Yeah me neither. So for those of you who don’t know I play in a couple jazz bands at school, I play bass, and that is something that I love doing. I was later diagnosed with tendinitis in my wrist and fingers because of bass playing and it can be quite painful sometimes but has never really slowed me down. More recently I was diagnosed with Tinnitus, noise induced hearing loss, it’s because of our drummer who plays extremely and unessacerely loud, I stand beside him for 1-2 hours each day. We have told him to shut up numerous times and to not play when we’re talking or to not play when he’s not supposed to but he does anyway because that’s the kind of person he is you tell him to shut up and he plays as loud as he possibly can. He knows it’s his fault, as soon as I told him I had ringing in my ear sometimes he new it was his fault, he avoids me now. So now during band I have to wear noise canceling head phones (there’s a specific kind that allows sound in), I’m not allowed to listen to music through headphones and I have to go for a hearing test. My ears hurt all the time and noises make it worse and I just feel like crying the best part is that that’s not the full effect of Tinnitus. The ringing in my ears lasts for 10-30secs. and it can become permanent, a constant ringing in your ears and it can lead to insanity. So now I wear noise canceling headphones everywhere I go which helps a bit and now that the only thing I ever liked doing is gone my will to live has been crushed and there’s nothing I would like more right now then for my ears to stop hurting. I’m too scared to tell my jazz teacher because I have a feeling he would kick me out if he found out.
Thanks for reading, Frontier Psychiatrist (formally known as Friend Of A Friend)
Ps. I know this is not really suicide related.
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3 comments
That’s horrible, friend. As a musician myself, I can really empathize. Not sure what to tell you. There certainly are many great musicians who have had hearing problems, deafness of sorts, etc. Google it. You need to take care of the medical side of the problem (pain, ringing, hearing) and then also work on the psychological side. Good luck.
Beethoven, doesn’t ring any bell to you? I’m blind and deaf on my left side, (funny how it’s hereditary in my family, but no one bothered to tell me, so I felt like an idiot most of my life…), I used to play the piano by ear, and could read notes, but not as easily as just hearing, now I can’t hear specific tones/frequencies, I even have to ask people who talk to me to change their pitch, because sometimes I just can’t hear a sound from their mouth. My hearing gotten really bad when I was sick for two months straight and my ears were infected during that time, permanently damaging my ear drums. Beethoven played the piano deaf. classical music, and most times, listening to them, not only inspire you, give positive energy, but even improves intelligence, you’d be amazed of the things you just randomly think of sitting, listening to classical music. Hope it helps some.
CD is right, Beethoven is a great example… also google “famous people & musicians with tinnitus” There’s a ton.
About your ears though, how old are you? If you’re in your early 20s or younger it’s not too late. Your ears can regenerate. I played in some loud ass bands when I was a teenager and by the time I was 21 I had constant ringing & headaches.
But my hearing is slowly coming back. First I quit playing live (I know you don’t want to hear that). Next, I threw away my awesome headphones and started using those sucky foam ones that cost $5. Good headphones will DESTROY your ears if you’re not careful. Last… this is weird but it worked… I gave up salt & caffeine.
Oh also I went vegetarian… I have a weird evolutionary theory that herbivores have better hearing because they have to hear predators & stuff. Whatever.
Anyway, I really hope you can save your hearing. If you’re young it’s not too late. It’s the old geezers like Pete Townshend who are past the point of no return.