Who has ringing in the ears?

[Doc Mark]

Greetings, Friends,

For as long as I can remember, I've had tinnitus, or ringing in the ears. When I was young, and even more stupid that I am now, I used to shoot large caliber firearms with no hearing protection, at all. For about 8 years in the CA National Guard, I was a Tank Platoon Leader, and our old M48's were just plain LOUD! Add to that the fact that I played music, professionally, for almost thirty years, and well, my ears ring, every day, all the time, period!

Once when Sweet Bride and I were snow camping, up on Mt. San Jacinto (10,802 feet), we had setup our tent on 12 feet of snow, and in the middle of the night, I was awakened by what I took to be a Freight Train coming through our tent!!! I ripped open the zipper on the tent fly, and stuck my head outside, to see what could possibly be making such a horrible noise! It was just my ears ringing..... The extreme quiet at that altitude, when everything was deeply covered with snow, really highlighted just how much my ears ring all the time!

Since I got my L300's, and had my 1812 Overture "experience", it seems that they are ringing even louder than they previously were! I'm trying to get them back to "normal", and have been putting the DB meter on the L300's, and the L19's I'm now listening to in my work area. I'm trying to limit the DB's to around 80 +/-. Don't know if it will do any good, but what the heck, eh?!

My question is, how many of you also suffer from tinnitus? If you do have it, how long have you dealt with it, and what are you doing to keep it from getting worse? How do we keep enjoying the music reproduced by our beloved JBL speaker systems, without further damaging our hearing?

This morning, I was looking at those 2380A horns I got the other day, one of which is already mounted on one of the 2445J's I got from Brother Todd, and I thought to myself, "Oh Lord! What have I gotten myself into??!! I'll bet these suckers will be really LOUD, unless I pad them down a good bit"!! Yeah.... JUST what I need!

I'd appreciate hearing (no pun intended!) how the rest of you deal with ringing in the ears, and your sharing any remedies you are undertaking to keep things from getting worse. Thanks, very much, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

[SEAWOLF97]

Doc-
I've had it since late 60's (lots of M16's,M14's,45ACP's,F4J's,UH1's etc) ...I dont know of any remedy..since you are a vet, at least put in a claim with VA comp&pen , its an automatic 10 percent disability....TOM

[Ducatista47]

I am 61 years old and have noticed it only recently, perhaps the last year.
It is the product of many years of insults to my system I'm sure, but despite the loud concerts in the 1960's an 70's, lots of headphone use, etc, the major cause was work related. I spent the better part of two years on ten hour overnight shifts between two huge photocopiers (I can hear Rob Schneider now - "Clark - making copies"). Since I was a shift of one and had to answer the phone and service walk in customers, I was not allowed to wear ear protection.

That had much more effect than the occasional concert with long normal periods in between them. Over forty years ago I fell asleep with one ear in the open back of a Fender Concert lead guitar amp (four tens) in the middle of a gig. That was extreme and cost me the ability to hear some highs in that ear, but no tinnitus.

Now I find that it increases temporarily when I listen to music or can't get away from someone's loud TV quickly enough. I have to be careful. I was never one to crank it, but I am wary and moderate now, as compared to how I would be if I did not have this condition. I'm lucky so far. My ringing is minor and only interferes with the quietest passages in the music I listen to.

Clark

[Andyoz]

I've had it mildly since I was young. Probably headphone use.

I have become more aware of it the last year or so and it may be due to aging as I am careful with concerts, etc. It creeps up on your and once you start to notice it, it does annoy a bit when trying to sleep.

When I started researching it a bit a year ago, I felt better knowing that LOTS of people have it and many are much worse than me. I need my ears for my work so I am paranoid about not making it worse.

I was reading Phil Spectors book and he was renowned for monitoring his mixing incredibly loud (he often broke studio monitors which is hard to do). Apparently he has no hearing loss. I've heard similar stories for other recording engineers so loud music isn't always the to blame (within reason!)

[Rusnzha]

It came out of nowhere when I was going to sleep one night about 25 years ago. It hasn't gotten better or worse. Luckily, JBLs don't have to be played at ear splitting volume to satisfy, so I don't think they are hurting the situation. When I play them on the living room 7.1, it's easier to forget the ringing than it is when I listen on the bedroom stereo when going to sleep.

[Mannermusic]

Yes, tinnitus can be "cured." It's a matter of training your brain not to listen to the ringing. It turns out, the worst thing you can do is retreat - avoid noise. Like Doc sleeping in the tent in the middle of nowhere. The brain has a natural tendency to "turn up the gain" when it gets quiet - listening for predators. You hear the normal background noise - not unlike any amplification gear - much louder. But, there are techniques/exercises to teach your brain not to listen to the ringing. Takes some effort. See attached site:http://www.tinnitus.org/home/frame/THC1.htm MM

[bigyank]

I got it in my right ear from all things my car stereo (mildly). Showed up noticeably after a sever sinus infection December 2004. Since then when I go to concerts (2-3 per year) I wear hearing protection.

Since I am married with children, I am not allowed to crank it up (unless everyone goes out ).

The link Mannermusic added looks interesting, I will have to delve into this more. Hey I am a Navy vet so maybe I will look into the VA too. I spent 3 years with a VP squadron so I can blame that experience.

Yank

[mikebake]

In very high percentages, if you have tinnitus you have some degree of hearing loss. Get tested now so you know where you are at.
I have studiously avoided nerve overload the last several years, to avoid further degradation. I just ignore it now, for the most part.
I sometimes wear custom molded ear plugs that have various degree of db attentuation filters that can be swapped in and out.
My hearing has what audiologists call the classic "Carharrt" notch. I'm good on both sides of it. It is centered around the 2K range. "Although the notch occurs at 2,000 Hz, a reduction in bone conduction sensitivity is seen from 500 to 4,000 Hz which is, on average, 5 dB at 500 Hz, 10 dB at 1000 Hz, 15 dB at 2000 Hz, and 5 dB at 4,000 Hz (Carhart, 1971)."
Go get a hearing test.

[JBL 4645]

I noticed it when I was young also and now I think it was due to seeing Earthquake a few years earlier as that film was so damn loud and seeing three times thou not in the same day, but over the course of few weeks.

I’ve had a mild high pitch sound that’s been rising and lowering on both sides thou not at the same level. I tend to sleep a lot most as it brings on depression.

I last had an auditory test 18 to 20 months ago I think? I was told sure I had slight db drop on one side can’t remember which side? I was told by the GP it’s nothing to worry about unless I had loss below a certain frequency where directional sounds.

[boputnam]

...I used to shoot large caliber firearms with no hearing protection...

Hearing protection was not common at rifle ranges in my youth, either. They seemed either ignorant or less respectful than we are now of the long-term damage.

...a reduction in bone conduction sensitivity is seen from 500 to 4,000 Hz which is, on average, 5 dB at 500 Hz, 10 dB at 1000 Hz, 15 dB at 2000 Hz, and 5 dB at 4,000 Hz (Carhart, 1971)."

Calicification of the middle-ear ossicular chain ('dem bones, 'dem bones, 'dem - dry bones...) results in them being 'knit' together, and less efficient in mechanical action. Stapendectomies can help but these typically result in loss of hearing in the upper frequencies.

...Go get a hearing test.

Do. This won't ameliorate the symptom, but will inform you of it's characteristics.

Yes, tinnitus can be "cured." It's a matter of training your brain not to listen to the ringing.

IMO, the ringing you hear are the frequency(s) you are missing. The brain is making-up for the loss(es). That is why the characteristics differ so greatly amongst the afflicted - it relates to the extent and character of their hearing loss. JMO...

I was reading Phil Spectors' book...

Wait a damned minute! He's GREAT and he wears glasses - pretty large ones!!! Holymoly!!

Oh sorry, wrong thread...

[Skywave-Rider]

Wait a damned minute! He's GREAT and he wears glasses - pretty large ones!!! Holymoly!!

Oh sorry, wrong thread...

And he apparently discharges firearms without hearing protection.

[SEAWOLF97]

Hey I am a Navy vet so maybe I will look into the VA too. I spent 3 years with a VP squadron so I can blame that experience.
Yank

VP-69 = NAS Whidbey ..72-74 ...P2V Neptunes ..., yup there's a lot you can blame on the old "Canoe Club" (plus all them other luxury a/c we flew around in)

[Donald]

I have a high pitched squeal in both ears. About the frequency of a flyback transformer in an old TV set.

I think I can tie it back to being a groupie/roadie for a Chicago rock and roll band that covered Led Zep, Stones, Humble Pie. James Gang, etc. Many small clubs where you could not get away from the sound. And before earplugs were 'required'.

[Rolf]

I don't have a ringing, but a hi frq tone in both ears. Around 8000Hz. I have spoken to my doctor about this several times, but is told that there is nothing to do about it.

The only thing to do is not to think about it, and that works for me, and I am not very tormented by this. I have heard that this can be really bad for some, and has even made persons commit suicide.

For me, the only thing is that when I listen to music I have to listen at a higher volume than the annoying frg, but that works fine.

[SureFire]

I have ringing in my ears for over 40 years. Couldn't tell you the cause, but I have it. I had a auditory test about 10+ years ago, and I was put in a isolation chamber that was SO quiet I could hear my heart beating. The test determined my ringing was at 4K @ 42db. One remedy was to have a hearing device made that beats against the frequency and nulls out the ringing. I felt I wasn't ready for the device.

What I did discover is the intensity of the ringing has more to do with the FOOD you eat than the noise around you.

The ingredient MSG in your food will make the intensity jump 50% or more. Same with chocolate. I started checking the labels on the food I was eating and inquiring about MSG in the restaurants I was going to. The ringing has been subdued to background noise (it NEVER goes away) and makes things more tolerable, BUT most Chinese Food has MSG in it, and a gourmet meal will bring on 6 hours of severe ringing.

My L'300's are another cure for my ringing, along with some vintage Rock & Jazz.