Young Music Producer with Tinnitus

[MrMusicMaker]

Hey I'm an 18 year old and have been dealing with tinnitus since April, it's been getting better and worse with no real pattern. It started out with a pulsating tinnitus on my right ear, and then a super high pitch but also faint tone in my left, and now I get hissing in both and different tones but only noticeable when I'm in a quiet room, or at night, or wearing headphones :C

Went to the ENT and the hearing tests have come out as perfect (no hearing loss), but from reading pasts posts on this forum I believe it to be higher frequency loss...
I've done the full frequency test (20hz - 20,000hz) on my laptop many times, and it's weird, because sometimes I can only hear up to 15,000hz, and other times I can hear 20,000hz if I turn it up. (Does anyone know this?) I haven't done this since taking claritin D for clearing my sinus, which was thought to be the cause but even after weeks of that, the ringing has only gotten worse.

It's been a while having it now and I can cope with it better, but my enjoyment with music has been decreased so much...
I now wear foam earplugs in loud places and don't listen to music as much or listen to it at low volumes less than 50%

A Few Questions:
- Is it normal for the ears to pop sometimes when swallowing? It used to be pretty bad like popping every time I swallowed but now it's just sometimes, I heard that a single hair cell dies every time it pops so I'm scared about that...
- Will my tinnitus get worse over time? If I can really only hear up to 15,000hz won't my hearing range get worse as I get older? That would suck big time...should I try the test on my laptop again, or find an actual ENT that will do the full range?
- It's fine to listen to music/anything with headphones at super low volumes with no time limit right?

 

[John Meyers]

Hey I'm an 18 year old and have been dealing with tinnitus since April, it's been getting better and worse with no real pattern. It started out with a pulsating tinnitus on my right ear, and then a super high pitch but also faint tone in my left, and now I get hissing in both and different tones but only noticeable when I'm in a quiet room, or at night, or wearing headphones :C

Went to the ENT and the hearing tests have come out as perfect (no hearing loss), but from reading pasts posts on this forum I believe it to be higher frequency loss...
I've done the full frequency test (20hz - 20,000hz) on my laptop many times, and it's weird, because sometimes I can only hear up to 15,000hz, and other times I can hear 20,000hz if I turn it up. (Does anyone know this?) I haven't done this since taking claritin D for clearing my sinus, which was thought to be the cause but even after weeks of that, the ringing has only gotten worse.

It's been a while having it now and I can cope with it better, but my enjoyment with music has been decreased so much...
I now wear foam earplugs in loud places and don't listen to music as much or listen to it at low volumes less than 50%

A Few Questions:
- Is it normal for the ears to pop sometimes when swallowing? It used to be pretty bad like popping every time I swallowed but now it's just sometimes, I heard that a single hair cell dies every time it pops so I'm scared about that...
- Will my tinnitus get worse over time? If I can really only hear up to 15,000hz won't my hearing range get worse as I get older? That would suck big time...should I try the test on my laptop again, or find an actual ENT that will do the full range?
- It's fine to listen to music/anything with headphones at super low volumes with no time limit right?

If it is intermittent, there is hope that your T will subside within 6 months.

Head phones are usually ok at low volumes but I wouldn't take the chance right now since you may accidentally turn it up loud and erase all your progress. -- Why take that chance?

Just my 2 cents.. Hang in there!

 

[Maia]

I'm 19 and I've had mine since late April and mine is fluctuating as well but from what I've experienced so far listening to music at low volumes is fine, I do it and I've noticed no change. if you have to go in loud situations make sure to use foam earplugs to protect your ears like you're doing, but don't over protect bc there's no need at this point.

Also, if it makes you feel better just know that there are musicians out there who have tinnitus and still perform! The singer for Coldplay has had it since he was our age, the singer Grimes got hers in her early 20's and the singer FKA Twigs got hers as a teenager as well and all artists still perform with correct protection. I've also heard that a member of One Direction got it in 2012 (although it's unsure if it's stayed or not) from the screaming of fans, yet they toured nonstop for 4 years.

 

[Vincent777]

Sorry to hear this man, I do music for a hobby and it's frustrating with T, let alone to be a full time job. But hang in there and get a lot of antioxidants, try TRT and avoid silence for the time being.

 

[MrMusicMaker]

Thank you everyone for you're support! I will try my best.

Sorry to hear this man, I do music for a hobby and it's frustrating with T, let alone to be a full time job. But hang in there and get a lot of antioxidants, try TRT and avoid silence for the time being.

Hmm yeah, should I really get those though? My pulsing tinnitus has started happening in both ears, and I'm hoping that it's just blood vessel damage that causes these weird hisses in my ears...Best of luck to you too, keep up the music man it helps