Beware of Tinnitus!

[Drumset Connect]

Tinnitus is a really scary thing that could happen to any drummer. A lot of the young drummers out there just go to loud concerts and play drums without ear plugs, not even knowing what the repercussions are. Tinnitus is FOREVER and if I had it, it would just drive me insane. For for info go here >  http://www.drumsetconnect.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3214]Beware of Tinnitus Drum Article

Any thoughts or experiences?

[scottboundy]

Thanks for posting.

That topic is pretty well coverd in the Health section.

I always use custom molded ear plug when I play or practice.

Welcome to DC :)

[Danno]

Any thoughts or experiences?

Any what?

I'm sorry, you're going to have to speak up.

[Bob Pettit]

Tinnitus is FOREVER and if I had it, it would just drive me insane.
Any thoughts or experiences?

I have it, but it hasn't driven me crazy yet, I don't think, but then they say crazy doesn't know crazy.

Really, my case is not so bad, it has to be real quiet for me to notice. But that is the point, it is never really quiet, for me I've always a-buzz.

:)

[Steve Phelps (Shoeless)]

I thought I got it after stepping on a rusty nail once, but a shot cleared it right up. :)

[TheBeachBoy]

I've got a touch of tinnitus, but I make sure I wear ear plugs at our gigs and now I wear them to most concerts.  I want to be able to hear when I'm older.  I figure, if my girlfriend doesn't kill me for buying more drum stuff, that I've got probably another 50 years or so.  That's too long to be deaf.

[William Leslie]

Talk to your Father or better yet, your Grandfather concerning  Fctory he might have worked in as a young. They will probably tell you how the Union worked to get them ear protection from the noise they worked in day after day. Jobs that used a punch press and they operated it hour after hour. By the end of the day all you could hear was that press slaming in your ears. As the years went by their hearing got worse and finnally some of them totally lost their hearing completly. This is the same principal as the drumming without protection. Since drumming is fun for you now, your not thinking of the long term damage that can result from playing without protection for your ears. I've been lucky over the years. I can say I'm not aware of any ear damage, but that's one person out of how many? We should think about the damage that can be caused and think about wearing protection each time we get behind our drum set.Long winded,but needed to be said.

[Robyn]

There was a 16 yr old girl on another forum who posted about how she had tinnitus and it drove her nuts. I've always been very careful not only to wear earplugs while I practice, but also to make sure anyone else in the basement (where my kit is) also has ear protection.
thanks for sharing the article.

robyn

[Chris Whitten]

It's incredible how many well known drummers I hear of that suffer with their ears.
It's no joke.
Get protected.
I have a touch of tinnitus. It's not too bad, although quite audible. If it got worse, it would really depress me however.
Get protected.

[Mark Counts]

I have never worn hearing protection except for work, where it is required.  I have been tested every year for the past 10 years and my test always comes back fine.  For the past 4 years we have balanced the band with a sound meter.  I found that it keeps you from playing
to loud.  The problem with me putting ear plugs in is that I sing.  I have got to be able to hear the vocals. As Chris was saying, there are many musicians out there that have tinnitus or extreme hearing loss.  Peter Townsen, Jeff Beck and many more. The rule is that anything over 80 dbs for an extended period of time requires hearing pertection.  My rule is to keep the band under 100dbs.  The 80dbs is what is required in the work place. If you ever went to a Ted Nugent or Who concert, you were probably pushing 120-130dbs.  It will lay the hairs down in your ears for a few days and make it feel like you have cotton balls in your ears.
To much of this leads to permenent hearing loss or Tinnitus.  This can also happen gradually over time. I never put the drums in my monitor, Only the vocals.  Most snare drums are generally 110-115dbs with no amplification.  These are the high frequencies that kill your ears
and everyone elses.  I have cut mine to 100dbs with a Zero O-ring and a thin cloth underneath the batter head.  I guess I should find some hearing protection that doesn't cut everything out but let's me hear my singing. This has always been a problem for me.  I have got to hear my voice or I will scream it out trying to hear.
                                              Nutty

[DFresh]

Nutty,

Have you ever tried sound isolating ear monitors and adding the vocals (including you) to the mix that you hear?

Seems this would be the perfect solution to control the volume and put in your ears only what you need.  Simple enough.

DFresh

[Mark Counts]

Hi DFresh,
I have thought about it and that may be a solution. I have also thought about going with the individual controls for each member to be able to control their mix.  I generally don't put anything but Vocals through the monitors anyway.  Maybe a little guitar but not much.
As a drummer, there is enough sound in my face with out putting drums in the stage mix
and I never put bass in the stage mix either.  The bass Amps and Guitar Amps are enough on the stage.  Most of the amplification is up front. I have some friends that have used the inner ear monitors and like them but they aren't cheap.  Thank you for your input on this subject.  I do need to find a way to protect my ears where I can still hear.
                                             Nutty

[Danno]

Tinnitus is a really scary thing that could happen to any drummer. A lot of the young drummers out there just go to loud concerts and play drums without ear plugs, not even knowing what the repercussions are. Tinnitus is FOREVER and if I had it, it would just drive me insane. For for info go here >  http://www.drumsetconnect.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3214]Beware of Tinnitus Drum Article

Any thoughts or experiences?

Yeah, I have a thought - I think it's rude to join a drum forum, make ONE post that's simply an advertisement for your OWN drum forum, and then disappear.

[Mark Counts]

Yea Danno,
I think that is exactly what he did.  It is kinda rude?
                              Nutty

[Chris Whitten]

Yeah well, as the subject matter was a timely reminder for us to protect our ears I'll cut him some slack.  ;)

[Eric]

I got a pair of these (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Vic-Firth-SIH1-Isolation-Headphones?sku=443954) Vic Firth head phones, and after playing for a few hours today my ears have never felt better. Easily the best $50 I've spent in awhile...

I'll probably end up using foam ear plugs if I ever start playing with a band, but for practice, the Vic Firth headphones are great.

[Danno]

Yeah well, as the subject matter was a timely reminder for us to protect our ears I'll cut him some slack.  ;)

In that spirit, I'd like to say that Hearos earplugs (various models) work GREAT - they attenuate the sound so you still hear clearly, and most models are under $10.

[Later66]

wow im stupid



no wonder my ears havent stopped buzzing/ringing since the movies with heroes may 13th show




i thought it was from going to shows bi-daily


i should definitely go see a doctor ASAP

thanks for the article

[drumrjohnr]

Tinnitus is a really scary thing that could happen to any drummer. A lot of the young drummers out there just go to loud concerts and play drums without ear plugs, not even knowing what the repercussions are. Tinnitus is FOREVER and if I had it, it would just drive me insane. For for info go here >  http://www.drumsetconnect.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3214]Beware of Tinnitus Drum Article

Any thoughts or experiences?

I've got some cheap ear plugs left over from my last trade show that I'll be glad to give away free to any who send a stamped self adressed envelope to :

       "free plugs"
       PO Box 297
       Hickory. MS 39332

Of course this is limited to what I have on hand.

I think I mentioned in another thread about a study I read in a PASIC journal where many drummers who were measured had hearing loss in the ear closest to their crash cymbal.

Be careful

John Roberts

PS: Experiences... I recall hearing some really loud noises when I was in the army a few decades ago. I also used to wear plugs to protect against wind noise on my MC.

[Louis Russell]

where many drummers who were measured had hearing loss in the ear closest to their crash cymbal.

Yep, me too!  Plus that was also the ear closest to the helicopter transmission.  Big time high freq hearing loss for me.