Tinnitus (Ringing Ears)

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 28 Nov 2008 12:19 pm

Have any of you folks found any over-the-counter products that help?

Too many years of loud music and shotguns (not at the same venues!) have done a number on my ears.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 28 Nov 2008 12:32 pm

Lee,From what I know Lloyd Green is an expert on this,His actually went away...Maybe somehow you can get in touch with him?

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 28 Nov 2008 12:32 pm

I don't think that anything short of hearing aids is going to work. I have 40 years in front of JBL's, and on motorcycles, 30+ in the welding/machine shops, even though I wore earphones and plugs. I used to get harassed for wearing earphones, curiously enough, until I reminded them that I also had the torch...

I work with a guitar player, who has it so bad, that if there's a loud boom or crack, his tinnitus goes into oscillation for a while, and he can't hear anything.

Forget conversations in restaurants.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 28 Nov 2008 12:44 pm

Lee,
I have that problem. As we speak, I have a very high pitched ringing in my ears. I have some hearing loss due to working around heavy equipment all my life(ear muffs etc only gives limited protection).

The specialist that examined me said that the ringing is due to the hearing loss. He also informed me that hearing aids might correct the problem a little bit. But it will always be with me. My hearing isn't bad enough to warrant hearing aids - yet.

I think the same problem occurs with musicians and loud music. Shucks, I remember when attending Jeff Newman's seminars, he played so loud that my ears actually hurt.

John Roche · Post by **John Roche** » 28 Nov 2008 12:52 pm

Me too, Yuo just got to learn to live with it,on the plus side my ringing is in the key of g#, kinda handy..

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 28 Nov 2008 1:22 pm

I've been to both an audiologist and an ENT specialist. The audiologist wants to sell me some expensive in-ear masking devices. The doctor says there is nothing that can be done.

I'm wondering about some of the homeopathic and herbal products that are out there. I'm also curious to know what Lloyd Green did, if anyone has a way to contact him.

John - My ringing isn't just one pitch. It's more like a bunch of crickets and tree frogs.

Lee

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 28 Nov 2008 1:24 pm

I quit playing out about the time I noticed I was going half deaf. Ringing in my ears, really loud. And I couldn't understand what anyone was saying unless I was watching their lips. At about age 40 I quit playing in bands and started wearing hearing protection at work. After about 14 years, the ringing is very minor and I can easily hear people talking even in crowded rooms. In a quiet room I can still hear some ringing but it's very low and not at all annoying. I do occasionally crank up the amp or the home theater for an hour or two but my ears only ring for a few hours after that then go back to normal again. Another thing I do now, is to NOT set my amp right next to my ears when practicing.

Wearing hearing protection, getting out of loud bands, and giving it a few years has given me my ears back for the most part and getting most of my hearing back is PRICELESS to my sanity!

Greg

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 28 Nov 2008 1:37 pm

i've been ringing for twenty years. as i understand it, the cilia (?) 'hairs in your ears' have gotten knocked flat and don't repair themselves. i always thought if i could develop a cilia rake to make them stand back up , i'm a rich man! but in the meantime, my ears are ringing. i'd be curious to know what lloyd has to say, also!

Gary Preston · Post by **Gary Preston** » 28 Nov 2008 1:50 pm

Guys my Doctor told me this is the first stages of loosing your hearing . He said that all the loud noise at work or amps close to you did this . He didn't have any medicine to suggest . But he did say there is a bright side to it ! I said whats that doc ? He said that you wont have to listen to your wife nagging all the time !

Les Green · Post by **Les Green** » 28 Nov 2008 2:09 pm

Lee,

After 50+ years of guitars, varmint hunting (4 legged types) and 40 years of working around Web Presses and other large machines, I have it very bad in both ears. Never quits. I've been to Doctors and more Doctors and taken all kinds of herbal treatments and nothing has diminished it. The Doctors all said nothing could be done. I even went to a chiropractor who said he could cure it. He failed also, so now I've just learned to live with it. Now if I'm around any kind of loud noise, for instance mowing grass, I wear hearing protectors. Hearing aids do nothing for it either. I just try and ignore it. One of mine is tuned in E but the other one is about a 1/4 of a fret lower!

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 28 Nov 2008 2:22 pm

The secretary I worked with a couple of years ago developed tinitus fron high blood-pressure. Is yours ok? She was being driven mad by it it was so bad. She had never been around loud stuff. I guess it could be that we (I have some too) get it from the loud music, guns and machines, but maybe blood pressure could make us more prone? If my ears are hissing extra loud I usually check my BP, it is usually elevated at those times. Oh, yeah, red wine makes 'em ring too

So much for being a wino!

Gary Preston · Post by **Gary Preston** » 28 Nov 2008 2:27 pm

Rick my blood pressure is ok . My ringing in my ears is in the key of Bb minor

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 28 Nov 2008 2:28 pm

Actually, I've got really low blood pressure. I see a dentist several times per year. He always checks my BP and jokes about checking to see if I'm still alive or not.

I stay away from caffeine, aspirin, and red wine. I wear ear plugs when using the lawn mower and leaf blower. Musician's earplugs when playing with a band, which isn't very often.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 28 Nov 2008 3:09 pm

"They" say that coffee (caffeine actually) makes tinnitus worse.

Tommy R. Butler · Post by **Tommy R. Butler** » 28 Nov 2008 3:14 pm

Heres something kinda pathetic but true.. You know how when people are intoxicated its harder for them to get hurt from a fall, car accident or whatever... Well believe it or not the musicians I know that drink or get high while they are playing or before they play have not experienced this problem.. Now some one explain that !!!!!!!!

All them old rockers for example... None of them are def... Do what now ???

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 28 Nov 2008 3:19 pm

Les Green wrote:Lee,

One of mine is tuned in E but the other one is about a 1/4 of a fret lower!

Les G, John R; What I'm curious to know is how do you plug the tuner in to check?

My ringing is so high it flies right off the fret board!

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 28 Nov 2008 3:59 pm

Bent, mine is extremely high-pitched also. Funny thing, when I got a hearing test they told me I had lost my ability to hear high pitches. But, that's where the tinnitus is. Right ear, beeps. Left ear the sound is steady, but sometimes goes up and down in pitch. It's actually louder than people speak! So, I nod a lot. Tried all kinds of cures. Herbal, acupuncture. Nothing works. Cilia are shot too. Maybe I should pour Minoxodil in my ears!
I'm convinced the worst damage was from playing on small stages. We were never that loud. But there was always a drummer's ride cymbal in one ear or the other.

Bob Hickish · Post by **Bob Hickish** » 28 Nov 2008 4:06 pm

Lee

I know this is not a funny subject -- one of
the best fiddle players I ever heard had to quit
because of this .
I too have the problem , but it has come to where
I can ignore it and I don't hear it -- the funny part is
reading your post brings it out -- I guess when you
think about it one tends to focus on it .

keep your sense of humor and adapt -- or you
can try this

http://www.zazzle.com/does_the_noise_in ... 4294958512

Hick

Les Green · Post by **Les Green** » 28 Nov 2008 6:37 pm

Bent R.

It can be done. Ain't easy 'tho. I actually did check mine once with an old pitch pipe and came up with an "E". Very handy for both E9th and C6th. Just have to remember which ear is a 1/4 fret lower.

Dan Murphy · Post by **Dan Murphy** » 28 Nov 2008 6:56 pm

Are you guys serious?

Ive been playing for 28 yrs and every now and then my ear starts ringing. Its kind of soft but high pitch only once in a while.I notice it in my left ear not anything in the right.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 28 Nov 2008 8:02 pm

The fiddle is a killer on my ears to this day. An accoustic fiddle, even the vibrations coming up through my face, makes my ears hurt. I can plug in my electric fiddle and listen to it through the headphones with no problem. Telling all this to a younger person just starting out is usually met with.....deaf ears.

Greg

Eric Philippsen · Post by **Eric Philippsen** » 28 Nov 2008 8:04 pm

I have tinnitus. I live with it 24-7.

There is no doubt in my mind that all those nights and years in front of a 100-watt Marshall contributed to it. I have a drop in my hearing right at the frequency of guitar. Like I said, I live with it.

I have a brother who is an ENT - an ear, nose, and throat surgeon. He knows everything about how hearing works. He's filled me in. He tells me true and gives it to me straight. No BS.

But, you know, I don't beat myself up over it. What's the use of doing that? It's not going to change what is. I keep playing. Amazingly, while I have trouble hearing conversations in a crowded room, I can hear the most minute parts and tones of a recording that's background music in a crowded room. Go figure.

Pete Woronowski · Post by **Pete Woronowski** » 28 Nov 2008 8:09 pm

It is a drag for sure, I have had it for about 10 years.
Too many years of loud stage volumes without ear protection.
Cutting down on caffine has helped quite a bit and lowered my amp to the floor as opposed to on top of the road cases.
Wish I had used ear protection now for sure.
Take Care, Pete

Donald Dykes · Post by **Donald Dykes** » 28 Nov 2008 9:26 pm

I have had this for years and it is really bad when it is real quiet. There is a medecine that is a supplement of some sort i just got it but i haven't tried it yet the name of it is LIPO-FLAVONOID it is supposed to help tenites you can find it at most drug stores. try it it can't hurt anything.Someone let me know if it helps.
Donald

Papa Joe Pollick · Post by **Papa Joe Pollick** » 28 Nov 2008 9:46 pm

I started losing my right ear in my late 20's.Now it's almost completely dead.I'm not sure when the tinnitus started but it's bad.Sounds like a million crickets and it's getting worse.It's there all the time..Doctors say they can't help me..Just gotta live with it...PJ...

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Tinnitus (Ringing Ears)

Tinnitus (Ringing Ears)

ringing ears