and upped the volume) so I now probably have hidden hearing loss. All music sounds distorted, even though and extended audiogram shows no hearing loss.

Before this I thought I could not live with my tinnitus. It turns out it was not that bad! And the initial tinnitus that I had is subsiding a bit, but the distortions that I caused are here to stay (probably).

It should subside for you, or you will habituate, or both.

Out of interest, why do you think one sweeping test could do such damage? Did you have it at 100 dB for an hour or something? That's quite unlikely.

 

[Benjaminbb]

My tinnitus is fluctuating a lot and new tones come and go, but it is still pretty mild at 3/10.

It's only been 6 weeks but I feel really defeated right now. I do not know how I will walk this tightrope for the rest of my life with an anxiety disorder.

I think hopefully you will stop worrying once you hit the 4-6 months mark at longest and realise life can be totally fine. I think I've had 1-3/10 level beeping for about 12 years now and honestly barely thought about it. It's only when I had another event that I started to get OCD again.

To give you an example:

I always protect my ears but have been around music for those 12 years. I played over 300-400 shows (with protection), spent 8 hours a day in studio everyday (volume at 60-65 dB) and arguably that ear hasn't changed.

So definitely be safe but know the sensitivity and pain will slowly go. Please allow your ears to desensitise a little in the coming months, i.e. don't wear earplugs often for normal day to day activities.

I think you've found your new baseline and slowly you won't care about it. So again, don't think it's a tightrope you'll walk forever. Please try to manage your anxiety.
My recent attack taught me a lot and made me stronger with anxiety in general.

Look forward to the positives.

 

[matilda]

I have anxiety and tinnitus. Please just try to calm down, drink soothing tea in the evening, maybe take valerian root.

I wasn't able to calm down and hurt my ears even more (did a frequency sweep test and upped the volume) so I now probably have hidden hearing loss. All music sounds distorted, even though and extended audiogram shows no hearing loss.

Before this I thought I could not live with my tinnitus. It turns out it was not that bad! And the initial tinnitus that I had is subsiding a bit, but the distortions that I caused are here to stay (probably).

It should subside for you, or you will habituate, or both.

Thank you! I hope so. And I hope your distortions improve. I have read several posts where people got rid of the distortions after a while.

 

[matilda]

Could Vitain B12 levels have an impact on tinnitus?

I had tingling/zaps in my feet and hands a while ago, and had blood levels checked.

My B12 was 131 and the deficiency limit was under 130, so my doctor said it was fine.

But after searching around it seems like other experts consider <200 low, and even 200-300 a gray area? I will book a phone call with my doctor again and ask.

I doubt there's a connection but it doesn't hurt to try.

 

[matilda]

I think hopefully you will stop worrying once you hit the 4-6 months mark at longest and realise life can be totally fine. I think I've had 1-3/10 level beeping for about 12 years now and honestly barely thought about it. It's only when I had another event that I started to get OCD again.

To give you an example:

I always protect my ears but have been around music for those 12 years. I played over 300-400 shows (with protection), spent 8 hours a day in studio everyday (volume at 60-65 dB) and arguably that ear hasn't changed.

So definitely be safe but know the sensitivity and pain will slowly go. Please allow your ears to desensitise a little in the coming months, i.e. don't wear earplugs often for normal day to day activities.

I think you've found your new baseline and slowly you won't care about it. So again, don't think it's a tightrope you'll walk forever. Please try to manage your anxiety.
My recent attack taught me a lot and made me stronger with anxiety in general.

Look forward to the positives.

Thank you so much for sharing. I really hope I will have the same experience! I'm not a musician like you but I hope to be able to go out to bars and such with my friends, with earplugs.

 

[Tau]

Out of interest, why do you think one sweeping test could do such damage? Did you have it at 100 dB for an hour or something? That's quite unlikely.

My headphone+amp combo does a max of 111 dB, I may have done that for a few seconds, that's it.

Sad to think that I caused this because I was being stupid. I did NOT hear the tone at all.

EDIT: I stopped the frequency sweep at 16ish kHz when I could not hear it and upped the volume.