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Have performed wearing earplugs for 25 years since being diagnosed with tinnitus early in my rock 'n roll days. Last year, I realized that the ringing and fullness in my left ear would become overwhelmingly loud about 30 minutes into shows as the lead singer and harmonica player in a 5-piece band. The 24-48 hour rebound back to base level (3-4) disappeared. The band's volume was fairly well controlled at 95-100 db, with my earplugs providing 33db of additional reduction.
Eventually, my trip thought the medical community led to a diagnosis of a structural defect in either the cochlea or the superior canal. The idea was that sound was "leaking" into my skull from one of these locations and causing the dramatic increase in tinnitus and sound sensitivity. In what ended up being a virtual coin toss, the doctor recommended the less invasive of two possible surgeries (i.e., Perilymph Fistuala Repair vs Superior Canal Dehiscence surgery). The PFL procedure involved adding tissue "patches" to the naturally occurring oval and round windows on the cochlea that act as pressure equalizing/relief valves for barometric pressure changes with altitude or weather.
The post op required 21 days of bed rest and no physical straining of any type to ensure that the grafts would permanently attach to the outside of the cochlea. Now, 4 months later, the original collection of symptoms remains unchanged and the tinnitus is significantly worse (left ear baseline of 6-8). Singing, playing harmonica and brushing my upper teeth with an electric toothbrush ramp the level of tinnitus up to 9 or 10 where it can remain for several days or more. Not sure I can continue to play music, no matter how quiet the band is, as that is not the sound level causing the problem.
Have been unable to find any mention of this condition online, and have been pretty much abandoned by the doctor who did the surgery. After all, his part went flawlessly. Anyone out there with insights/experience to share? Thx in advance...
Last edited by Transform (20-04-2013 00:37:19)
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I think it's pretty stupid to continue playing music in a band when you have tinnitus, how can you ever recover from it if you keep straining it, earplugs only do so much...
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Hi Transform,
Welcome to the forum.
You shouldn't be so pessimistic. There are many musicians who can carry on (with appropriate protection) despite the tinnitus. You may have to take some time off at the moment, but eventually it should calm down again. It just can take a while.
Thomas
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Thx Thomas- had some more scans and tests done, also a very generous consult from Dr. Michael Robb who works with a number of high profile musicians to manage tinnitus. Remain quite apprehensive about more surgery; specifically, for superior canal dehiscence. Would regret having two sets of post op complications. Abnormal bone conduction seems to be a better explanation of my symptoms than a "third window". The ringing is aggravated internally by my singing and harmonica playing, even without the band. In fact, our volume is minimal at less than 85 db.
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