Hearing loss... any good news?

ms500 · Post by **ms500** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 1:45 pm

Cheers Tone,

It definitely makes sense what the guys are saying on the thread but its a little different from my problem. The thing that bothers me the most is the fact that everywhere I look people are all saying that they have mild tinnitus and maybe a bit of high end roll off but I'm sitting here with severe tinnitus and a nice big chunk of mid range taken out of my right ear and I'm 23. I just feel like my chances are completely fucked.

It's driving me crazy.

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:32 pm

unless you're really unlucky (like pre-existing condition), or have seriously caned it at gigs or headphones, i think your hearing is gonna be holding up for a while to come.

If you are unlucky, you're not gonna help the problem by worrying about it. Just use headphones carefully (if at all), ear plugs at loud gigs, and pay attention to how low you're monitors are.

I think the scare stories aren't that helpful. People are caning their ears a bit, but people have taken much worse in their life... like wars, super loud factories. The ears are tougher than these scare stories say.

And in fact we don't even fully understand them yet.

If you can notice the problem in your everyday life, like you have to ask people to repeat things etc etc, then you have a problem, and should look into it further. But i really think it's possible to overestimate the issue as a musician, and once you start worrying about it too much its hard to stop and will control your life.

ms500 · Post by **ms500** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 3:22 pm

oblioblioblio wrote: If you can notice the problem in your everyday life, like you have to ask people to repeat things etc etc, then you have a problem, and should look into it further.

To be honest it is effecting my everyday life already, some days I struggle to work in the studio because the ringing is too loud and certain frequencies are painful to listen to if the sound is resonant. But sometimes I don't even notice the ringing so who knows. All this doesn't bother too much though, it's the prospect of the future which worries me the most.

Ingemar · Post by **Ingemar** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 5:15 pm

just a general tip, caffeine and alcohol can make some people feel anxiety and bad in general. There are lots of these little things that can amplify eachothers into making you feel like you do.

Also I'd like to stress what Oblio said: that clinical tests shows that the brain generates the sound of tinnitus even if the nerves to the ears are severed.

I don't want to completely write you condition off as psychological, but a change of lifestyle might very well help (specially if you feel depressed). Start excersising, stop smoking, live healthy. If you already live healthy, then stop doing that.

And last but not least, your carrier is in no way over. Think of the big guys, Richie Hawtin for example: I don't reckon he has been overly careful with his hearing for the majority of his career and he's still at it...

Themis · Post by **Themis** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:28 pm

he wrote that he has hearing loss so, that cant be psychological

and tinitus i dont know but if its only the brain i would say they would have found something by now, cause there are so many drugs which mess with the brain and hormons ect.

TMCM · Post by **TMCM** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:37 pm

a tinnitus could have various causes, not all are psychological. sometimes i have mild tinnitus which is caused by high blood-pressure, for example.
in your case (combined with a hearing loss), it points to some kind of damage somewhere in your ears. but it's not said it is irreversible... yet.
maybe a visit to a doctor could be of some help...

ms500 · Post by **ms500** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 11:07 pm

Yea I've seen the hearing specialist a few times. He said that there was a slight chance that my hearing might return but that was about 6 months ago now so I'm not holding my breath. He said that there is no way of telling what is wrong with my ear and because of that it's hard to give help and advice. That's the problem with the ear is that it is so complex and hard to reach that it makes it nearly impossible to do anything about it. Who knows for the future though but again I'm not holding my breath.

Thanks for the interest guys, it definitely helps to get different opinions and information.

Grey_People · Post by **Grey_People** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 12:16 am

My hearings fucked right now, hopefully temporarily. Stupid sinuses.