Deafness, tinnitus and the invisible toll of loud music

[sidvee]

Most people bump up the volume to be able to hear soft spoken dialogues properly while watching movies, including me as I live beside a highway. But a better solution would be to block sounds by closing doors and windows, reducing fan speed and may be even putting some sound boards to reduce ambient noise level instead of trying to make the system sound louder.

Better to just turn up the center channel volume by 2-3 db, for movies that have softer sounding dialogues if one is running a HT setup with a ctr. channel.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[sbg]

Yeah true. I am part of a FB global group for tinnitus sufferers and the impact it has in one’s life is horrible.Most cases it’s due to hearing loss and loud noise damage. But few suffer with Tinnitus but no hearing loss or loud noise damage and the root cause remains a mystery.

Perhaps, I fall into this category.
Just had Pure tone audiometry test few months back, It shows up that I have a hearing loss on my left ear!.
- this was not new to me, as I usually have balance change when ever listening in headphones - possibly for the last 30+years.
The Idea for the test was for reporting I had much pronounced humming in the head after BPPV(Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) during this time. Humming sound has gradually subsided now, but I could make out when being conscious about it.

Here is how the report looks like - hmm, I'm using it to accordingly boots my G Equalizers . but unfortunately both channels end up the same on most players - That tells me I should look out for apps/hardware with G.Eq for each channel independently.

 

[Love4sound]

Perhaps, I fall into this category.
Just had Pure tone audiometry test few months back, It shows up that I have a hearing loss on my left ear!.
- this was not new to me, as I usually have balance change when ever listening in headphones - possibly for the last 30+years.
The Idea for the test was for reporting I had much pronounced humming in the head after BPPV(Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) during this time. Humming sound has gradually subsided now, but I could make out when being conscious about it.

Here is how the report looks like - hmm, I'm using it to accordingly boots my G Equalizers . but unfortunately both channels end up the same on most players - That tells me I should look out for apps/hardware with G.Eq for each channel independently.
View attachment 61982

Your right ear is perfect. For the left ear what was the suggestion by ENT? I not only have a humming in my head I also feel like a ghost is living inside my brain and screaming but with complete rest from HT feels much better now and the ghost screaming effect has gone down but still there and buzzing all time.Tinitus is mostly the brain.

 

[sbg]

Your right ear is perfect. For the left ear what was the suggestion by ENT? I not only have a humming in my head I also feel like a ghost is living inside my brain and screaming but with complete rest from HT feels much better now and the ghost screaming effect has gone down but still there and buzzing all time.Tinitus is mostly the brain.

oh, Live With It !

Physically as viewed nothing wrong with the ear. Clean , no damage, no infection .... .

 

[Love4sound]

oh, Live With It !

Physically as viewed nothing wrong with the ear. Clean , no damage, no infection .... .

Yes since hearing loss is irreversible. My ENT also said the same yesterday in my 3rd visit and that damage once done is permanent so to be careful with exposure to loud noise. During my 1st two visits he was confident that since it’s minimal we can treat it but not sure what changed his mind after 7 months looking at my reports.

 

[kratu]

I went to my nearest IMAX for watching Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and took reading of how loud it was playing. From my seat which was in the second last row, I measured that the peaks were no more than 88 dB. That makes me understand that there is absolutely no reason to hear on volumes higher than that.

Most people bump up the volume to be able to hear soft spoken dialogues properly while watching movies, including me as I live beside a highway. But a better solution would be to block sounds by closing doors and windows, reducing fan speed and may be even putting some sound boards to reduce ambient noise level instead of trying to make the system sound louder.

Not only this will prevent all kinds of problems associated with high volumes but also make the content more enjoyable with less ear fatigue and no need to shout to talk with your friends about that awesome scene you just saw.

And yes, this thread should be pinned somewhere in the forum for it is the only one which is an essential among everything else in the forum which is desires or wants.

That's right. We don't need to go above 80dB to experience the sound. Movie theatres are acoustically treated as they are designed to isolate outside noise and provide appropriate absorption. For the dialogues to sound clear, the system needs to have good imaging and articulation. Apart from the performance of a speaker, one can improve this imaging through proper speaker placement and acoustic treatment. If a room is well designed, one need not bump up the volume to high levels.

 

[kratu]

Perhaps, I fall into this category.
Just had Pure tone audiometry test few months back, It shows up that I have a hearing loss on my left ear!.
- this was not new to me, as I usually have balance change when ever listening in headphones - possibly for the last 30+years.
The Idea for the test was for reporting I had much pronounced humming in the head after BPPV(Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) during this time. Humming sound has gradually subsided now, but I could make out when being conscious about it.

Could you explain further on the possible cause of hearing loss? What exactly is "balance change"? Headphones for sure are one of the major sources of hearing issues. Is the humming issue part of Tinnitus area? (affecting mid-low frequencies?)

I always felt that my right ear has less sensitivity to HF than the left . My speculation is that it is because I mainly place my phone to the right ear.

 

[kratu]

Yes since hearing loss is irreversible. My ENT also said the same yesterday in my 3rd visit and that damage once done is permanent so to be careful with exposure to loud noise. During my 1st two visits he was confident that since it’s minimal we can treat it but not sure what changed his mind after 7 months looking at my reports.

That's unfortunate. The damage once done is done. Well, perhaps he was hoping for an improvement over the months. Do you have to continue medication for the treatment? Have you also explored Tinnitus therapy? (like apps which generate pink noise that is closer to that humming/buzzing frequencies)

 

[Mayasandra_l]

Me and my son are very keen followers of this site. He being a 18 year old hears to headphone music at loud volume. Multiple times reminded him of the damage that this would result. However reading this post of one exceptional human, he now comes back and to say "see nothing happens" .
Would request members to be careful what they post as it may have unintentional consequences on youngsters.
Thanks to Doctor on the forum who was kind enough to enunciate the danger of loud hearing, could I somehow convince him. Thanks @prateekatasniya

 

[sbg]

Could you explain further on the possible cause of hearing loss? What exactly is "balance change"? Headphones for sure are one of the major sources of hearing issues. Is the humming issue part of Tinnitus area? (affecting mid-low frequencies?)

I always felt that my right ear has less sensitivity to HF than the left . My speculation is that it is because I mainly place my phone to the right ear.

Cause of hearing loss - no idea - possible during schooling days . Never occurred until I started using headphones ( on Walkman) and complained that right track are louder than the left track.
Balance - meaning, volume change to 65% for left channel. - so that the loudness is even on both the ears.

The hum , it is a bit of high pitch kind of non-stop screeching sound, somewhere in the head, could not pinpoint to any of the ear. This is what the Doc said - Tinnitus , and that these are generally associated to older adults. one of the symptoms for Tinnitus.

 

[Love4sound]

That's unfortunate. The damage once done is done. Well, perhaps he was hoping for an improvement over the months. Do you have to continue medication for the treatment? Have you also explored Tinnitus therapy? (like apps which generate pink noise that is closer to that humming/buzzing frequencies)

Yeah he asked me to take a multivitamin tablet for 3 months and visit again. I did explore such apps and used it during the initial days when it was extremely loud. Now I don’t use any apps and the ambient sounds are enough to deviate my mind away from Tinitus.

 

[prateekatasniya]

Anyone with long-term tinnitus pm me.

Regards
Dr. Prateek Atasniya

 

[Yogesh]

oh, Live With It !

Physically as viewed nothing wrong with the ear. Clean , no damage, no infection .... .

One of the two ENT I consulted said the same ting.

First ENT I consulted gave me some vitamins (Not much effect for 1-2 months) and confirmed whatever hearing loss will be irreversible. I than consulted a veteran semi-retired, He bluntly said Live With IT!

 

[Yogesh]

Anyone with long-term tinnitus pm me.

Regards
Dr. Prateek Atasniya

Does more than a year count as long term?

 

[prateekatasniya]

Does more than a year count as long term?

Yeah.. by long term I intend to connect with people who's tinnitus isn't reducing since a more than an year.
But I think anyone suffering from it even for 6 months would feel it to be long because it's really irritating.

 

[shibashis]

How did you calibrate this app? Do you have a SPL meter for calibration?

No, did not go into any calibration. My observation was purely on the basis of what the app displayed. This was very much to get a general idea and take remedial measures, if needed.

 

[Hari Iyer]

No, did not go into any calibration. My observation was purely on the basis of what the app displayed. This was very much to get a general idea and take remedial measures, if needed.

What reading getting displayed would be wrong in that case. Do not do any setups or decision based on a flawed value as it can be more dangerous. Look at the SPL meter for fun and do not decide

 

[kratu]

Yeah he asked me to take a multivitamin tablet for 3 months and visit again. I did explore such apps and used it during the initial days when it was extremely loud. Now I don’t use any apps and the ambient sounds are enough to deviate my mind away from Tinitus.

Okay, if the ambient noise helps to deviate from that hum, well and good. The mind will eventually train itself to disregard that.

 

[kratu]

What reading getting displayed would be wrong in that case. Do not do any setups or decision based on a flawed value as it can be more dangerous. Look at the SPL meter for fun and do not decide

One should at least err on the side of caution and consider that the actual measurement could be 5/10dB higher. Just to be safe.

 

[Hari Iyer]

FMs suffering from Tinnitus can try this simple exercise for a month and report.

- with your right index finger poke your outer ear near the opening and do ten clockwise and anti clockwise rotation .
- Repeat the same with left index finger for 1eft ear.

Precauation - Finger should be clean and disinfected before doing this. Also any finger nails should be trimmed.

Repeat this twice morning / Evening. Max two rounds of 10 and not more

The clockwise / anti clockwise rotation of the finger near the outer ear skin gets friction and ensure good blood circulation near the ear area and help to generate warmth. This could help possibly to reduce ringing of the ears and possibly cure your condition.


I had read this exercise in one ancient Yoga book shared by my father some 25 years ago to cure all inner ear related issues

If required consult your doctor's before starting for a second opinion.