Hearing Loss

John Lamb

Senior Member
For all for whom it concerns, I just updated Anatomy of Drumming with a new chapter on Hearing Loss. It has something you probably never heard about how many medicines can multiply the damage to the ear from loud noises. Please share it! I think it is very important for people to know, and nobody has heard about it. Thanks!

http://johnlambdrums.com/hearing-loss/
 
Thanks for that John. I printed it out and will put it with the book. Very informative to say the least.
 
I liked the suggestion to put in my plugs a bit before I really need them. I use the type with basic attenuators and I really can hear most of the stuff very well. I have to assume that giving my head/ears some adjustment time might improve perceived "clarity" even further.

Code:
[SIZE="4"]     * FUN FACT! *[/SIZE]
Watso has been known at times to "not hear" things selectively!

Code:
[SIZE="4"]     * FUN FACT! *[/SIZE]
[I]Did you know?[/I]  The incessant nagging of the average wife has been recorded at over
141 decibels and is responsible for more ear damage annually than all the drummers
in California combined!
 
Interesting.
I have tinnitus, luckily it doesn't bother me too much except when I sit a notice it on purpose (like now).

Oddly, I still have better hearing than a lot of people I know. Case in point: A few years ago, one of my clients was a developing some electronic equipment. I came in one day and said I could hear a fairly high pitched buzzing sort of sound coming from the circuit boards. Nobody else could hear it. Turned out to be the coil inductors. They were all around 10 years older than me so put it down to age. But still, I've been bashing drums for nearly 2 decades without hearing protection (though I tend to use in-ear monitors these days when practising on acoustics).

I do still practise with bands without ear protection, but slowly trying to switch over to in-ear monitoring...
 
Just what I needed to see today! Thanks! I had no clue over the counter pain meds could affect my ears. I'm familiar with the ringing (I call it my personal cicada concert). But last fall my right ear pulled a new trick - muffled, like after a swim. When I was finally able to get in for a visit with ear specialist, the buzzing, muffled sensation had stopped. Hearing in both ears is in the normal range. But about the same time I had a sudden toothache. Sensitive, but X-ray did not show any damage. Move ahead to the end of May and I learn a root canal is in order. Lucky me. I had to take antibiotics and the buzzing returned. I'm hoping once the root canal is completed, this muffled, buzzing will stop. Anyone else have similar ear problems? I use ear muffs when using the amp on the ekit. When using headphones, it isn't turned up loud. No drums today. Resting my ears.
 
Just what I needed to see today! Thanks! I had no clue over the counter pain meds could affect my ears. I'm familiar with the ringing (I call it my personal cicada concert). But last fall my right ear pulled a new trick - muffled, like after a swim. When I was finally able to get in for a visit with ear specialist, the buzzing, muffled sensation had stopped. Hearing in both ears is in the normal range. But about the same time I had a sudden toothache. Sensitive, but X-ray did not show any damage. Move ahead to the end of May and I learn a root canal is in order. Lucky me. I had to take antibiotics and the buzzing returned. I'm hoping once the root canal is completed, this muffled, buzzing will stop. Anyone else have similar ear problems? I use ear muffs when using the amp on the ekit. When using headphones, it isn't turned up loud. No drums today. Resting my ears.


Absolutely! I didn't either until I started diving into the topic of hearing loss. Zero guides on hearing loss for musicians cover it. I was shocked to find it absent because the research is clear, and the people who set up those guides are both fervent and knowledgeable. It just isn't well known - even to MDs.

Yeah - teeth can cause all sorts of weird problems. And tinnitus is definitely a weird problem. It can even have a myofascial origin (rarely).

BTW, The feeling of being clogged seems to be a a mental, top-down effect (when it isn't actually clogged of course). Because the ear isn't hearing as well as expected, part of the brain is like "It's gotta be clogged" and inserts the feeling of clogginess, stuffed-ness.
 
I liked the suggestion to put in my plugs a bit before I really need them. I use the type with basic attenuators and I really can hear most of the stuff very well. I have to assume that giving my head/ears some adjustment time might improve perceived "clarity" even further.

Code:
[SIZE="4"]     * FUN FACT! *[/SIZE]
Watso has been known at times to "not hear" things selectively!

Code:
[SIZE="4"]     * FUN FACT! *[/SIZE]
[I]Did you know?[/I]  The incessant nagging of the average wife has been recorded at over 141 decibels and is responsible for more ear damage annually than all the drummers in California combined!

LOL.... I had fun with the "Fun Facts" ... Most of them weren't all that fun.

Another fun fact: A friend told me to add male performance enhancers to the list of ototoxic drugs as well. You can bring this up next time your wife thinks you are only selectively listening....
 
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