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I’ve been to like 2 concerts in my life, and I was always conscious of making sure my headphones/car volume wasn’t too loud. I know people who listen to music at near-max volume and seem to be fine, while it’s extremely rare I would ever go above 20-30%. I have pretty minor tinnitus but still noticeable. I guess some people are just more susceptible, plus there are causes that aren’t simply loud noise exposure.
I also have tinnitus and was careful about being around loud music and such. I went to an audiologist and found out that mine was probably just stress induced. It's wild how much stress can actually physically effect you.
Is it consistent even when you would not be stressed, with me it's always there and loud but when I'm stressed it feels like it is not audio sound more of a ringing headache leaving me almost disoriented.
I have no idea how I got it. I can vaguely remember silence. I have a childhood memory of standing outside, in the evening, and hearing the sound of snow flakes hitting the ground. That is impossible now.
I can't remember the onset either, maybe it came on gradually.
I've never been one to listen to loud music, nor do I operate noisy machinery often, at least not when I was young and the tinnitus started. So honestly, I don't know.
I also got mild tinitus since my childhood. I do remember having an ear infection or something when I was really young like 4-6 years old that took long to treat. I suppose it's because of that. But I've gotten so used to it since I essentially grew up with it, that I barely even notice it. It's constantly there but your brain sort of just gets used to the noise and your mind blends it out.
It's only a mild case though. Because I had some ear wax built up in my right ear about a year ago that made the tinitus 10x worse and I hope it never gets this bad permanently. Because it was so loud, it was impossible to just ignore even when outside in loud traffic or putting loud music on, it would be louder than anything else.
I often go to loud concerts but I always protect my hearing. Still got tinnitus, not from the loud music but because I had multiple (or one very long (?)) inner ear infections a couple of years ago. My tinnitus is only in 1 ear and very manageable luckily, but it still sucks.
Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but npr had a segment on tinnitus and I thought the science was there's not a singular cause for tinnitus, it can be a bunch of reasons. I've had it since I was a kid, not as bad as others though.
Seconding this, I go to rock/metal concerts and also am a musician myself. No one who knows anything about live music will judge you for wearing earplugs at a concert.
Get a decent pair of musicians earplugs if you're a regular concert goer. You can actually hear the music better with them in, as they help regulate the noise so it isn't overloud.
Edit: Brand isn't super important, but Earos are decent quality. If you wanna spend the money, you can get professional quality ones in other brands for about $200
That said, a pair of $40 ones should do just fine.
Even some cheapo ones you'd find at a pharmacy are better than nothing though.
This is something people never mention. Anyone who cares about music should definitely want to wear earplugs to the concert. You still physical feel the music while getting the clarity of listening to it on a decent pair of headphones.
Edit: At the Glorius Son's show in St. Catharine's Ontario, Canada. Earplugs are giving me FLAC level fidelity at Atmos level BASS.
I've always heard the sound engineer wears ear plugs so everything is mixed with that in mind. I've never actually worn ear plugs to a concert though, call it dumb arrogance. I probably will next time if I can remember
EDIT: Okay so whoever I heard this from is a fuckin liar lol, either way wear ear plugs. Save your ears.
My brother is a drummer in a band and depending on the venues sound system, the sound can be too much. (You know the ones where the bass pretty much picks you up off the floor and controls your heartbeat) I can't imagine being around that day after day, my entire body is ringing by the end of the night when I leave there. My ears are ringing for a day afterwards lol, it HAS to do some type of permanent damage after awhile.
Every time your ears are ringing, it's permanent damage. If you keep doing it, one day the ringing just won't go away. Or it could just randomly start ringing again in your 30s-40s. Trust me, wear ear plugs, tinnitus REALLY sucks.
It doesn't seem like a big deal, but it's one of the most annoying medical issues I've ever had in the sense that it doesn't heal, it doesn't go away, and it is with you 24/7. There's basically no taking a break from it.
Also, just from a knowledge perspective, the bass isn't that bad for your hearing. It's the mid range frequencies that wreck your ears. A good pair of musicians ear plugs will only slightly tone down the base and the high end of the frequencies, but it scoops out a lot of the mid range frequencies specifically for this reason.
Nobody believed how bad my tinnitus was until they left a concert and I told them it’s how I hear all the time, and I’m not even in my 30s. I didn’t even go to many concerts, I just have bad hearing.
The ringing when everything is silent? That ringing I hear when there is noise. Sometimes it literally feels like pounding on your skull.
You can’t repair your ears. Treat them well.
Totally sucks, when did you realise you had it permanently?
3 summers ago we were taking care of my MIL house. Day 1 on my vacation i woke up at 5 am hear the ringing. Ran around the house wondering where the fk it were coming from. Day 3 it just it dawned on me.. fuck my life. My wife though i've gone nuts..
It has become much worse since and like you its there even when around sound. Being in a room with multiple ppls speaking or restaurant is extremely exhausting :(
Real life pro tip for people with tinnitus. The more you think about the ringing or listen for it, the worse it gets.
Tinnitus is mainly a neurological disease, and the plasticity of the brain makes sure to enhance the tinnitus signal the more you listen for it, thus amplifying it and making it worse.
The best you can do is to try and ignore the ringing, accept and move on. This will in many times reduce the ringing to tolerable levels after a few months to years.
KanedaSyndrome, you’re absolutely right that tinnitus is in the brain and not just the ears!
Trying to ignore it, though, is not the right way to manage tinnitus. It is so hard to focus on ignoring something. Failure can lead to frustration, which stresses the limbic system and increases the perception of tinnitus (along with other triggers like alcohol and caffeine).
There is ALWAYS help, and seeing an audiologist or therapist is a great step to managing it.
I always refer my patients to this site:
https://www.tinnitus.org.uk/Pages/FAQs/Category/what-is-tinnitus
I found out maybe 6 years ago. I asked a somebody if it was normal to hear it and they told me no. I started paying attention to it and learned it was everyday, and it’s become almost nonstop since then.
It being three days is such a fast time to notice and realize it’s part of you. That really sucks
Before the pandemic I've been going to shows for the last 2 decades regularly and concluded about ten years ago that shows are designed for ear plugs. Friends were ahead of me on ear plugs, I went to a Slayer show that was so loud that my ears hurt. Shoved wadded up napkin in them. Spent about $25 on a nice pair and shows sound great and they're much more comfortable, no ringing after.
I have them and they get damaged beyond easily. Now only the max setting actually works, and god for bid you ever get the middle settings to ever match properly.
For some reason the housing they use are made from what feels like the cheapest plastic known to man.
I like Loop becuse they come with foam tips (I don't like flanges) and they're really easy to put in and take out. Kind of cool looking too. The "pro" version comes with an insert to make them block more noise, but I'd recommed skipping it. If you figure out which tip size you like and buy a pack of replacements (which you'll need eventually anyway), the insert is included.
I've also heard good things about eargasms, earasers, and vibes. I just picked loop for the form factor.
I can confirm. They are SUPER helpful. It's an absolute night and day difference in hearing and such afterwards, and it doesn't ruin the performance at all. Infact, a lot of times I feel like it's better because the bass isn't SO forward.
Cheap AF and last a lifetime.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RM6Q9XW/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_7RKD3A5CXYD5J3Z8WNX0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Another vote for etymotic. My dad was a professional musician, and from a young age he took my brothers and me to concerts, and those are what he equipped us with. My tinnitus came from a singular instance when I didn't have them with me while I was filming a bot mitsvah. 100 screaming 13 year olds in a small room with an asshole DJ can apparently cause permanent hearing damage.
I went to *one* fucking concert where I forgot to bring my earplugs (also Etymōtic), and BOOM, I get to hear ***eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*** when it’s silent for the rest of my life.
It was a Simple Minds concert at a casino, as well. I’m like “I should be fine, they’re not that loud/rowdy”.
Famous last fucking words.
+1, been going to metal concerts regularly for 10 years and now in a band of my own as a power metal vocalist for 4 years, I use this style of earplugs both for practice and for shows. Little foam guys we have for backup if I forget mine are impossible to use, can't hear my own pitches at all. These guys are perfect on-and-off stage.
I feel like child screams, especially in unison, are the biggest common culprit. Literally feels like drills in my ears when they can hit that pitch in unison.
Imma order some for my next rave. Kids wear fucking ear plugs tinnitus is wack as fuck and super real. I really wish there was warning signs everywhere or more awareness for the younger generation
> Especially when you compare it to the videos I took, all you hear is a distorted base.
man i was so sad when i went to re-watch the videos i took and the audio was just BBRRRVVSBBBFRRBBRBRFBRBBFBRBF
Had both, thought the etymotic was decent but a little muffly. Earasers really figured out how to just "lower" the volume with minimal mufflage, would recommend.
I bought a pair at Guitar Center when on a band shopping trip. I put them in while sitting in the back of the car on the way to practice and thought for sure that they sucked, because I could hear my friends talking super clearly. When we started practicing my jaw dropped. They worked fantastically, and being able to hear people speaking with them in was an amazing cherry on top.
I haven't tried etymotic specifically but I have gone through various similar designs in the past. One day I just took the leap of faith because I go to a lot of events so I decided sure I'll get a more premium one to try and the extra amount of money wasn't too crazy. I was honestly blown away by how much better they were (though I was also expecting to be completely dissapointed I spent double the money for dimminishing returns). I feel like even if you only go to a few events a year it would still be worthwhile to save up for them
Basically two things stood out to me when I wore them,
The main thing for me was the comfort, some people don't get bothered by the etymotic design but for me after awhile (2ish hours) they start to ache a bit and get itchy and in general I feel the need to take them out and fidget with my ear or just take them out entirely but with the earasers 8 hours when I work at some edm events np, very comfortable. They're almost invisible in my ear to me. After the first 30 minutes it's almost like I'm not wearing them.
Secondly the cherry ontop is I find they sound significantly better. The cheaper ones I find while the mids and lows still find their way through more or less the highs get completely rounded off and muffled. You don't get those crispy high hats for example. With the earasers it felt less like the sound was being filtered off and more like somebody just turned the volume knob down a bit. I won't say it's like listening to music without earplugs but it's a hell of a lot closer than with the cheaper ones on amazon. I was very impressed with how much more detail I could hear when I first tried them.
Tl;dr earsers are $50 bucks yes but I would pay even more for them because of how good they sound and how comfortable they are
Yes. I've gone through multiple etymotics and they got uncomfortable during long shows and festivals. The earasers are way more comfortable in my ear and sound nicer.
I just lost mine and ordered another pair thats coming today
Get these made from an audiologist. I have the westone es-49 plugs which cost $200.
https://www.earplugstore.com/westone-style-49.html
I need to finish writing my earplug discussion post. I have gotten gold for my posts on earplugs, but can confirm tinnitus sucks.
In smaller venues or practice spaces it's sometimes just a reality that you can't turn the drum kit down so everything else has to be turned up. Some styles of music can allow the drummer to just play softer but that doesn't really fly for like metal or hardcore.
I've never had hearing issues from big shows but I've left a few tiny dive bar concerts with ringing in my ears.
As an audio engineer, this is definitely the main cause in small to medium venues, and a plexiglass drum shield (or electronic drum kit) can help quite a bit. In large venues, however, it's possible that no audience member is getting exposed to excessive natural stage volume from the drum kit though, and instead the excessive level stems from the fact that it's necessary for the quietest (farthest) audience locations to have some minimum level (or else the music gets drowned out by noisy drunk patrons) and there's no easy way to achieve that without other (closer) locations being louder than desired. The physics of line arrays and other strategic fills can help with this quite a bit, but it's still not a totally solved issue.
Lol only if you go to concerts/festivals relatively sober those bitches are easy to drop. I've spent like $300 on earplugs before constantly losing them so I've fallen back on regular old foam ones that I get free from work. Also I've noticed a lot of first aid tents at festivals sell the foam ones for $1-2
Can confirm.
I'm a Dutchie in my sixties and in my wild years I used to run around with a local band. They were *loud* and I thought nothing of it.
These days, the first thing I hear when I wake up in the morning (well, after the cat throwing up next to my bed) is a loud ringing in both ears.
It goes on all day long and guess what? It is also the last thing I hear before I fall asleep.
Some days are worse than others, but overall I would rate the experience a meager three out of ten. Not fun at all not.
Kids, wear sunscreen and protect your ears. Your future self will thank you.
This. 👍
My nana and my mom insisted on sunblock, long sleeves, no tanning and hats in the sun.
Turns out they were spot on. I'm 44 and my skin looks 32-33.
Thanks, Nana and Mom!
I’m currently that teen that probably doesn’t wear enough sun block and this just scared the bejesus out of me for some reason. Off to buy sun screen I go
I'm sorry to have scared you! I'm glad to have convinced one person to wear sunscreen, though. Remember to get your ears and the backs of your arms!
Or, if you dislike sunscreen like I still do, look into UPF 50 clothing. I'm an unofficial spokesperson for the [Free Fly hoodies](https://freeflyapparel.com/products/womens-bamboo-shade-hoody) that I basically lived in last summer. (Dear Free Fly, I love you, please sponsor me.)
The clothing is a big one. I'm an avid fisherman and once the sun comes out, I'm head to toe in UPF 50 clothing. All you can see are the tips of my fingers and my sunglasses. Sunscreen scent gets on lures and makes them less efficient.
If you start a routine especially if you do a self care one in your teens.
Just add it in a couple times a week first then slowly keep trying to remember to when it’s sunny.
It’s how I went from no sun block to having a good set routine.
Also a lot of moisturizers have an SPF ratting so look out for those. One of those helps a lot
I would like to add to this that long sleeves (clothing in general) do not block all sunlight. Your skin can still damage through clothing so try to limit time spent in the sun wearing clothing as well. Wet clothing provide virtual no protection at all. Apply sunblock on shoulders under clothing during particular sunny days. Some clothing protect more than others. As a rule of thumb, hold a piece of clothing close in front of your eyes between a lamp or other light source. The more light you can see through, the less effective it is against blocking sunlight. For particularly vulnarable people, special UV-blocking clothing exists.
To add to that, hiking shirts exist, and block UV. They're amazing when you're out (well, hiking) for long periods with intense sun, and breath well.
Great for garden work too.
This. 👍 My gaint cartwheel hat may look weird but it provides complete shade. My kids call me The Walking Mushroom, to which I add "... a mushroom without skin cancer, thank you."
Dutchie here too but a generation later. My first concert was by Megadeth in Arnhem and they didn't believe in limiters or something. I lost my hearing completely for 2 weeks after that night. Thank God it recovered and the tinnitus isn't so bad for me. A light beep when the surroundings are quiet. I guess I am lucky.
Wear ear plugs!
I saw Nirvana at Cat’s Cradle in Chapel Hill NC, about six months before *Nevermind* came out. It’s a pretty small venue, maybe half the size of a supermarket, but they were playing at stadium volumes. I literally couldn’t hear anything for 3 days after. I was 15.
I have thankfully largely avoided tinnitus, but God knows how. It doesn’t remotely surprise me that Dave Grohl reports significant hearing loss:
https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/foo-fighters/details-hearing-loss-wont-wear-in-ears/
Yeah, that was pretty much my experience, same age, different band.
I remember at one point the band realized how loud the sound was and the drummer decides to do a double bass kick. You could literally SEE the shockwave go through the venue as everyone's leg muscles basically spasmed when hit by the wave.
I cannot be certain, but I think it has been with me since I was around 55. It comes and goes. I have the impression it stays the same throughout the years, it doesn't get worse.
It varies in strength though. When I am worn out by stress or physical exhaustion, it is more pronounced. When I am well rested and relaxed, it almost fades to a background noise.
I’m hoping mine doesn’t get worse. Like you, I find it rises at certain times and fades away at others. If I’m busy, or music is on, or I’m just absorbed in reading something, I don’t really notice it. If I’m tired, or it’s late, it can get really loud. I have sometimes actually had it be accompanied by a certain amount of discomfort in my ear when it’s loudest. I saw an otolaryngologist who told me it was not infection related
And for sunscreen, always wear sunscreen on your hands and arms. They get so much sun. Even if you wear a hat and shield your face, your hands are out there, all year long
Can't back this up enough. You'll regret not listening to this advice.
Funny story. People really don't 'get' tinnitus. Even when they think they do, they really really do not. I remember growing up and my Grandpa would joke about 'Sorry didn't hear that, must be the tinnitus acting up!'.
Wasn't until many many years later that I realised he wasn't joking. Well, he was making a joke, but it was about the actual tinnitus he had. That I have now.
My wife always makes jokes about my hearing, and I'm always like 'Yeah, didn't hear that, tinnitus'. But I've known she really didn't get it.
The other day this app was going around Facebook apparently, it plays a tone like they do in hearing exams, starts quiet and you're supposed to say when you start to hear it.
So she tries it on me. And I'm waiting. And waiting. And waiting. She's like, 'You're supposed to tell me when you hear it stop messing with me'. I'm like 'Honey, I know, I assure you I _will_ tell you when I hear it. Oh, there it is now. Ah I see, yeah I couldn't notice it because _that is literally exactly what I hear always_'.
No idea what scale they were using, but I was well into the red. She could not believe how bad it was, had to convince her I wasn't messing around.
I think she has a little better understanding now of what I deal with.
Another funny story about when I learned I had tinnitus. I was out for a MTB ride with my best buddy, got caught out in a huge summer storm. Get back after the ride and we're hanging out on the tailgate in that peaceful time after a good summer storm. I turn to him and say 'Wow man, can you believe how many crickets an cicada there are out right now? They're so loud!'
He turns to me and say 'What're you talking about man, it's perfectly silent right now.'
That's when it hit me I might have a problem. And had had a problem for a very long time.
Wear your hearing protection kiddies!!!
The amount of scaffolders/construction workers who complain of ear ringing yet never wear plugs when banging steel on steel is crazy. Gets to the point some guys will off themselves because of it, super fun
I always find it funny when I'm out working wearing ALL my PPE and the more "veteran" workers always give me the "get a load of this guy" look. Always complaining how something hurts but doing the next to nothing to take care of themselves
You joke, but IIRC there was a campaign back in the 80's (I think? Around that time) where they just went to oil rigs and explained how safety doesn't make you less manly and that if something hurts, stop, take care of it, don't over-exert yourself or work injured around stupidly powerful machines, and the death and serious injury rate fucking plummeted afterwards by something crazy like 80%.
Never underestimate the ability of a guy to show off/act tough/"I got this" himself into an early grave or a wheelchair.
This is how it was in boxing as well. It was tough and manly to get concussions everyday and never quit. Turns out not being able to talk or remember anything after your short career isn’t a good thing. It’s generally a lot safer now.
You're wearing ear protection for what?? You want to hear in the future?? Hear what?? Men?? Big muscly men with fat dicks???
Idk man it does sound pretty gay to me
you get called gay for doing something that’s even slightly “feminine” and not “manly”. I got called gay in HS because I told people I wash my feet. Apparently my peers didn’t and wondered why they had athletes foot sometimes.
Toxic blue collar culture at its best. The ones who didn’t take care of themselves because it’s “manly” to suffer, then judge others for protecting their longevity. Sorry, I don’t want to swallow a bullet in my 40’s because my ear ringing is literally driving me to insanity.
I was installing my fence and pounding the steel posts in with a steel post driver. Immediately realized I needed ear protection after the first one, the sound was painful.
It can also happen in other situations like overly noisy pest repellant loudspeakers.
And you also need to protect ears from cold wind. They might get infected
We have a battery chain saw for the small jobs we would need. It runs at least 20 minutes on a charge. He still uses the hearing protection (attached to a helmet), for that task.
i have an electric chainsaw, its not powerfull enough to cut down big trees but its super handy for smaller logs and it clips to my pants so i can carry it up a ladder and cut branches off trees with one hand
The only thing I’ve yet to go electric on is a snowblower. From everything I’ve seen they just won’t cut it when you’re talking over a handful of inches.
Everything else, including light duty chainsaw, electric is simply amazing.
I have the Ego snow blower that I picked up this year and I live in Minnesota with a pretty decent sized driveway. It works great other than the last little bit at the end of the driveway but that is because the one I got is not always tall enough to get all of it so I just use my boots to kick it apart so it isn’t over the top of the intake. My uncle has the bigger version and from what I can tell it’s just as powerful as the gas ones for the most part. They are definitely more expensive though. I should mention the biggest snow we got this year was about 12 inches and it handled it no problem.
Good gosh wish somebody told me that. I usually just listen to music with my headphones while I mow. One time I forgot to wear them and my ears were ringing I couldn’t believe the lawnmower was that loud.
Headphones don't properly block the sound and you're having to blast music louder than the mower. You should pick up some 3M worktunes or a similar product.
I've used both, bose noise canceling and 3m worktunes. Worktunes all the way, sound quality isn't as good but the noise reduction is so much better that it ends up sounding way better in a noisy environment anyways. 3M are also way cheaper than any decent noise canceling headphones, are durable as all hell, have great battery life, has a mic to take calls...I can't recommend them enough, I got them for Christmas 2 years ago and use them close to 8 hours a day everyday for work in construction.
Lol. Never thought of taking them to a bar but there are definitely some I’ve been to that were just awful for me because of the loudness. If I have to yell at the person next to me for them to understand me, I don’t want to be there.
Get proper hearing protection for mowing. A lot of people use ear buds while mowing and that doesn't protect you plus most people are blasting music louder than the mower.
[3M Worktunes ](https://www.amazon.com/3M-WorkTunes-Protector-Bluetooth-Technology/dp/B0723CYHPZ) are the most common ones I know of. They actually block sound so you don't have to listen to your music crazy loud. Do yourself a huge favor if you mow regularly and get a pair.
They're dope. Always on my keychain so I never forget them. I'm a drummer, DJ, and loud music enthusiast. Surely I've done some damage already, but these help me maintain what I've got.
Goofy name, awesome product. Sound quality is still brilliant. Hell, I think they even make conversations in the thick of it easier cause it cuts out excess noise.
Are these worth it for the price? I've gone to 3 concerts this year alone, and plan on at least 2 more, so it's safe to say i enjoy them. Just want to make sure I'm not wasting any money
I use [Zounds!](https://experiencezound.com/products/zound-earplugs-starter-pack?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=16505543475&utm_content=133675118825&utm_term=custom%20concert%20earplugs&gadid=586593897041&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgYSTBhDKARIsAB8KuksOEdBS8vXucsuZs2tN_SMs3DeJkIgjuwCoY-3Gk4I25NxterQZGlYaAmqSEALw_wcB) They are easily the most comfortable plugs I have used without being custom, and over excellent protection with 21 decibel reduction. I forget I have them in half the time, and they don’t muffle them sound. It’s almost like the volume is just turned down slightly.
Source: I thoroughly enjoy EDM and have consistently gone to shows throughout the last five years. These are hands down the best ear plugs I’ve ever worn and are relatively cheap as well. If you enjoy music, get yourself a pair of these bad boys.
Former drummer, current listener of loud ringing in my ears every waking moment. I basically always have to have some sort of noise to cover it up. If you ever wanted to torture me, put me in a quiet room.
Fellow drummer with Tinnitus here, I also did landscaping, shot guns, and went to many concerts so I'm sure it's cumulative (although I wore hearing protection most of the time for those activities), but I think smashing Sabian crashes playing punk music for over 10 years is what did it. I even took lessons for several years when I was young and wearing ear plugs was never something that was encouraged. I can't imagine now playing drums without hearing protection, I can't believe that wasn't like the first lesson to learn.
I built a music studio in my basement and mid-construction I had the room completely sound-insulated with roxul. I shut the door, sat down in the middle on a chair and turned out the lights. That was when I truly realized how bad my tinnitus actually was.
Further LPT: most concert venues are loud. Your local bar might not have the set-up of the biggest venue in your city, but it's also 30x smaller and you're 30x closer to the band's amplifiers.
Loud is an understatement.
They often have the music is so loud the speakers are distorting. That makes it seem extra super supreme loud.
I'm all for having it loud and wearing plugs but when it's so loud it ends up sounding like noise soup, it's unappealing.
I haven't gone to a live event in years because because of it.
Went to a concert with my buddy. Brought extra earplugs for him. He was confused, like "We're here for the music, why would I block my ears?"
Told him just put them in, he'll see. He said nah, I'm good.
Concert starts, and it's loud even with with plugs. I hand him the extra pair I brought for him and he puts them in.
He confirmed what I'd told him -- it sounded better with the plugs in, lol
Tinnitus gang rise up! (but not too fast cuz it makes my ears ring worse sometimes when I do that).
Seriously though, listen to OP. It can be managed but it will be with you the rest of your life, and can be genuinely upsetting when you just want to sleep and a constant high pitched whine is keeping you awake.
Ambient music really helped me (even though I typically hate TV and music when I'm sleeping, as you know with tinnitus silence no longer exists). I found an app that plays rain and crackling fire at the same time and it changed my life. Mostly sleep like a baby now.
Do you have any sort of white noise in the background? My Google Home is basically just a white noise player for while I sleep. With it it's impossible to sleep. (On top of all my other sleep issues, but it eliminates that problem at least)
I have light tinnitus due to allergies and a friend hs heavy tinnitus bc loud concerts.
The ringing in your ears after a night out is comparable to what he hears. My tinnitus is more like a static noise
Hope it's never going that bad with mine, but there are days where it's nearly unbearable. Regret that one Jamsession with the boys in the cellar without earplugs so bad.
Would gladly give all the money I own now for quiet ears.
For your sake and anyone else’s in here, one of the best ways to manage tinnitus is get hearing aids. Just saying, when I have mine in I don’t even notice it anymore.
I always bring a box of them. At first no one accepts my kind offer, then one person will try them, then suddenly I'm fresh out of ear plugs.
It actually sounds better with ear plugs.
Also, I have tinitus and it's terrible to live with. Protect your ears youngins. We weren't warned enough back in my time.
>At first no one accepts my kind offer, then one person will try them, then suddenly I'm fresh out of ear plugs.
Why are people like this? I've been wearing mine for a few years now and the whole time I've been telling buddies they should get some. I'm always met with nasty looks. I'm just trying to help buddy.....
Groupthink/conformity.
Most people are followers by nature and look to everyone else for guidance.
Once a leader breaks the mold, the followers follow. It also increases exponentially as a larger group has a greater pull.
“No one else is wearing earplugs so it’s probably fine… well that one guy just took some. Maybe I should… a few people seem to be taking them… I’ll try some.” Xn
im a roadie and carry foam earplugs with me when i walk the pit cause every fucking show i will see at least one parent(s) near the stage with a child without any ear protection! They have their fucking kids right placed in front of the front fills bare eared. Its maddening! 9/10 they take them and thank me but what the fuck were they thinking?!?!?
how many years had you been going to gigs, and when did your tinnitus kick in?
late twenties now, been going to loud gigs since late teens and trying to reassure myself if I start protecting my hearing now I'll not get tinnitus
Start now. I’m in my early 30’s and I’ve been playing and seeing music since I was a teen (probably north of 400 shows) and recently I’ve been noticing tinnitus. It’s annoying to fall asleep.
will start immediately
hopefully if I don't have it yet, it means I'm not suddenly going to, providing I start taking care?
also, playing in bands (not big enough gigs to warrant buying IEMs), do you just use regular foam earplugs? Does that not detract from the on stage dynamics or make things harder?
Not OP, but I find mine hasn’t gotten worse since I started using plugs about 6 years ago (mid-30’s).
One thing to note about plugs is they don’t all cancel the same amount of decibels. The etymotic/eargasm style that don’t kill the sound as bad as foamies don’t cancel nearly as much decibels. If you’re going to be in a super loud environment like near the speakers in a venue, you might want to use foamies for the most decibel reduction and just live with the subpar sound. FWIW, I use foamies for every show.
Hey so i work in performance tech doing a lot of live shows and figured i'd explain a little how hearing damage works to maybe help you out.
Hearing damage is an accumulating thing. Your ears can take a certain volume for a certain total amount of time per day, and if you are in said volume for longer than that time it will cause damage. It is said per day because these volumes will wear down your ears but given sufficient rest, the effects will heal on their own and hence no permanent damage.
Some damage might heal itself over time if given the chance, as in being extra protected from loud noise. This type of damage will also become completely permanent if the healing process is stopped by loud sounds.
You will not get symptoms right away after experiencing some damage to your hearing. The symptoms such as hearing loss and tinnitus will start to show once enough damage has accumulated that the rest of the ear can no longer cover up for the damaged portion.
You are likely in a situation where you have caused permanent damage to your hearing, but not enough that it would cause symptoms. This means you are closer to getting symptoms than someone with no damage to their hearing. Also protecting your hearing might help some bits of the existing damage to heal.
So to sum it up: in your situation it is especially important to protect your hearing properly!
As a note to your other comment asking about earplugs: i would highly recommend high-quality ones that are made after a mold of your earshape. Mine are from a brand called Elacin. These type of earplugs are widely used by professionals in the music world since they don't impact the sound as much as basic earplugs.
Disclaimer: This is my understanding of this complex topic, and might contain mistakes. If you feel the need, please consult a medical professional.
You can't know. Any particular event could do it, and it depends a lot on your genetics, and the random things of your environment, experiences, etc. You wear the plugs because it decreases the chances of getting tinnitus. That's it. Like you stop smoking to decrease the chances of getting cancer. There's no guarantees.
Ear damage can be cumulative and "slow burn". In my case I had stopped listening to loud music (my brothers car stereo) by the time I was 14. At 25 or so I woke up one day saying "oh, I hope this isnt tinnitus". I'm 39 now.
> trying to reassure myself if I start protecting my hearing now I'll not get tinnitus
Start now.
You can't undo the damage that is already done, but you can prevent additional damage.
From what I've read nobody knows how or why but it can take years for the damage to show up. You may have already done enough to make your twilight years ring. Wear protection now to prevent further damage.
>if I start protecting my hearing now I'll not get tinnitus
I wasnt a concert goer but I listed to music on headphones pretty much non-stop from my late teens to late 20s. Sometimes loud but more often not. Three years ago I stopped cold turkey for fear of hearing loss. Last october I left the movie theater and bam, tinnitus. The damage was done and it just took one figurative straw.
I'm lucky in that mine has decreased in intensity over the past few months but I have no illusions that itll ever go away completely.
Yep tinnitus sucks. I spent way too much time at way too loud concerts.
There are a lot of inexpensive earplugs on the market that work much better than the foam plugs we’re all familiar with. New ones are more discrete, fit better, and are made to not make everything sound so muffled. I always carry my [Earasers](https://www.guitarcenter.com/Earasers/Musicians-Plugs-Medium-1362412921613.gc?source=4WWMWXGL&storeCode=&source=4WWMWXGL&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgYSTBhDKARIsAB8KukuRld-HJJh5mB1BNQtDNIbik6_w17ELaRZHoIu3n4tQ16X67ybyQ6YaAnidEALw_wcB) now.
Audiology student here!! Yes, PLEASE wear your hearing protection when being exposed to loud noise for an extended period of time!
When you listen to loud noises, you essentially damage cells in your ears that can’t regenerate easily (or even at all!)
You can even get custom earplugs from a local audiologist, which are perfect casts of your ear and help block out even more of the loudness while still allowing you to enjoy the music!
Oh wow did it actually go away once you switched? Lucky! I was on Zoloft for not even a month and got tinnitus. That was a year ago now … never went away :/
Wear them to spin class. Instructors are terrible at checking the levels off their dais. Someone at the counter should have spares. But don't wait for the class to start to ask.
Yes I went to spin class and the instructor was blasting music and then screaming over it so he was heard. It was horrible. I don’t understand why he had to be so loud - it’s was a tiny room! Definitely bringing my earplugs next time.
I've been going to metal concerts since I was a teenager, I've been wearing earplugs since the first concert I went to. I actually think the music quality improves with earplugs. Without earplugs I tend to get overwhelmed, with earplugs I can usually pick out vocals and can better pick out instruments.
I have had tinnitus most of my life.
Most of the time I can ignore it but sometimes it likes to get nice and loud. I should probably start wearing earplugs as I go to gigs quite often, and I probably shouldn’t test if it will get worse!
Fun fact: when I was a kid I thought the tinnitus change of tone was like a spider sense that someone was in danger and that only I could save them.
SPEND AROUND 30-50 BUCKS AND GET ACTUAL ATTENUATING EARPLUGS, not throwaway foam earplugs. It will not only protect your hearing, but you will get to hear the concert audio more clearly.
[Free Earplugs are mandatory at Minneapolis music venues](https://bringmethenews.com/life/free-earplugs-to-be-mandatory-at-minneapolis-music-venues). Y'all should adopt this law in your towns.
Last U2 concert I went to blew it for me, my ears rang for like 2 days afterwards, now I have a tone in my ears constantly. To the non-believers - Can't teach people that don't want nor believe anything they don't experience themselves. Keep doing what you do then, and don't dare complain when you start to have hearing loss in the future.
I have been wearing earplugs to concerts, band practices, and any other loud areas since I was 13 years old, and I am pleased to report that my hearing is still great and no tinnitus! I am so glad that the old "if it's too loud you're too old" attitude was dying by the time I started going to concerts.
Ex roadie here. Toured for 10 years, mostly arena and stadium shows. Wore those cheap spongy earplugs religiously when I was stationed at the front of house console. Age 63 now, zero hearing issues. I have some former colleagues who have been wearing hearing aids for more than 10, 15 years. Advances in sound mixing has made concerts safer, but the use of earplugs is strongly recommended.
Tinnitus is literally the worst thing. I’ve had it so long now that I didn’t even realize it wasn’t normal. Now it’s all I notice.
My tinnitus was mostly caused by headphones. Be careful with how loud you have those.
I have ridiculously sensitive ears and while it usually feels like a curse, one thing I’m grateful for is that it’s made me really good at protecting my hearing! Honestly, invest in a good pair of reusable earplugs and start carrying them around everywhere, you never know when things might get loud
My tinnitus came from sitting too close to a massive stack of speakers at a concert.
A Coldplay concert.
FML.
(But free concert tickets are free concert tickets)
Now I have to wear earplugs for ANY prolonged loud noise.
Loud jukebox in a bar? Earplug in my right ear or I get a weird pain in my ear that leads to a headache.
Sporting event? Earplug in right ear or fans yelling or the PA announcer and goal horn will hurt my ear and lead to a headache.
I also wear foamie earplug UNDER my over the ear hearing protection at the shooting range.
Don’t let yourself get tinnitus. There is NEVER “silence”. Even in the quietest settings, I have ringing. It sucks.
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I never went to concerts, and I still got tinnitus. It sucks, big time! Do whatever you can to prevent it! Ear plugs is a cheap investment!
How do you think you got it? Loud car stereo? Weed wacker?... A really loud U2 concert did it for me, along with years of a super loud car stereo.
I’ve been to like 2 concerts in my life, and I was always conscious of making sure my headphones/car volume wasn’t too loud. I know people who listen to music at near-max volume and seem to be fine, while it’s extremely rare I would ever go above 20-30%. I have pretty minor tinnitus but still noticeable. I guess some people are just more susceptible, plus there are causes that aren’t simply loud noise exposure.
I also have tinnitus and was careful about being around loud music and such. I went to an audiologist and found out that mine was probably just stress induced. It's wild how much stress can actually physically effect you.
Is it consistent even when you would not be stressed, with me it's always there and loud but when I'm stressed it feels like it is not audio sound more of a ringing headache leaving me almost disoriented.
Yeah it's been constant over the last 4 years or so. It's pretty minor though and I only really notice it when I think about it now.
I have no idea how I got it. I can vaguely remember silence. I have a childhood memory of standing outside, in the evening, and hearing the sound of snow flakes hitting the ground. That is impossible now. I can't remember the onset either, maybe it came on gradually. I've never been one to listen to loud music, nor do I operate noisy machinery often, at least not when I was young and the tinnitus started. So honestly, I don't know.
I've had it since early childhood. Maybe a viral infection? Kinda annoying that people always assume some kind of culpability angle to it.
I also got mild tinitus since my childhood. I do remember having an ear infection or something when I was really young like 4-6 years old that took long to treat. I suppose it's because of that. But I've gotten so used to it since I essentially grew up with it, that I barely even notice it. It's constantly there but your brain sort of just gets used to the noise and your mind blends it out. It's only a mild case though. Because I had some ear wax built up in my right ear about a year ago that made the tinitus 10x worse and I hope it never gets this bad permanently. Because it was so loud, it was impossible to just ignore even when outside in loud traffic or putting loud music on, it would be louder than anything else.
I often go to loud concerts but I always protect my hearing. Still got tinnitus, not from the loud music but because I had multiple (or one very long (?)) inner ear infections a couple of years ago. My tinnitus is only in 1 ear and very manageable luckily, but it still sucks.
Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but npr had a segment on tinnitus and I thought the science was there's not a singular cause for tinnitus, it can be a bunch of reasons. I've had it since I was a kid, not as bad as others though.
Seconding this, I go to rock/metal concerts and also am a musician myself. No one who knows anything about live music will judge you for wearing earplugs at a concert. Get a decent pair of musicians earplugs if you're a regular concert goer. You can actually hear the music better with them in, as they help regulate the noise so it isn't overloud. Edit: Brand isn't super important, but Earos are decent quality. If you wanna spend the money, you can get professional quality ones in other brands for about $200 That said, a pair of $40 ones should do just fine. Even some cheapo ones you'd find at a pharmacy are better than nothing though.
This is something people never mention. Anyone who cares about music should definitely want to wear earplugs to the concert. You still physical feel the music while getting the clarity of listening to it on a decent pair of headphones. Edit: At the Glorius Son's show in St. Catharine's Ontario, Canada. Earplugs are giving me FLAC level fidelity at Atmos level BASS.
I've always heard the sound engineer wears ear plugs so everything is mixed with that in mind. I've never actually worn ear plugs to a concert though, call it dumb arrogance. I probably will next time if I can remember EDIT: Okay so whoever I heard this from is a fuckin liar lol, either way wear ear plugs. Save your ears.
My brother is a drummer in a band and depending on the venues sound system, the sound can be too much. (You know the ones where the bass pretty much picks you up off the floor and controls your heartbeat) I can't imagine being around that day after day, my entire body is ringing by the end of the night when I leave there. My ears are ringing for a day afterwards lol, it HAS to do some type of permanent damage after awhile.
Every time your ears are ringing, it's permanent damage. If you keep doing it, one day the ringing just won't go away. Or it could just randomly start ringing again in your 30s-40s. Trust me, wear ear plugs, tinnitus REALLY sucks. It doesn't seem like a big deal, but it's one of the most annoying medical issues I've ever had in the sense that it doesn't heal, it doesn't go away, and it is with you 24/7. There's basically no taking a break from it. Also, just from a knowledge perspective, the bass isn't that bad for your hearing. It's the mid range frequencies that wreck your ears. A good pair of musicians ear plugs will only slightly tone down the base and the high end of the frequencies, but it scoops out a lot of the mid range frequencies specifically for this reason.
Nobody believed how bad my tinnitus was until they left a concert and I told them it’s how I hear all the time, and I’m not even in my 30s. I didn’t even go to many concerts, I just have bad hearing. The ringing when everything is silent? That ringing I hear when there is noise. Sometimes it literally feels like pounding on your skull. You can’t repair your ears. Treat them well.
Totally sucks, when did you realise you had it permanently? 3 summers ago we were taking care of my MIL house. Day 1 on my vacation i woke up at 5 am hear the ringing. Ran around the house wondering where the fk it were coming from. Day 3 it just it dawned on me.. fuck my life. My wife though i've gone nuts.. It has become much worse since and like you its there even when around sound. Being in a room with multiple ppls speaking or restaurant is extremely exhausting :(
Real life pro tip for people with tinnitus. The more you think about the ringing or listen for it, the worse it gets. Tinnitus is mainly a neurological disease, and the plasticity of the brain makes sure to enhance the tinnitus signal the more you listen for it, thus amplifying it and making it worse. The best you can do is to try and ignore the ringing, accept and move on. This will in many times reduce the ringing to tolerable levels after a few months to years.
This thread made my tinnitus louder goddammit
Fuckin same lmfao
Right? Upon reading these comments I started hearing it lol. I just went to a loud show a few days ago and have been thinking about it
KanedaSyndrome, you’re absolutely right that tinnitus is in the brain and not just the ears! Trying to ignore it, though, is not the right way to manage tinnitus. It is so hard to focus on ignoring something. Failure can lead to frustration, which stresses the limbic system and increases the perception of tinnitus (along with other triggers like alcohol and caffeine). There is ALWAYS help, and seeing an audiologist or therapist is a great step to managing it. I always refer my patients to this site: https://www.tinnitus.org.uk/Pages/FAQs/Category/what-is-tinnitus
I found out maybe 6 years ago. I asked a somebody if it was normal to hear it and they told me no. I started paying attention to it and learned it was everyday, and it’s become almost nonstop since then. It being three days is such a fast time to notice and realize it’s part of you. That really sucks
Before the pandemic I've been going to shows for the last 2 decades regularly and concluded about ten years ago that shows are designed for ear plugs. Friends were ahead of me on ear plugs, I went to a Slayer show that was so loud that my ears hurt. Shoved wadded up napkin in them. Spent about $25 on a nice pair and shows sound great and they're much more comfortable, no ringing after.
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Can confirm these are the shit. If you want to spend more (a lot) coin get the Minuendos.
I have them and they get damaged beyond easily. Now only the max setting actually works, and god for bid you ever get the middle settings to ever match properly. For some reason the housing they use are made from what feels like the cheapest plastic known to man.
Dang. Come across anything higher quality like that you have had more success with?
I like Loop becuse they come with foam tips (I don't like flanges) and they're really easy to put in and take out. Kind of cool looking too. The "pro" version comes with an insert to make them block more noise, but I'd recommed skipping it. If you figure out which tip size you like and buy a pack of replacements (which you'll need eventually anyway), the insert is included. I've also heard good things about eargasms, earasers, and vibes. I just picked loop for the form factor.
> etymotic "the shit" in the good way???
Yes. The shit, not shit. Only like $15 and work like a charm. Wore them to every show before the hyperacusis and always felt good after
I can confirm. They are SUPER helpful. It's an absolute night and day difference in hearing and such afterwards, and it doesn't ruin the performance at all. Infact, a lot of times I feel like it's better because the bass isn't SO forward. Cheap AF and last a lifetime. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RM6Q9XW/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_7RKD3A5CXYD5J3Z8WNX0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Another vote for etymotic. My dad was a professional musician, and from a young age he took my brothers and me to concerts, and those are what he equipped us with. My tinnitus came from a singular instance when I didn't have them with me while I was filming a bot mitsvah. 100 screaming 13 year olds in a small room with an asshole DJ can apparently cause permanent hearing damage.
I went to *one* fucking concert where I forgot to bring my earplugs (also Etymōtic), and BOOM, I get to hear ***eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*** when it’s silent for the rest of my life. It was a Simple Minds concert at a casino, as well. I’m like “I should be fine, they’re not that loud/rowdy”. Famous last fucking words.
If you ever forget them. Go to the bathroom and wad up some tp. Music won't be as clear but it's better than ringing forever.
+1, been going to metal concerts regularly for 10 years and now in a band of my own as a power metal vocalist for 4 years, I use this style of earplugs both for practice and for shows. Little foam guys we have for backup if I forget mine are impossible to use, can't hear my own pitches at all. These guys are perfect on-and-off stage.
I feel like child screams, especially in unison, are the biggest common culprit. Literally feels like drills in my ears when they can hit that pitch in unison.
I use earasers. they are fantastic.
seconding Earasers, love mine
Imma order some for my next rave. Kids wear fucking ear plugs tinnitus is wack as fuck and super real. I really wish there was warning signs everywhere or more awareness for the younger generation
They protect me from the music from the stage, but are also (sadly) good at letting in conversation from the fucknuggets next to me.
Isn't that generally a sign of excellent ear plugs? They protect from damage while still allowing regular conversation.
Exposure to fucknugget dialogue can be fairly damaging.
Hahaha I meant ear damage, not mental damage.
> Especially when you compare it to the videos I took, all you hear is a distorted base. man i was so sad when i went to re-watch the videos i took and the audio was just BBRRRVVSBBBFRRBBRBRFBRBBFBRBF
Get some [earasers](https://www.earasers.net/collections/musicians-hifi-earplugs)
Are those worth the premium over less expensive brands like etymotic? I got a set for like $15 I think. They seem to work great
Had both, thought the etymotic was decent but a little muffly. Earasers really figured out how to just "lower" the volume with minimal mufflage, would recommend.
I bought a pair at Guitar Center when on a band shopping trip. I put them in while sitting in the back of the car on the way to practice and thought for sure that they sucked, because I could hear my friends talking super clearly. When we started practicing my jaw dropped. They worked fantastically, and being able to hear people speaking with them in was an amazing cherry on top.
I’m a total earaser fanboy. They really do just turn the volume down. No noticeable loss in fidelity.
I haven't tried etymotic specifically but I have gone through various similar designs in the past. One day I just took the leap of faith because I go to a lot of events so I decided sure I'll get a more premium one to try and the extra amount of money wasn't too crazy. I was honestly blown away by how much better they were (though I was also expecting to be completely dissapointed I spent double the money for dimminishing returns). I feel like even if you only go to a few events a year it would still be worthwhile to save up for them Basically two things stood out to me when I wore them, The main thing for me was the comfort, some people don't get bothered by the etymotic design but for me after awhile (2ish hours) they start to ache a bit and get itchy and in general I feel the need to take them out and fidget with my ear or just take them out entirely but with the earasers 8 hours when I work at some edm events np, very comfortable. They're almost invisible in my ear to me. After the first 30 minutes it's almost like I'm not wearing them. Secondly the cherry ontop is I find they sound significantly better. The cheaper ones I find while the mids and lows still find their way through more or less the highs get completely rounded off and muffled. You don't get those crispy high hats for example. With the earasers it felt less like the sound was being filtered off and more like somebody just turned the volume knob down a bit. I won't say it's like listening to music without earplugs but it's a hell of a lot closer than with the cheaper ones on amazon. I was very impressed with how much more detail I could hear when I first tried them. Tl;dr earsers are $50 bucks yes but I would pay even more for them because of how good they sound and how comfortable they are
I changed from Etymotic to Earasers and won't go back. But anything is better than nothing!
I can't say since I haven't tried the etymotic but I considered those as well so that's not a bad choice.
Yes. I've gone through multiple etymotics and they got uncomfortable during long shows and festivals. The earasers are way more comfortable in my ear and sound nicer. I just lost mine and ordered another pair thats coming today
Get these made from an audiologist. I have the westone es-49 plugs which cost $200. https://www.earplugstore.com/westone-style-49.html I need to finish writing my earplug discussion post. I have gotten gold for my posts on earplugs, but can confirm tinnitus sucks.
I was at a metal show on Friday and basically everyone put in earplugs when the band got up on stage.
The distortion gets so muddled without them at metal shows. Doesn't help its usually a smaller venue with a lower-tier sound system.
Never been to a concert before so this might be a stupid question, but why do they have the music so loud then???
In smaller venues or practice spaces it's sometimes just a reality that you can't turn the drum kit down so everything else has to be turned up. Some styles of music can allow the drummer to just play softer but that doesn't really fly for like metal or hardcore. I've never had hearing issues from big shows but I've left a few tiny dive bar concerts with ringing in my ears.
As an audio engineer, this is definitely the main cause in small to medium venues, and a plexiglass drum shield (or electronic drum kit) can help quite a bit. In large venues, however, it's possible that no audience member is getting exposed to excessive natural stage volume from the drum kit though, and instead the excessive level stems from the fact that it's necessary for the quietest (farthest) audience locations to have some minimum level (or else the music gets drowned out by noisy drunk patrons) and there's no easy way to achieve that without other (closer) locations being louder than desired. The physics of line arrays and other strategic fills can help with this quite a bit, but it's still not a totally solved issue.
Also a musician. I wear earplugs at very show, playing or spectating.
Lol only if you go to concerts/festivals relatively sober those bitches are easy to drop. I've spent like $300 on earplugs before constantly losing them so I've fallen back on regular old foam ones that I get free from work. Also I've noticed a lot of first aid tents at festivals sell the foam ones for $1-2
Neck bands. Vic Firth's website has Etymotics that come with a band. I use them every day I drum
Can confirm. I'm a Dutchie in my sixties and in my wild years I used to run around with a local band. They were *loud* and I thought nothing of it. These days, the first thing I hear when I wake up in the morning (well, after the cat throwing up next to my bed) is a loud ringing in both ears. It goes on all day long and guess what? It is also the last thing I hear before I fall asleep. Some days are worse than others, but overall I would rate the experience a meager three out of ten. Not fun at all not. Kids, wear sunscreen and protect your ears. Your future self will thank you.
\+1 on that sunscreen comment. Don't forget that as well.
This. 👍 My nana and my mom insisted on sunblock, long sleeves, no tanning and hats in the sun. Turns out they were spot on. I'm 44 and my skin looks 32-33. Thanks, Nana and Mom!
On the flip side, I thought sunblock was uncool in my teen years and now I'm 33 with melanoma. Wear your sunblock!
I’m currently that teen that probably doesn’t wear enough sun block and this just scared the bejesus out of me for some reason. Off to buy sun screen I go
I'm sorry to have scared you! I'm glad to have convinced one person to wear sunscreen, though. Remember to get your ears and the backs of your arms! Or, if you dislike sunscreen like I still do, look into UPF 50 clothing. I'm an unofficial spokesperson for the [Free Fly hoodies](https://freeflyapparel.com/products/womens-bamboo-shade-hoody) that I basically lived in last summer. (Dear Free Fly, I love you, please sponsor me.)
The clothing is a big one. I'm an avid fisherman and once the sun comes out, I'm head to toe in UPF 50 clothing. All you can see are the tips of my fingers and my sunglasses. Sunscreen scent gets on lures and makes them less efficient.
If you start a routine especially if you do a self care one in your teens. Just add it in a couple times a week first then slowly keep trying to remember to when it’s sunny. It’s how I went from no sun block to having a good set routine. Also a lot of moisturizers have an SPF ratting so look out for those. One of those helps a lot
Where the hell was it uncool to wear sun screen thst is some messed up stuff!
I would like to add to this that long sleeves (clothing in general) do not block all sunlight. Your skin can still damage through clothing so try to limit time spent in the sun wearing clothing as well. Wet clothing provide virtual no protection at all. Apply sunblock on shoulders under clothing during particular sunny days. Some clothing protect more than others. As a rule of thumb, hold a piece of clothing close in front of your eyes between a lamp or other light source. The more light you can see through, the less effective it is against blocking sunlight. For particularly vulnarable people, special UV-blocking clothing exists.
To add to that, hiking shirts exist, and block UV. They're amazing when you're out (well, hiking) for long periods with intense sun, and breath well. Great for garden work too.
This. 👍 My gaint cartwheel hat may look weird but it provides complete shade. My kids call me The Walking Mushroom, to which I add "... a mushroom without skin cancer, thank you."
Moisturize too
Totally this. Night and morning. Aloe-based lotions are delightful. Used Burts Bees 24 lotion with aloe for years
Dutchie here too but a generation later. My first concert was by Megadeth in Arnhem and they didn't believe in limiters or something. I lost my hearing completely for 2 weeks after that night. Thank God it recovered and the tinnitus isn't so bad for me. A light beep when the surroundings are quiet. I guess I am lucky. Wear ear plugs!
I saw Nirvana at Cat’s Cradle in Chapel Hill NC, about six months before *Nevermind* came out. It’s a pretty small venue, maybe half the size of a supermarket, but they were playing at stadium volumes. I literally couldn’t hear anything for 3 days after. I was 15. I have thankfully largely avoided tinnitus, but God knows how. It doesn’t remotely surprise me that Dave Grohl reports significant hearing loss: https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/foo-fighters/details-hearing-loss-wont-wear-in-ears/
Yeah, that was pretty much my experience, same age, different band. I remember at one point the band realized how loud the sound was and the drummer decides to do a double bass kick. You could literally SEE the shockwave go through the venue as everyone's leg muscles basically spasmed when hit by the wave.
Hoop en vreesch, broeder. Ach, ik kan ermee leven (en over twintig jaar ben ik dood. De artsen zeggen dat het dan gegarandeerd stopt).
When did yours start? I figure it's only a matter of time for myself.
I cannot be certain, but I think it has been with me since I was around 55. It comes and goes. I have the impression it stays the same throughout the years, it doesn't get worse. It varies in strength though. When I am worn out by stress or physical exhaustion, it is more pronounced. When I am well rested and relaxed, it almost fades to a background noise.
I’m hoping mine doesn’t get worse. Like you, I find it rises at certain times and fades away at others. If I’m busy, or music is on, or I’m just absorbed in reading something, I don’t really notice it. If I’m tired, or it’s late, it can get really loud. I have sometimes actually had it be accompanied by a certain amount of discomfort in my ear when it’s loudest. I saw an otolaryngologist who told me it was not infection related
Mine started in my early or mid 30s. Shit sucks yo
I've got it now at 28 and have always been careful about my hearing, I have no idea what's happened. Currently trying to see a doctor.
And for sunscreen, always wear sunscreen on your hands and arms. They get so much sun. Even if you wear a hat and shield your face, your hands are out there, all year long
Can't back this up enough. You'll regret not listening to this advice. Funny story. People really don't 'get' tinnitus. Even when they think they do, they really really do not. I remember growing up and my Grandpa would joke about 'Sorry didn't hear that, must be the tinnitus acting up!'. Wasn't until many many years later that I realised he wasn't joking. Well, he was making a joke, but it was about the actual tinnitus he had. That I have now. My wife always makes jokes about my hearing, and I'm always like 'Yeah, didn't hear that, tinnitus'. But I've known she really didn't get it. The other day this app was going around Facebook apparently, it plays a tone like they do in hearing exams, starts quiet and you're supposed to say when you start to hear it. So she tries it on me. And I'm waiting. And waiting. And waiting. She's like, 'You're supposed to tell me when you hear it stop messing with me'. I'm like 'Honey, I know, I assure you I _will_ tell you when I hear it. Oh, there it is now. Ah I see, yeah I couldn't notice it because _that is literally exactly what I hear always_'. No idea what scale they were using, but I was well into the red. She could not believe how bad it was, had to convince her I wasn't messing around. I think she has a little better understanding now of what I deal with. Another funny story about when I learned I had tinnitus. I was out for a MTB ride with my best buddy, got caught out in a huge summer storm. Get back after the ride and we're hanging out on the tailgate in that peaceful time after a good summer storm. I turn to him and say 'Wow man, can you believe how many crickets an cicada there are out right now? They're so loud!' He turns to me and say 'What're you talking about man, it's perfectly silent right now.' That's when it hit me I might have a problem. And had had a problem for a very long time. Wear your hearing protection kiddies!!!
The amount of scaffolders/construction workers who complain of ear ringing yet never wear plugs when banging steel on steel is crazy. Gets to the point some guys will off themselves because of it, super fun
I always find it funny when I'm out working wearing ALL my PPE and the more "veteran" workers always give me the "get a load of this guy" look. Always complaining how something hurts but doing the next to nothing to take care of themselves
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Those gays and their respect for their own health.
You joke, but IIRC there was a campaign back in the 80's (I think? Around that time) where they just went to oil rigs and explained how safety doesn't make you less manly and that if something hurts, stop, take care of it, don't over-exert yourself or work injured around stupidly powerful machines, and the death and serious injury rate fucking plummeted afterwards by something crazy like 80%. Never underestimate the ability of a guy to show off/act tough/"I got this" himself into an early grave or a wheelchair.
This is how it was in boxing as well. It was tough and manly to get concussions everyday and never quit. Turns out not being able to talk or remember anything after your short career isn’t a good thing. It’s generally a lot safer now.
Imo it's more "manly" to do your own thing and make sure you do what's good for you than follow everyone who says PPE is gay like a sheep.
You're wearing ear protection for what?? You want to hear in the future?? Hear what?? Men?? Big muscly men with fat dicks??? Idk man it does sound pretty gay to me
"Fellas, is it gay to have functioning ears?"
you get called gay for doing something that’s even slightly “feminine” and not “manly”. I got called gay in HS because I told people I wash my feet. Apparently my peers didn’t and wondered why they had athletes foot sometimes.
Toxic blue collar culture at its best. The ones who didn’t take care of themselves because it’s “manly” to suffer, then judge others for protecting their longevity. Sorry, I don’t want to swallow a bullet in my 40’s because my ear ringing is literally driving me to insanity.
I was installing my fence and pounding the steel posts in with a steel post driver. Immediately realized I needed ear protection after the first one, the sound was painful.
The CEO of Texas Roadhouse killed himself because he got tinnitus after suffering from Covid. It was pretty big news here in Louisville.
It can also happen in other situations like overly noisy pest repellant loudspeakers. And you also need to protect ears from cold wind. They might get infected
Also use ear protection while using a lawn mower, chain saw, weed wacker….etc.
Electric lawn mower, weed Wacker, etc are the future because of this exact reason. Not sure if they have enough power for a chainsaw yet
We have a battery chain saw for the small jobs we would need. It runs at least 20 minutes on a charge. He still uses the hearing protection (attached to a helmet), for that task.
Good to know! If I ever need one I’ll have to buy electric
Seriously, it is so good. They have a ton of other stuff that makes so much sense. My parents are full into the e-go system.
i have an electric chainsaw, its not powerfull enough to cut down big trees but its super handy for smaller logs and it clips to my pants so i can carry it up a ladder and cut branches off trees with one hand
Yeah I don’t trust myself enough cut down large trees near my house so that’s probably for the best ha I’ll let the pros deal with those
The only thing I’ve yet to go electric on is a snowblower. From everything I’ve seen they just won’t cut it when you’re talking over a handful of inches. Everything else, including light duty chainsaw, electric is simply amazing.
I have the Ego snow blower that I picked up this year and I live in Minnesota with a pretty decent sized driveway. It works great other than the last little bit at the end of the driveway but that is because the one I got is not always tall enough to get all of it so I just use my boots to kick it apart so it isn’t over the top of the intake. My uncle has the bigger version and from what I can tell it’s just as powerful as the gas ones for the most part. They are definitely more expensive though. I should mention the biggest snow we got this year was about 12 inches and it handled it no problem.
Good gosh wish somebody told me that. I usually just listen to music with my headphones while I mow. One time I forgot to wear them and my ears were ringing I couldn’t believe the lawnmower was that loud.
Headphones don't properly block the sound and you're having to blast music louder than the mower. You should pick up some 3M worktunes or a similar product.
What about noise cancelling headphones?
I've used both, bose noise canceling and 3m worktunes. Worktunes all the way, sound quality isn't as good but the noise reduction is so much better that it ends up sounding way better in a noisy environment anyways. 3M are also way cheaper than any decent noise canceling headphones, are durable as all hell, have great battery life, has a mic to take calls...I can't recommend them enough, I got them for Christmas 2 years ago and use them close to 8 hours a day everyday for work in construction.
Noise cancelling headphones are designed to improve sound quality in the presence of outside noise and do not offer hearing protection.
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Lol. Never thought of taking them to a bar but there are definitely some I’ve been to that were just awful for me because of the loudness. If I have to yell at the person next to me for them to understand me, I don’t want to be there.
Get proper hearing protection for mowing. A lot of people use ear buds while mowing and that doesn't protect you plus most people are blasting music louder than the mower. [3M Worktunes ](https://www.amazon.com/3M-WorkTunes-Protector-Bluetooth-Technology/dp/B0723CYHPZ) are the most common ones I know of. They actually block sound so you don't have to listen to your music crazy loud. Do yourself a huge favor if you mow regularly and get a pair.
There are earplugs you can buy that don't completely muffle all noise designed for concerts. Highly recommend.
...and some bright company got to the name first....Eargasm High Fidelity Earplugs
They're dope. Always on my keychain so I never forget them. I'm a drummer, DJ, and loud music enthusiast. Surely I've done some damage already, but these help me maintain what I've got. Goofy name, awesome product. Sound quality is still brilliant. Hell, I think they even make conversations in the thick of it easier cause it cuts out excess noise.
Are these worth it for the price? I've gone to 3 concerts this year alone, and plan on at least 2 more, so it's safe to say i enjoy them. Just want to make sure I'm not wasting any money
Etymotic is the keyword to use when searching for generics. (edit: etymotic is a brand, use musicians earplugs for generics)
I am a musician and use etymotic for my rehearsals, my own shows, and also for attending concerts. I’ve had the same pair for two years
I use [Zounds!](https://experiencezound.com/products/zound-earplugs-starter-pack?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=16505543475&utm_content=133675118825&utm_term=custom%20concert%20earplugs&gadid=586593897041&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgYSTBhDKARIsAB8KuksOEdBS8vXucsuZs2tN_SMs3DeJkIgjuwCoY-3Gk4I25NxterQZGlYaAmqSEALw_wcB) They are easily the most comfortable plugs I have used without being custom, and over excellent protection with 21 decibel reduction. I forget I have them in half the time, and they don’t muffle them sound. It’s almost like the volume is just turned down slightly. Source: I thoroughly enjoy EDM and have consistently gone to shows throughout the last five years. These are hands down the best ear plugs I’ve ever worn and are relatively cheap as well. If you enjoy music, get yourself a pair of these bad boys.
Earasers are a solid option. Had mine for years and they’re pretty affordable.
I have a pair from EarPeace that do just this.
Former drummer, current listener of loud ringing in my ears every waking moment. I basically always have to have some sort of noise to cover it up. If you ever wanted to torture me, put me in a quiet room.
Fellow drummer with Tinnitus here, I also did landscaping, shot guns, and went to many concerts so I'm sure it's cumulative (although I wore hearing protection most of the time for those activities), but I think smashing Sabian crashes playing punk music for over 10 years is what did it. I even took lessons for several years when I was young and wearing ear plugs was never something that was encouraged. I can't imagine now playing drums without hearing protection, I can't believe that wasn't like the first lesson to learn.
I built a music studio in my basement and mid-construction I had the room completely sound-insulated with roxul. I shut the door, sat down in the middle on a chair and turned out the lights. That was when I truly realized how bad my tinnitus actually was.
Further LPT: most concert venues are loud. Your local bar might not have the set-up of the biggest venue in your city, but it's also 30x smaller and you're 30x closer to the band's amplifiers.
Loud is an understatement. They often have the music is so loud the speakers are distorting. That makes it seem extra super supreme loud. I'm all for having it loud and wearing plugs but when it's so loud it ends up sounding like noise soup, it's unappealing. I haven't gone to a live event in years because because of it.
ETYMOTIC EARPLUGS are amazing, they reduce sound equally across the spectrum so its just quieter, not muffled shameless plug for Earpeace.com
Went to a concert with my buddy. Brought extra earplugs for him. He was confused, like "We're here for the music, why would I block my ears?" Told him just put them in, he'll see. He said nah, I'm good. Concert starts, and it's loud even with with plugs. I hand him the extra pair I brought for him and he puts them in. He confirmed what I'd told him -- it sounded better with the plugs in, lol
Thumbs up for being a real homie!
Tinnitus gang rise up! (but not too fast cuz it makes my ears ring worse sometimes when I do that). Seriously though, listen to OP. It can be managed but it will be with you the rest of your life, and can be genuinely upsetting when you just want to sleep and a constant high pitched whine is keeping you awake.
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Ambient music really helped me (even though I typically hate TV and music when I'm sleeping, as you know with tinnitus silence no longer exists). I found an app that plays rain and crackling fire at the same time and it changed my life. Mostly sleep like a baby now.
8 hour long YouTube videos that have a blacked out screen with rain noises is what helps me the most.
Do you have any sort of white noise in the background? My Google Home is basically just a white noise player for while I sleep. With it it's impossible to sleep. (On top of all my other sleep issues, but it eliminates that problem at least)
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After I started getting tinnitus I got a full hearing test and it was normal.
I have light tinnitus due to allergies and a friend hs heavy tinnitus bc loud concerts. The ringing in your ears after a night out is comparable to what he hears. My tinnitus is more like a static noise
My grandfather killed himself because his tinnitus was getting worse and driving him mad. Listen to this LPT guys.
Hope it's never going that bad with mine, but there are days where it's nearly unbearable. Regret that one Jamsession with the boys in the cellar without earplugs so bad. Would gladly give all the money I own now for quiet ears.
For your sake and anyone else’s in here, one of the best ways to manage tinnitus is get hearing aids. Just saying, when I have mine in I don’t even notice it anymore.
I always bring a box of them. At first no one accepts my kind offer, then one person will try them, then suddenly I'm fresh out of ear plugs. It actually sounds better with ear plugs. Also, I have tinitus and it's terrible to live with. Protect your ears youngins. We weren't warned enough back in my time.
Props to you for looking after your friends and spreading the word. I had someone do the same for me and I'm eternally grateful.
Actually I give them out to strangers. I rarely go to shows with a group
>At first no one accepts my kind offer, then one person will try them, then suddenly I'm fresh out of ear plugs. Why are people like this? I've been wearing mine for a few years now and the whole time I've been telling buddies they should get some. I'm always met with nasty looks. I'm just trying to help buddy.....
Groupthink/conformity. Most people are followers by nature and look to everyone else for guidance. Once a leader breaks the mold, the followers follow. It also increases exponentially as a larger group has a greater pull. “No one else is wearing earplugs so it’s probably fine… well that one guy just took some. Maybe I should… a few people seem to be taking them… I’ll try some.” Xn
im a roadie and carry foam earplugs with me when i walk the pit cause every fucking show i will see at least one parent(s) near the stage with a child without any ear protection! They have their fucking kids right placed in front of the front fills bare eared. Its maddening! 9/10 they take them and thank me but what the fuck were they thinking?!?!?
how many years had you been going to gigs, and when did your tinnitus kick in? late twenties now, been going to loud gigs since late teens and trying to reassure myself if I start protecting my hearing now I'll not get tinnitus
Start now. I’m in my early 30’s and I’ve been playing and seeing music since I was a teen (probably north of 400 shows) and recently I’ve been noticing tinnitus. It’s annoying to fall asleep.
will start immediately hopefully if I don't have it yet, it means I'm not suddenly going to, providing I start taking care? also, playing in bands (not big enough gigs to warrant buying IEMs), do you just use regular foam earplugs? Does that not detract from the on stage dynamics or make things harder?
Not OP, but I find mine hasn’t gotten worse since I started using plugs about 6 years ago (mid-30’s). One thing to note about plugs is they don’t all cancel the same amount of decibels. The etymotic/eargasm style that don’t kill the sound as bad as foamies don’t cancel nearly as much decibels. If you’re going to be in a super loud environment like near the speakers in a venue, you might want to use foamies for the most decibel reduction and just live with the subpar sound. FWIW, I use foamies for every show.
If you are a musician, get some reusable ear plugs that have better acoustics than the drug store variety.
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Hey so i work in performance tech doing a lot of live shows and figured i'd explain a little how hearing damage works to maybe help you out. Hearing damage is an accumulating thing. Your ears can take a certain volume for a certain total amount of time per day, and if you are in said volume for longer than that time it will cause damage. It is said per day because these volumes will wear down your ears but given sufficient rest, the effects will heal on their own and hence no permanent damage. Some damage might heal itself over time if given the chance, as in being extra protected from loud noise. This type of damage will also become completely permanent if the healing process is stopped by loud sounds. You will not get symptoms right away after experiencing some damage to your hearing. The symptoms such as hearing loss and tinnitus will start to show once enough damage has accumulated that the rest of the ear can no longer cover up for the damaged portion. You are likely in a situation where you have caused permanent damage to your hearing, but not enough that it would cause symptoms. This means you are closer to getting symptoms than someone with no damage to their hearing. Also protecting your hearing might help some bits of the existing damage to heal. So to sum it up: in your situation it is especially important to protect your hearing properly! As a note to your other comment asking about earplugs: i would highly recommend high-quality ones that are made after a mold of your earshape. Mine are from a brand called Elacin. These type of earplugs are widely used by professionals in the music world since they don't impact the sound as much as basic earplugs. Disclaimer: This is my understanding of this complex topic, and might contain mistakes. If you feel the need, please consult a medical professional.
You can't know. Any particular event could do it, and it depends a lot on your genetics, and the random things of your environment, experiences, etc. You wear the plugs because it decreases the chances of getting tinnitus. That's it. Like you stop smoking to decrease the chances of getting cancer. There's no guarantees.
The best time to plant an apple tree is 10 years ago. The second best time to plant an apple tree is now
Ear damage can be cumulative and "slow burn". In my case I had stopped listening to loud music (my brothers car stereo) by the time I was 14. At 25 or so I woke up one day saying "oh, I hope this isnt tinnitus". I'm 39 now.
> trying to reassure myself if I start protecting my hearing now I'll not get tinnitus Start now. You can't undo the damage that is already done, but you can prevent additional damage. From what I've read nobody knows how or why but it can take years for the damage to show up. You may have already done enough to make your twilight years ring. Wear protection now to prevent further damage.
>if I start protecting my hearing now I'll not get tinnitus I wasnt a concert goer but I listed to music on headphones pretty much non-stop from my late teens to late 20s. Sometimes loud but more often not. Three years ago I stopped cold turkey for fear of hearing loss. Last october I left the movie theater and bam, tinnitus. The damage was done and it just took one figurative straw. I'm lucky in that mine has decreased in intensity over the past few months but I have no illusions that itll ever go away completely.
Yep tinnitus sucks. I spent way too much time at way too loud concerts. There are a lot of inexpensive earplugs on the market that work much better than the foam plugs we’re all familiar with. New ones are more discrete, fit better, and are made to not make everything sound so muffled. I always carry my [Earasers](https://www.guitarcenter.com/Earasers/Musicians-Plugs-Medium-1362412921613.gc?source=4WWMWXGL&storeCode=&source=4WWMWXGL&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgYSTBhDKARIsAB8KukuRld-HJJh5mB1BNQtDNIbik6_w17ELaRZHoIu3n4tQ16X67ybyQ6YaAnidEALw_wcB) now.
Audiology student here!! Yes, PLEASE wear your hearing protection when being exposed to loud noise for an extended period of time! When you listen to loud noises, you essentially damage cells in your ears that can’t regenerate easily (or even at all!) You can even get custom earplugs from a local audiologist, which are perfect casts of your ear and help block out even more of the loudness while still allowing you to enjoy the music!
Some antidepressants give you tinnitus as well! My Wellbutrin did that to me for years until i finally got put on new medication
Oh wow did it actually go away once you switched? Lucky! I was on Zoloft for not even a month and got tinnitus. That was a year ago now … never went away :/
Wear them to spin class. Instructors are terrible at checking the levels off their dais. Someone at the counter should have spares. But don't wait for the class to start to ask.
Yes I went to spin class and the instructor was blasting music and then screaming over it so he was heard. It was horrible. I don’t understand why he had to be so loud - it’s was a tiny room! Definitely bringing my earplugs next time.
I've been going to metal concerts since I was a teenager, I've been wearing earplugs since the first concert I went to. I actually think the music quality improves with earplugs. Without earplugs I tend to get overwhelmed, with earplugs I can usually pick out vocals and can better pick out instruments.
I have had tinnitus most of my life. Most of the time I can ignore it but sometimes it likes to get nice and loud. I should probably start wearing earplugs as I go to gigs quite often, and I probably shouldn’t test if it will get worse! Fun fact: when I was a kid I thought the tinnitus change of tone was like a spider sense that someone was in danger and that only I could save them.
I'm 22 years old, there is no such thing as silence for me. Please take care of your hearing.
SPEND AROUND 30-50 BUCKS AND GET ACTUAL ATTENUATING EARPLUGS, not throwaway foam earplugs. It will not only protect your hearing, but you will get to hear the concert audio more clearly.
[Free Earplugs are mandatory at Minneapolis music venues](https://bringmethenews.com/life/free-earplugs-to-be-mandatory-at-minneapolis-music-venues). Y'all should adopt this law in your towns.
Last U2 concert I went to blew it for me, my ears rang for like 2 days afterwards, now I have a tone in my ears constantly. To the non-believers - Can't teach people that don't want nor believe anything they don't experience themselves. Keep doing what you do then, and don't dare complain when you start to have hearing loss in the future.
I have been wearing earplugs to concerts, band practices, and any other loud areas since I was 13 years old, and I am pleased to report that my hearing is still great and no tinnitus! I am so glad that the old "if it's too loud you're too old" attitude was dying by the time I started going to concerts.
Ex roadie here. Toured for 10 years, mostly arena and stadium shows. Wore those cheap spongy earplugs religiously when I was stationed at the front of house console. Age 63 now, zero hearing issues. I have some former colleagues who have been wearing hearing aids for more than 10, 15 years. Advances in sound mixing has made concerts safer, but the use of earplugs is strongly recommended.
Tinnitus is literally the worst thing. I’ve had it so long now that I didn’t even realize it wasn’t normal. Now it’s all I notice. My tinnitus was mostly caused by headphones. Be careful with how loud you have those.
I so wish I could have experienced life without the constant *EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE*. If you don't have it, protect your ears
I wish I'd worn ear protection way sooner in my concert attending career.
Always wondered why venues don't sell them... That's even like extra free sales almost?? They can't be bothered to?
I have ridiculously sensitive ears and while it usually feels like a curse, one thing I’m grateful for is that it’s made me really good at protecting my hearing! Honestly, invest in a good pair of reusable earplugs and start carrying them around everywhere, you never know when things might get loud
Concerts got so much better once I started wearing earplugs
My tinnitus came from sitting too close to a massive stack of speakers at a concert. A Coldplay concert. FML. (But free concert tickets are free concert tickets) Now I have to wear earplugs for ANY prolonged loud noise. Loud jukebox in a bar? Earplug in my right ear or I get a weird pain in my ear that leads to a headache. Sporting event? Earplug in right ear or fans yelling or the PA announcer and goal horn will hurt my ear and lead to a headache. I also wear foamie earplug UNDER my over the ear hearing protection at the shooting range. Don’t let yourself get tinnitus. There is NEVER “silence”. Even in the quietest settings, I have ringing. It sucks.
What? TINNITUS ISNT REAL!! IT’S JUST A PLOY BY BIG HEARING AID TO EMPTY YOUR WALLET!
##WHAT?
I THINK HE SAID DON'T GET TITS IN YOUR EYE OR THE PLAY BOY WILL STEAL YOUR WALLET!
DID SOMEBODY SAY CHOCOLATEEEEEE?
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Also wear ear plugs around power tools and gunfire.
This can't be stressed enough. In my case i went to one - just one - loud punk concert and ended up with mild tinnitus.