Tinnitus - The ringing in my ears!!!

[evansvillethompsongunner]

Someone else touched on this subject in another thread, but I wanted more information so I started this one.

My ear (left) has been ringing NON STOP for a little over two years, that's probably nothing compared to some people. I made some very poor choices and shot one too many times without hearing protection...now I am going to have to live with this (from what I understand) the rest of my life! This is not a soft ringing...it is a high pitched LOUD ring that I hear NON STOP! I am curious to see how many others suffer from this HORRIBLE ringing like I do, and what, if anything, you do to help control it (if you can). Any information you have will be helpful. And please...make sure you and the others you shoot with ALWAYS wear hearing protection, tinnitus is no joke and it sure as hell isn't something you want to be stuck with like me.

Nothing.

As others have told you, you will live with that annoying ********* ringing in your ears for the rest of your miserable life. Ask me how I know. Mine isn't due to anything I did, but rather, sharing a house with my father, who himself was mostly deaf and listened to the stereo at 130+ dB, and his Screamin' Beekin' alarm clock, which I'd lay money was at least 120 dB... every day. I wear hearing protection when shooting, but at night, when it's deathly silent, all I hear are the dual, competing tones in my ears. It's enough to drive you to suicide some nights, but you just have to live with it. Nothing will fix or improve it, but if you put on a fan or keep the television on VERY low volume, sometimes it will help distract you from the ringing. Good god, hope it does. Good luck to you.

 

[tenring]

Hearing Issues...Ask Spanky - M-14 Firing Line Public Forum

 

[schafe]

This problem isn't always caused by loud sounds, and mis-spent youth, so don't beat yourselves up about it. I had a SHL (Sudden Hearing Loss) in my left ear a couple years back, as a result of a viral infection. My hearing went off like a light switch, and was replaced by loud screaming tones that indeed never go away, and change pitch such that sometimes it sounds like a tune being played on wind chimes @ a very loud level. Know what the ENT said after testing? (and this is a Direct Quote) " Sorry about your luck. I'd much rather loose hearing in one ear than loose sight in one eye." Some bedside manner, Huh?

 

[Soundslikejosh]

Nothing.

As others have told you, you will live with that annoying ********* ringing in your ears for the rest of your miserable life. Ask me how I know. Mine isn't due to anything I did, but rather, sharing a house with my father, who himself was mostly deaf and listened to the stereo at 130+ dB, and his Screamin' Beekin' alarm clock, which I'd lay money was at least 120 dB... every day. I wear hearing protection when shooting, but at night, when it's deathly silent, all I hear are the dual, competing tones in my ears. It's enough to drive you to suicide some nights, but you just have to live with it. Nothing will fix or improve it, but if you put on a fan or keep the television on VERY low volume, sometimes it will help distract you from the ringing. Good god, hope it does. Good luck to you.

Tinnitus normally can't be "fixed" but there are things that can improve it. I don't mean to be rude, but your opinion above is simply not the case for everyone. I am sorry you've not had relief, but please don't continue to tell people there is no hope. If you have tinnitus, seek treatment. There are things that will help alleviate it. Don't just believe the first person who tells you "tough luck". Look elsewhere if this is what you find.

Regards,
Josh

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Pretty much wrecked my hearing after years of working Test Cell and Flightline on F-4s and A-10s. I have LOUD tinnitus in both my ears. Doesn't bother me too much except I cannot hear cell phone ringers. Right now, it sounds like a multi-frequency concert of squeals and hisses. VA said that hearing aids would help. I've had it so long, I rarely pay attention to it anymore.

 

[thompal]

Instead of learning to live with this annoying condition, several measures can be taken to reduce the severity of Tinnitus. To achieve this, one can do the following:

Avoid exposure to loud sounds and noises
Exercise daily for normal blood circulation
Have your blood pressure taken
Avoid coffee, tea, cola and tobacco (stimulants)
Decrease your intake of salt (impairs blood circulation and causes water retention)
Get adequate rest
Reduce the usage of earphones

Oh sure - you may lose the ringing in your ears, but you'll be so miserable that you'll wish you were dead.

Mine is not only from shooting since I was 6 or so, without ear protection until I was in my 20s, and then years of being an on-the-road rock soundguy, plus an occasional stint in rock bands. However, the tinnitus never became noticeable until I hit 45. Since then it has gotten gradually worse, even though I now use hearing protection, don't mix live sound anymore, and haven't played live in a band for years.

Conclusion: lack of loud rock music causes tinnitus.

 

[tv1217]

I made a thread some months back about making the mistake of shooting without hearing protection. The plugged ear feeling and blown speaker effect went away, but I still get the ringing. I only seem to notice it when something makes me think about it or I hear a sharp sound, like hitting a nail or a staple gun. In fact, just reading this thread brought it to mind and made me start hearing it.

Edit: Left year only, the right one is fine for now.

 

[KPierce]

I've had ringing in my ears all my life. Sometimes it's the same sound in both ears and sometimes they are different. Sometimes the sounds change tone and frequency and sometimes it's just a long note. Always thought it was normal as I only hear it at night when I am in bed and everything is quiet.

Just over a year ago I had my hearing tested and was told I actually have better than normal hearing. I'll be 46 in April and maybe I am lucky that it really hasn't been a problem for me as most here. Never really bothers me or prevents me from going to sleep.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Someone else touched on this subject in another thread, but I wanted more information so I started this one.

My ear (left) has been ringing NON STOP for a little over two years, that's probably nothing compared to some people. I made some very poor choices and shot one too many times without hearing protection...now I am going to have to live with this (from what I understand) the rest of my life! This is not a soft ringing...it is a high pitched LOUD ring that I hear NON STOP! I am curious to see how many others suffer from this HORRIBLE ringing like I do, and what, if anything, you do to help control it (if you can). Any information you have will be helpful. And please...make sure you and the others you shoot with ALWAYS wear hearing protection, tinnitus is no joke and it sure as hell isn't something you want to be stuck with like me.

Any loud noise or constant loud noise can cause this and other hearing damage.

Tinnitus can also be made worse or even be a side affect of aspirin and many aspirin related drug and cafeine.

If it comes and goes or stops when you wear ear plugs, it's just the wind. ( So I've heard. Never had the problem myself.)

 

[printcraft]

20 + years of press work.

I have it mildly I believe.

Hi pitched eeeeeeeeee sound.
I don't pay attention to it most of the time but I know it's there.
Does not really bug me that much.

 

[Nayls47]

Yep, Got it in both ears. Sounds like crickets year round. You ought to see my hearing test results at work LOL. It's not really funny but there is nothing I can do now.

 

[henry0reilly]

tinnitus

Who else has ringing in their ears? I suffered from the "it won't happen to me" syndrome when I was young and now I surely wish I listened to the warnings.

I didn't see this thread when I started mine......

 

[Scutter01]

I do. I think mine is caused by years of being in computer rooms. It sucks.

 

[copper]

Me too.... I would rather blame it on beer than old age...

 

[ATF Consumer]

I thought this was a repeated discussion...

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...he_ringing_in_my_ears.html?highlight=tinnitis

 

[sparkyfender]

Me.

Played in too many rock bands, standing too close to the drummer................

 

[Scutter01]

I thought this was a repeated discussion...

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...he_ringing_in_my_ears.html?highlight=tinnitis

Yep. Threads merged.

 

[jclark]

20 + years of press work.

I have it mildly I believe.

Hi pitched eeeeeeeeee sound.
I don't pay attention to it most of the time but I know it's there.
Does not really bug me that much.

Same here, except from jackhammers and power tools at jobsites.

 

[tenring]

I have really bad Tinnitus in both ears, the left worse than the right. VA hospital says nothing they can do about. I just accept is as part of spending a career as a Marine.

$123.00 a month, tax free.

 

[RachelMarie]

My ears ring all the time. Left more so than the right.
I blame the years of dancing in front of 12 ft speakers at concerts/shows/underground events.
I've always been interested in music and so have my friends.

We threw a concert/festival at the Porter County Fairgrounds back in '02. Camped out all night (With another 2000 folks) and then rented a kick butt building for the after party. 9pm-10am listening to awesome tunes on some of the loudest speakers I've ever heard. Years of attending shows and throwing shows will mess with your hearing. I've been known to catnap, leaning up against gigantic speakers.

I'm famous for..."Huh?"

I've learned to deal. It could be worse, but it's definitely there. And I'm sure...time will tell what the actual damage is. I haven't even been to a show since '06. *sniffle*