Question about Tinnitus

YourAverageDrummer

Junior Member
I know I already asked about this, but I'm starting to get worried about my hearing. I'm only 17, but I think I'm starting to get tinnitus.

I play drums at my church and they have those insulated boxes that trap all the sound inside. I wear earplugs which are supposed to catch like 30 decibels and then I wear Vic Firth sound isolating headphones and they plug into an in-ear monitor system. I've been noticing this noise in my ear for awhile now. It isn't like a ringing, although I'll get a ringing for a few seconds the day after I play, it's more like a hissing. Sort of like when you have a stereo on but no sound is coming out.

My question is, even with the earplugs and headphones, will the tinnitus or whatever it is get worse?
 
It definately could get worse. Check with a doctor and read the various threads on this and other forums to educate yourself about ear plugs, headphones, etc. At your age you have the chance to deal with the problem and minimize any further problems. Take it from me, 20 years down the road you will thank yourself.
 
I have the same thing happen to me occasionally, but recently its been happening more often. I think it has something to do with the spring and allergies
 
That kind of thing can come and go, it's not necessarily a big problem. If you're sure your hearing is that well protected, there shouldn't be any problem with tinnitus.
 
With that amount of protection it seems unlikely any tinnitus could be caused from noise exposure, unless the mix coming from the monitors is excrutiatingly loud.
Is the noise continual, ie. most noticable in quiet conditions?
Consider getting your ear syringed, compacted wax could be an issue, as could some sort of infection. A friend of mine had tinnitus caused by thrush in the ear.
 
I've recently aquired tinnitus, and I've been wearing army issue noise cancelling headphones. Even with squishy in ear protectors (if tou know what I mean) and these army issue headphones on at the same time, I still come away from my kit with this noise that you mention going on in my head. I hear no high frequency's and so can only assume that this noise is being caused by low fequency's, which I believe are very difficult to cancel out, and are of course what your drums mainly consist of.

I'm going to go to my doctors and hope to get a referal to an audiologist, for some serious tailor made protection, but I'm lucky, Scotland has the HNS, so it should be free.

Be very careful my freind, I already have it, and it is not nice. It is intrusive into your everyday life and research has also shown that a large percentage of people with tinnitus also suffer from depression because of it.
 
...I'm starting to get worried about my hearing. I'm only 17, but I think I'm starting to get tinnitus.

If you're worried, go see a hearing specialist. Get your hearing tested. Don't let a bunch of guy's (drummers or not) diagnose your symptoms. This is a drummers forum, not a doctors forum.
 
There is and was ringing in my ear as I typed that message, it's off putting to say the least. And yes DEFINATLEY go see a doctor as soon as humanly possible (no exaggeration)
 
On one hand Im kinda lucky - Ive had it for 20 yrs, and its never really gotten worse, and I rarely ever notice it - until people bring it up, haha!

On the other hand-if Im around loud music, or anything loud, my ears will actually HURT. I get a little of that just from playing drums with the squishy ear plugs and the pistol-range headphones on top, but if I were to play with a band it gets real bad. Hence, my gigging days are over.
 
My ears ring non-stop. I wear ear plugs at concerts and use high quality headphones when I play but I think it's time to see a doctor.
 
If you're worried, go see a hearing specialist. Get your hearing tested. Don't let a bunch of guy's (drummers or not) diagnose your symptoms. This is a drummers forum, not a doctors forum.

agree with this 100%. do what harry said.
 
I've recently aquired tinnitus, and I've been wearing army issue noise cancelling headphones. Even with squishy in ear protectors (if tou know what I mean) and these army issue headphones on at the same time, I still come away from my kit with this noise that you mention going on in my head. I hear no high frequency's and so can only assume that this noise is being caused by low fequency's, which I believe are very difficult to cancel out, and are of course what your drums mainly consist of.

Noise cancelling headphones produce a hissing noise which is as damaging as the noise they block out!
What you need are custom earplugs which block out all frequencies equally.

On one hand Im kinda lucky - Ive had it for 20 yrs, and its never really gotten worse, and I rarely ever notice it - until people bring it up, haha!

On the other hand-if Im around loud music, or anything loud, my ears will actually HURT. I get a little of that just from playing drums with the squishy ear plugs and the pistol-range headphones on top, but if I were to play with a band it gets real bad. Hence, my gigging days are over.

You must be overly sensitive to noise. You have like 60 dB protection and still feel pain?! I don't call that lucky.

Be very careful my freind, I already have it, and it is not nice. It is intrusive into your everyday life and research has also shown that a large percentage of people with tinnitus also suffer from depression because of it.

And how few people actually stop drumming after severe tinnitus, pain or hyper sensitivity?
 
To compensate for the earplugs, I have to turn the in-ear monitor to a little past the halfway point.

Also, the buzzing is only in one ear, so it is possible that it wasn't from drumming.
 
I notice my ears having minor issue's with ringing etc, when I have the headphones up loud, with lots of treble. Hearing all those high-ends...cymbal crashes, horns etc etc... really bothers my ears....I tend to adjust the EQ to reflect more low-end, bass elements. Seems I can tolerate that spectrum much better.
 
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