Tinnitus advice please

[Jimmybass1978]

Hi all,

First ever post on here so be gentle!

I've been suffering from the dreaded Tinnitus for around 4/5 years. its been getting worse due to playing more as I have a couple of band auditions coming up.

I use a Laney 50w practise amp at home and it usually goes no higher than 3 (as I usually practise at night and don't want to wake the kids) and use an iPod and some small pc speakers to figure out new songs. So its not exactly any more than moderate volume.

I had a day off and it settled down, only to start back up again within 5 minutes of playing yesterday. I can listen to music on my hi-fi or in the car at fairly high volume and not have any problem. I use musicians earplugs when I go to see bands live and they work perfectly and don't increase my Tin.

I'm wondering if its not necessarily the volume of the bass but the tone or frequency of the bass that causes the problem?

I'm faced with the very real possibility of having to stop playing bass altogether and hoping to transition to acoustic guitar which may be more ear friendly.

Any input would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

[Guest bassman7755]

Are you wearing the plugs when you rehearse ?.

[taunton-hobbit]

I'm guessing that your ears are reacting badly to the percussive nature of the signals from your playing - think that making sure you wear earplugs when playing might act as a damping factor?

[paul_5]

I've got mild tinitus and always wear plugs whether I'm watching, playing in or rehearsing with bands. Your ears don't discriminate what kind of noise they get damaged by; a loud rehearsal is just as bad as a loud gig.

As for specific frequencies I couldn't really say, but realistically if you're struggling to hold a conversation over the level of volume in the room then you should consider hearing protection.

[Jimmybass1978]

I don't wear plugs at home as the volume level isn't really very high. I can have music playing much louder and be hoovering at the same time and my ears are fine. It almost seems like its the tone or frequency that effects my ears more than the volume. I suppose I was wondering if other people had experienced anything similar really

[Ghost_Bass]

Have you tried using a compressor on your bass at home? With some extreme settings to get rid of attack and smooth the peaks as much as possible it could work. Don't expect a great tone though.

[SpondonBassed]

Fellow sufferer. I use those squidgy yellow ear plugs. I have found that tinnitus manifests differently from person to person so I can't comment on what specifically triggers your internal "orchestra".

The thing that helps me most is being in control of trigger noises around me. I avoid crowds and events where I can't cherry pick the best listening spot. I even boycott shops that have overhead muzak. The Natwest have started playing tunes over the heads of their customers in the mistaken believe that it makes conversations somehow more private! I am baffled by that because now everyone has to shout their instructions to the teller. Needless to say, I no longer use them.

Don't give up yet mate. There are many fine musicians with this exact problem. Some are technically deaf in fact but they can still knock out a good tune. Good luck.

[zbd1960]

People can be triggered differently - itis improtant to take notice as it can get worse. Some people are tirggeredby volume, for some people it's to down to the frequency, fo rtohers it is to do with 'attack', e.g. high frequency transients.

If you can't isolate the trigger, your best optin is probaly ear plugs reagrdless...

TBH your best bet is to seek a consultation with an audiologist and get checked out.

I've recently bought some musicians ear plugs due to sitting in front of drum kit and trombones. I measured 95 dBA at my music stand a couple of weeks ago. Bear in mind that bar staff are not meant to be exposed to more than 85 dB.

If you want to check how 'loud' you are get an app for your phone and measure it.

[chris_b]

If you have tinnitus your hearing has been damaged. That doesn't mean you have to stop playing. It just means you have to take extra and proper precautions when you are around loud noises.

Always use good ear plugs when you're playing in a band. Don't have the volume on headphones up high and turn your car radio down. I have no idea what "musicians" ear plugs are, but they don't sound like they are working well enough or the ringing wouldn't be getting worse.

I've had tinnitus for 30 years and for the last 20 I've made sure that it doesn't get any worse by first using foam plugs and then ACS custom plugs.

IMO moulded plugs are the best. They are expensive and well worth the money.

[charic]

Try listening on your rig at home without playing for a similar amount of time, does the tinnitus still start up? From people I know, most tinnitus tends to be triggered from the higher freqs, it could be that your home speakers are a bit tinny sounding and that's causing it?

[phil.c60]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1462968007' post='3047350']
If you have tinnitus your hearing has been damaged. That doesn't mean you have to stop playing. It just means you have to take extra and proper precautions when you are around loud noises.

Always use good ear plugs when you're playing in a band. Don't have the volume on headphones up high and turn your car radio down. I have no idea what "musicians" ear plugs are, but they don't sound like they are working well enough or the ringing wouldn't be getting worse.

I've had tinnitus for 30 years and for the last 20 I've made sure that it doesn't get any worse by first using foam plugs and then ACS custom plugs.

IMO moulded plugs are the best. They are expensive and well worth the money.
[/quote]

ACS or similar are the way to go - we've discussed this before! And as far as expensive..... around £150 including a consultation with the audiologist and the moulds taken at the same time is not what I would call expensive: just compare it to the money you have already [s]wasted[/s] invested in stuff you never use any more!

[naxos10]

It may seem strange but have you considered using headphones to practice through, finding a level that does not trigger the tinnitus?

I have permanent tinnitus and find that listening to music can help relieve the symptom. Also having this symptom continually means that the brain does sometimes filter out the whistling - a skill not possible manually.

[Musicman20]

I have been extremely lucky not to do any proper damage to my ears and I am thankful for it.

About 10 years back I decided I had to wear some ear protection, no matter how crap or cheap, at every live gig and rehearsal. Even bands I go to see when I'm not near the front.

I've been in a band with a guy who clearly had caused some damage to his ears judging by his guitar tone and volume. A 4x12 Orange and a JCM2000 can create serious serious volume, and he had it loud in rehearsals, to the point that at one time, I almost fell over as the volume was so much that I lost my balance and thought I was going to faint. I had ear protection in so I assume it was low frequencies from the cab which was shaking the room.

Recent tests have said my hearing is basically perfect, so I am extremely lucky. I hope it stays that way. Just protect protect protect at all times, even if you may have already damaged your hearing.

I hope you get to the bottom of it.

[Jimmybass1978]

I'm going to have to leave off playing for a few days to see if it subsides. Its flared up in the past and settled back down again. maybe I should just wear plugs all the time.

[project_c]

Cutting down on caffeine, getting more sleep and relaxation are all really good for easing tinnitus symptoms.

[JimBobTTD]

[quote name='Jimmybass1978' timestamp='1462957600' post='3047187']
I can listen to music on my hi-fi or in the car at fairly high volume and not have any problem.
[/quote]

I think that stopping this will help you. Try to stop being around anything that can be classified as "high volume".

I have ringing in my ears that sometimes manifests itself as a high pitched squeal with a roar - imagine the sound of waves crashing, but isolate the crashing sound - and sometimes just as high pitched squeal. The roar would sometimes wake me up at night and, obviously, leave me unable to go back to sleep. I think that it was caused by loud music (with a finger pointed at my Sony Walkman), playing with bands at tremendous volume without any hearing protection (I was not aware of its existence before I was 18 or so, and it was too late by then. Besides, "real men don't wear [etc]"], practicing at home at loud volumes etc.

However, I think that the general noise of life was a major factor. Life seems to be noisy, with little to no respite. Even lifts have a voice telling you that the doors are about to open or close (why? why is this suddenly necessary? But that is another thread...). I think the world is just loud these days. Sigh...

[EBS_freak]

Go see ACS and ask to demo their Live system. Buy the top end inear monitors they sell (as you'll need the bass response) and the Live system and you'll have the best ear plugs you can hope for. In a nut shell, they are headphones that have mics built into them. You can then dial in the amount of signal that comes from the mics into your ears. You don't have the loss of frequencies that you get with traditional earplugs.

If you ever go to using an inears system, you can also blend the mix from say the desk and the mics.

It will be expensive but it will keep you playing and enjoying music again. Seriously, well worth the trip - and Andy the MD there is a big believer in keeping your ears safe.

[Skol303]

I also have tinnitus, albeit fairly ‘mild’. Most of the time I don’t notice it - until I read a thread like this one! - but if I’m in a quiet room it’s a steady “eeeeeeeeeeee” at around 14kHz. I can hear it now. Dammit!

There are apparently a number of possible causes. Ear damage resulting from prolonged high db exposure is the most common: it apparently kills of the little hairs in the ears that transmit signals to the brain, and so the brain sort of ‘turns up the gain control’ to compensate, which causes the ringing.

Simple solution: wear ear plugs when around loud music and be careful when using headphones for listening (we always tend to turn them up too high).

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1462973972' post='3047440']
Cutting down on caffeine, getting more sleep and relaxation are all really good for easing tinnitus symptoms.
[/quote]

This is also good advice.

[Paul S]

I've had it for years and find keeping busy the best antidote. I had it described to me by the audiologist as 'brain boredom' and if you are in a quiet environment with nothing much going on your brain starts to make the noise for you.

[ezbass]

Thinking about it or reading about it definitely makes it more noticeable. Oh, there it goes - wheeeeeeeee.

[Moos3h]

I have no advice other than to say 'good luck' and hope you find something that helps. As an occasional sufferer I know it's a real hassle

[Jimmybass1978]

Thanks all for your info and advice. Popped the compressor on the amp, turned the volume down on the amp and the tone down to stop the high peaks and it doesn't seem to have made it worse. Push comes to shove if I have to just play with myself as opposed to being in a band to protect the ears then its not the end of the world

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='Jimmybass1978' timestamp='1463092631' post='3048628']
if I have to just play with myself
[/quote]

[Blink]

I'm not an expert but I thought that Tinnitus and hearing loss are different things. Tinnitus a whistling are humming noise which can be heard when there is no other noise to block it out. I thought that tinnitus is caused by exposure to high frequencies and bass players that suffer from it generally blame standing next to the drummers cymbals which generate an enormous amount of high frequency sound energy. Prelonged use of headphones, particular in-ears, also generate a lot of high frequency sound because they are rubbish at producing bass and people tend to use them in noisy environments to have the volume way too loud (yes I am a train commuter). Nearly everyone suffers from tinnitus as they get older and the trick is to learn to ignore it.

Not being able to hear conversations above back ground noise is a different problem and to some extent increases with old age (hearing dialog on the tv over the soundtrack). Also in age related deafness you generally loose the top end of your hearing.

Always use good quality earplugs when playing and if you are worried get your ears tested. I got mine tested at Specsavers (yes really) who also supplied the moulded earplugs.

Don't give up playing!!!!

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='Blink' timestamp='1463143389' post='3048974']
I'm not an expert but I thought that Tinnitus and hearing loss are different things.
[/quote]

That is correct. My last hearing assessment showed a healthy hearing response across the frequency range well above the average. I have always thought of Tinnitus as hearing too much rather than being deaf. It is why I never mention it in conversation because folk then tend to speak at you VERY loudly. I have inherited it from my mother's side of the family and I believe that many years of motorcycling at motorway speeds for hours at a time has conditioned my brain into wanting to listen for sounds above the background noise. Trouble is, without wind noise my brain seems to want to introduce fictitious sounds...

Everything I have looked at says that my sort of Tinnitus is incurable. Other types can sometimes be treated by severing the main nerve associated with the ear. I feel more sorry for those sufferers than I do for myself however. I don't always have it and sometimes I can take control of a situation to avoid a full blown "attack" when I see it coming, so to speak.

I always used the hearing protection provided because of the regular noise from jet engines where I worked. I have no hearing loss other than being unable to hear bats as I could in my youth but I believe that is normal. One of the very high frequency noises that I am still aware of is from televisions. I believe it is made by capacitors but I have never measured it to determine its value in Hz. Can anyone elaborate please?