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Tinnitus :(

J

jamington2004

pfm Member
Starting getting into headphone and IEMs about a year ago. Probably used to listen to them too loud, but not for hours on end, and not uncomfortably loud, just nice and loud :)

About 6 months ago started getting the odd “burst” of tinitus. Would just suddenly get a faint but noticeable high pitched noise but it would disappear within a few seconds.

Now last few weeks I am getting a pretty regular / constant but very faint high pitched sound (think dog whistle!)

Can only hear it when it’s dead quiet like going to bed.

Would love to hear opinions on it. Should I stop listening completely? Should I ignore it and it shouldn’t get worse if I keep to lower volumes? Can I make it worse?

I read it’s nothing to worry about so wouldn’t mind if it stayed like this.... but certainly don’t want to risk making it louder / worse

thanks all :)
 
I really can’t use headphones very often or for prolonged periods or it aggravates my tinnitus. Most of the time it’s quiet enough to be forgotten about.

I spent considerable time and cash last year trying different cans and amps to find a really forgiving sound but the tinnitus still limits how much I can use them. If I wear them while working for an afternoon it spoils my enjoyment of music in the evening. I really don’t listen loud.

My tuppence worth would be to use speakers wherever possible... the thought of really damaging your hearing is awful.
 
I have had pretty full on tinnitus for the last number of years. Self induced due to playing in a rock band, without adequate hearing protection. The following are tips from my experience, rather that being an expert on the matter.
Have your ear canals checked by an audiologist. I understand that excessive build up of wax in the canal can contribute to symptoms of tinnitus
IMO you should stop using headphones for now. Have your symptoms thoroughly investigated and then you will get expert advise as to whether headphones are appropriate or not.
Do not panic. I know several individuals who have tinnitus and one way or another, people get used of it. My tinnitus is permanent and mindfulness techniques have been really helpful in learning to cope with it. Of course yours may well be temporary, but get it checked out thoroughly.
Best of luck with it.
 
leroyd said:
My tinnitus is permanent and mindfulness techniques have been really helpful in learning to cope with it.
Click to expand...

That is an interesting quote from a sufferer.
Over the past few years tinnitus has been discussed on the radio at least a couple of times, and to get people up with what it is, they have played some of the different sounds that people with tinnitus hear. All of those sounds, I can hear if I concentrate really, very hard. But they are "tuned-out" in normal everyday life. I am sure, as someone who has only made that observation and has no other qualification whatsoever, that tinnitus is actually normal for everyone, but those who find it intrusive have a damaged "switch", so they can't tune it out.

My partner is a sufferer and she reckons yoga helps with hers.
 
Vinny said:
That is an interesting quote from a sufferer.
Over the past few years tinnitus has been discussed on the radio at least a couple of times, and to get people up with what it is, they have played some of the different sounds that people with tinnitus hear. All of those sounds, I can hear if I concentrate really, very hard. But they are "tuned-out" in normal everyday life. I am sure, as someone who has only made that observation and has no other qualification whatsoever, that tinnitus is actually normal for everyone, but those who find it intrusive have a damaged "switch", so they can't tune it out.

My partner is a sufferer and she reckons yoga helps with hers.
Click to expand...
Yoga and mindfulness are very closely associated and it would not be a surprise to me if yoga is helpull.
I see myself as no longer being someone who is a "sufferer" when it comes to my tinnitus. It is a condition that I have and it is going nowhere. I accept it and welcome it to my world. It was my choice to treat as an enemy but doing so would result in one winner and that was never going to be me. Regarding your assertion that tinnitus is normal for everyone, I find it difficult to agree with.
 
Your tinnitus may have nothing to do with headphone use.
I have no headphones but suffer from Meniere’s disease, a condition of the inner ear that includes tinnitus.
Indeed two nights ago the E note playing in my right ear was so loud it woke me up!
It varies from pure high pitched tones, to “ sounds of the sea” to low rumbling.
There is no treatment other than some head manoeuvres. I just have to wait for it to pass.
 
I tried those Flare thingies but they did nothing for me. They did refund with no hassles however.
 
I’ve had tinnitus for about 10 years now - occupational hazard from working in the Music business, going to gigs etc. I’ve learned to live with it (luckily it doesn’t affect my sleep) and as a regular headphone user I can say that it definitely hasn’t got any worse.
 
Ive had tinnitus for many years. I only really tune into it when thinking about it, like now my ears are ringing very loudly. However, I fully accept it and know its not any kind of health issue so once that is in your mind the brain seems to tune out of the high pitched ringing.

A major discovery for me was that it can also be a low humming sound which I started to experience not long after moving into our new home. Most nights I would lay in bed and hear what sounded like a car ticking over a few streets away, a slight low pitched hum. My wife said she couldn’t hear anything. I got up and walked all around the house one night and could hear it at around the same volume, so went outside and it disappeared.

I was sure it was a problem with the house, but once I read tinnitus could be a low pitched sound I accepted it and haven’t heard it since, even when I try to listen for it.

I guess for me accepting it has helped immensely as the only time I really hear it is when I think about it. Right, on to other stuff now as my ears are now ringing like a b#######d
 
david ellwood said:
Do you have Tinnitus?
Click to expand...
Yes. I have a degree of hf tinnitus in both ears, and suffer from occasional and prolonged bouts of pulsatile clicking in my left inner ear. The latter may be a mild anxiety thing causing the small inner ear muscles to twitch, and sounds exactly like a Geiger counter. Very annoying, but I deal with it.
 
I have had tinnitus for as long as I can remember.

I think that mine is hereditary as my mum, her father and my youngest daughter all have it.

Mine sounds like a flash on a camera charging up.

I have not found a solution for it.

About 20 years ago I was going to be involved in a clinical trial using gingko biloba, but I moved house before it started.
 
Flash charging up - that sounds a good description of mine. Very faint - but I would rather it stayed that way :)

Might be a good excuse to move from
Headphones and see what a few grand will get me for a super near field monitor set up!
 
I have very faint tinnitus as described above perfectly and clicking from time to time. I'm unsure if mine is both ears or just the left - I find it difficult to tell.
 
I had ear problems years ago , all as above strange whistling zinging sort of anoying noises , Went to see the Doc and he asked how do I clean my ears ? I told him I use a hair clip to scoop put the wax and then a cotton bud for the final clean out , He was alarmed and told me ears are self cleaning and DO NOT poke anything smaller than your fist in your ears as you can do serious damage :eek:
OK now my ears are far better re noises and sometimes I get a lump of wax fall out , The probably don't look nice inside , I can live with that for no hearing damage

From the NHS site
Preventing earwax build-up

You can't prevent earwax. It's there to protect your ears from dirt and germs.

But you can keep using eardrops to soften the wax. This will help it fall out on its own and should prevent blocked ears.

Causes of earwax
You might have earwax build-up because:

  • you just have more wax in your ears – some people do naturally
  • you have hairy or narrow canals (the tubes that link the eardrum and outer ear)
  • of your age – wax gets harder and more difficult to fall out
  • of hearing aids, earplugs and other things you put in your ear – these can push the wax further in
 
I have mild (fortunately) Tinnitus which I find distracting when using headphones. Now I should make it clear that this is definitely not a "HiFi" suggestion but for casual listening I find bone conducting headphones to be excellent. Not by any means perfect musically, bass is weak and loud volumes upset them but, for what I class as casual listening, radio, podcasts etc, and even music a lot of the time they are perfect for me. The ones I have are Aftershokz Aeropex.
 
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