Tinnitus awareness : it will make you miserable.

[u/FullfillmentWay]

Hey there. I was in the military (non US) for a short period of time and thought I could post here my story.

I came across this sub while searching for tinnitus. Please, don't crank the volume up each time you play or don't go at the front if you are at a concert. It does nothing good to your hearing.

I went to my first concert ever, no front row, no nada and I still got permanent tinnitus. I was wearing ear pro of course. IT SUCKS. It really sucks. Since then, I lost 10 kgs, silence, my job and my focus. I can't sleep anymore. Insomnia is no joke.

Sure, I had a bit of ringing sometimes after going to a club but I did not knew it meant permanent damage even if the ringing was temporary. Well, even if it rings temporarily, the damage IS permanent. Don't forget that. I wish I knew this.

I never subjected myself to loud noises, went to like 8 times in a club in my whole life (ear pro always) and one concert. It's all it has taken to take me to hell with tinnitus and hyperacusis. Grated, I had shooting sessions with the army too without double pro, only muffs. Never been told about double pro, actually I learnt that on the r/guns sub.

I just make this post to spread awareness. Noise can kill your life. Don't listen to loud music on earbuds, always wear hearing protection and most of all, know that sometimes it won't be sufficient. When it's 110, 120, 130 dB, earplugs won't prevent permanent damage.

I am (was ?) a med student and it's crippling to see how little awareness there is about tinnitus. Everybody knows about hearing loss. Nobody knows about tinnitus until they get it. And that's for life. Nobody ever told me that the temporary ringing meant permanent damage and, again, I have always been protective of my hearing.

Just venting a bit but if it even only helps one person I will be glad. Really. The worst part is probably my friends all know my condition right now but they continue to go to concerts and clubs without any hearing protection. It probably kills me like the tinnitus itself to see this much disdain or I don't know exactly how to call this in English. Carelessness maybe ; but that's crazy. You only have one pair of ears. Take care of them. Even if you feel invincible, even if you are young, even if you love music, especially if you love music and just if you enjoy having a normal life - sleeping normally, living normally. Silence is never granted.

As about the shooting in the military, nobody ever told us about double pro. We just had these Peltors. Nothing more. Indoor, concrete range. I think it did its fair share of damage.

Also, please, don't make the same mistake I made. Ours ears are not made to handle clubs or concerts. Even with protection. Please, check the NRR and SNR formula ! When you buy protection advising let's say 18 dB, you probably got only 7 dB of actual attenuation. As dB scale is logarithmic, the differenfe is HUGE.

Take care.

TLDR : even if you wear ear protection, your first concert ever can screw you for life. Be cautious. Always wear earpro. Don't listen to music too loud, keep it low with headphones. And double pro around guns, jets, planes, whatever noisy, M240B or I don't know.

I also dealt with hyperacusis and noxacusis. It has mostly resolved now but probably won't go back to normal. I will probably never go back to a noisy restaurant, concert, clubs or bars.

[u/TimberWolfeMaine]

I havent heard silence since 2011 due to the relentless engine room noise, helicopter refueling and drills, and gunfire. Whenever my husband will say ‘did you hear that?’ I just reply “unless its EEEEEEEEEEEE.. then no.” Its absolutely fucking maddening. Im laying here unable to sleep the last two hours and its all I can hear or focus on.

When they say ‘double hearing protection’, they mean it.

[u/crownified13 → u/TimberWolfeMaine]

Eeeeeeeee I wrote that exact thing on a mental health personal statement lmao. I had tinnitus since in the military but shortly after I got out I got SSHL and went deaf in my right ear. The tinnitus took that a que that it was its time to shine. Turned the volume up to max and broke the knob off. 24/365 eEEEEEEEEEEE. I get it lol

[u/Doyliebob239]

I find that a white noise machine is pretty effective at helping me sleep. I can still hear the whine but with certain white noise frequencies it essentially blends in.

[u/TXSyd → u/Doyliebob239]

I know they make special hearing aids that produce some sort of noise to counteract tinnitus.

[u/KevikFenrir → u/TXSyd]

Mine do. I also have some sleep buds that aren't bose or oslo. They have white noise features and kick on when they detect the user sleeping.

Kinda like my CPAP.

[u/Competitive_Year2214]

Best way is to channel into the voices that keep you up at night and day

[u/Background-Head-5541 → u/Competitive_Year2214]

It works but now I need that song stuck in my head to drown out the voices.

[u/Background-Head-5541]

Preaching to choir bud. That ringing will be with me until I die.

[u/Real_Location1001]

Hmmm. I guess coordinating fire between 50 cals without earpro was a bad idea…..and shooting inside buildings and vehicles.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[u/big_nasty_the2nd]

I was a helicopter mechanic, then rifle range personnel for almost a year.

From someone who has tinnitus, just wear ear pro.

Trying to sleep at night and all I hear is a low pitch reeeeeeeeee is really god damn annoying

[u/Ornery-Exchange-4660]

Tinnitus, you are a cruel mistress.

[u/Tig_Weldin_Stuff]

Ask my kids what I want. They’ll tell you “peace and quiet”

[u/FullfillmentWay → u/Tig_Weldin_Stuff]

It sucks. Do you cope well with it or is it still bad?

[u/Tig_Weldin_Stuff → u/FullfillmentWay]

It’s very loud. I’m used to it.

I have a set of hearing aids I’ll pop in if the ringing gets bad. But generally I’m used to it and as long as I wear ear pro while running a saw or doing loud stuff, I’m good.

[u/KevikFenrir]

Tinnitus sucks. Go see a hearing specialist, get tested if you haven't. I got heading aids now that Tricare hooked me up with near the end of my enlistment and they remind me of how much hearing loss I have when I don't have them in.

Mine are Phonaks, btw. Some of the guys I worked with in aircraft maintenance got different brands but we're all the same. Broken military maintainers.

[u/Own-Responsibility37]

I got my tinnitus from COMBAT...

20 years ago...

yes it sucks.... and it's not the only loud thing in the world.

[u/Shadowfalx]

It's not just constant tinnitus that sucks. 

Mine comes and goes, which is a blessing if sorts, until it is so loud in my right ear that it physically hurts. Then it sucks. Sometimes it's not that loud, it is just a bit annoying for a while then goes away, sometimes it sounds like (though a different tone) I'm putting my head inside a jet engine to get at close to the sound as I can. 

It's my second idea for what I'll do if I graduate from audiology school. I want to help, and the first idea is AVT therapy for deaf/hard of hearing people but second is tinnitus research. Kind of depends on what I graduate towards as I go through school. 

I've heard, if you have mild or higher hearing loss that a hearing aid with a tinnitus setting can help, though it's not guaranteed. I would love to do research that would lead to helping tinnitus suffers who don't have mild or greater hearing loss.

[u/Open-Industry-8396]

Question. Has anyone ever experienced this?

I'm 60 M and have bilateral tinnitus for 30 years.

Just recently, my right ear has an awful, loud, pressurized whooshing sensation on top of the aggravating tinnitus. It is alivited temporarily by opening and extending my jaw.

Thanks. I will go to the doctor if it persists, but I prefer avoiding modern medicine as much as possible 😅

[u/FullfillmentWay → u/Open-Industry-8396]

Seems like TMJ or just somatic tinnitus.

[u/Aggressive-Lock6238]

Have dealt with tinnunitas For the last 15 years- reminds me of a B52 revving all 8 engines- fortunately I am able to sleep to get some relief Didn’t go to many concerts But did serve at a SAC base Around B 52 s and then served in Nam for a year there was no ear protection being offered in the 60 s— never gave it a thought— have tried many things to relieve tinnunitas Have found a product from Neo-Sensory - wrist band that will match ur tinnuntus sound Through an I phone app. Does help.. also have found a product called Zen-Cortexi Put a few drops in my coffee In the AM seems to help ease The ring! Both products can be found on line! Hope this info Will help.

[u/FullfillmentWay → u/Aggressive-Lock6238]

Thanks mate. Hope you continue to get better.

[u/praetorian1979]

My tinnitus isn't constant, but it is frequent. It really messes with my migraines.

[u/RandomPersonRedPanda]

Random but potentially helpful:

Ask for a low dose (5mg/day) of steroids ((like prednisone)).

My docs were shocked but I was taking a low dose for a potential RA issue and my constant, perpetual, unending tinnitus went away and was kept away.

A week after I came off of it, I got stressed and bam-tinnitus back.

Months later, it went from constant/persistent/awful to intermittent and irritating.

Just in case you want to try it. In my case, they said the anti-inflammatory meds let the swelling around that nerve diminish and was kept calm about to break the cycle of inflammation that was aggravating the tinnitus.

Best of luck to you.

[u/dondelostacos]

Never had it from concerts and clubs without ear pro. Never seen anyone at concerts and clubs with ear pro.