Question About Ears

[v0ins]

I've been playing/listening to techno for a little more than four years now and I have run into a little problem. For the last four years I've been using my left ear as my headphone ear and had no problems until now. I'll be listening to a record with the headphone up against my left ear, and lately it feels like the music gets closer and closer to my ear drum and then SNAP! It feels like a 2 Poolballs smash against each other in my eardrum and It ****ing hurts let me tell you. I drop the headphones and yell out its so painful.
It has happened approximately 7 or 8 times now and I finally came to my senses and went to the doctors. The doctor gave me a hearing test and I passed 100%, he also took a look in my ears and said there was nothing wrong. He doesn't know what to tell me besides don't play the headphones so loud, he also appointed me to an ear doctor which I will attend May 9th.
I still play, I won't stop gigging, the only thing I do different is use my right ear as the headphone ear and I don't play it as loud in fear of my right ear getting ****ed up too. So I guess ultimately my question to the DJ's who have been around for awhile, Has this happened to anyone else?? Any suggestions?
I've only been playing for 4 years and its hard to believe I already damaged my eardrum. I'm 21 years old and finally getting some recognition in the Central New York scene and it saddens me to think that I won't make it far because my ears are getting damaged already =(
Ironically when I got back from the doctor the first thing on television was "It's all gone Pete Tong." I still watched it though, g2 love that movie.


-Matt

[eyeswithoutaface]

welcome to the wonderful world of Tinitus

start using earplugs when u play out, absolutely essential

[Miromiric]

tinitus. temporary probably.
i can't believe you are not using earplugs if gigging so much.

[113]

unfortunatelly not many of djs are thinking about this problem...or thinking but people don't talk about it to each other.


my advice is to buy professional plug ins...professional plug ins contain special membrane which cut bad frequences that can normally daaged your hearing.

i don't know how much it can cost in states...but probably something between $200-400.it is alot of money but worth to do!!and it works for years...

as for visiting doctor...it would be nice if he check all the ear stuff...(how your pressure in ear works, ear nerve, middle ear...sorry but i'm not sure how to name in english all the stuff inside ear ).

anyway GOOD LUCK and i hope everything will be ok.

[v0ins]

Doesn't Tinitus make your ears ring? Cause my ear isn't ringing...

[rhythmtech]

Doesn't Tinitus make your ears ring? Cause my ear isn't ringing...

Tinnitus (IPA pronunciation: [tɪ'naɪtəs] or ['tɪnɪtəs],[1] from the Latin word for "ringing"[2]) is the perception of sound in the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound(s).
Tinnitus can be perceived in one or both ears or in the head. It is usually described as a ringing noise, but in some patients it takes the form of a buzzing, hissing, humming, or whistling sound, or as ticking, clicking, roaring, "crickets" or "locusts", tunes, songs, or beeping.[3] It has also been described as a "whooshing" sound, as of wind or waves.[4]
Tinnitus is not itself a disease but a symptom resulting from a range of underlying causes, including ear infections, foreign objects or wax in the ear, and injury from loud noises. Tinnitus is also a side-effect of some oral medications, and may also result from an abnormally low level of serotonin.
The sound perceived may range from a quiet background noise to a signal loud enough to drown out all outside sounds. The term 'tinnitus' usually refers to more severe cases. A 1953 study (Heller and Bergman) of 80 tinnitus-free university students placed in a soundproofed room found that 93% reported hearing a buzzing, pulsing or whistling sound. However, it must not be assumed that this condition is normal -- cohort studies have demonstrated that damage to hearing from unnatural levels of noise exposure is very widespread in industrialized countries.[5] (see noise health effects)
Because tinnitus is often defined as a subjective phenomenon, it is difficult to measure using objective tests, such as by comparison to noise of known frequency and intensity, as in an audiometric test. The condition is often rated clinically on a simple scale from "slight" to "catastrophic" according to the practical difficulties it imposes, such as interference with sleep, quiet activities, or normal daily activities.[6] For research purposes, the more elaborate Tinnitus Handicap Inventory is often used.[7]

[Honeey]

I have been using these lately they seem ok so far.... http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.aspx

And the high end Musicians Earplugs
http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/erme.aspx

[lunatrick]

hmm it's definately a problem - when I play out I normally have the headphone volume say on a pioneer mixer on full - and pressed into my ear - I use sony mdr-v700's - got to be bad for your hearing.....however i have played with a lot of pro dj's who do 2 or 3 gigs a weekend every week and I don't ever remember seeing any of them wearing earplugs.....so what must happen to their ears? I guess they must end up like roadies - deaf! the thing about tininntus is only takes a one off event to happen - it's not cumulative....so in just one situation the volume is too loud and there's too much squarewave distortion and you get the damage.....

[stjohn]

Tinnitus (IPA pronunciation: [tɪ'naɪtəs] or ['tɪnɪtəs],[1] from the Latin word for "ringing"[2]) is the perception of sound in the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound(s).
Tinnitus can be perceived in one or both ears or in the head. It is usually described as a ringing noise, but in some patients it takes the form of a buzzing, hissing, humming, or whistling sound, or as ticking, clicking, roaring, "crickets" or "locusts", tunes, songs, or beeping.[3] It has also been described as a "whooshing" sound, as of wind or waves.[4]
Tinnitus is not itself a disease but a symptom resulting from a range of underlying causes, including ear infections, foreign objects or wax in the ear, and injury from loud noises. Tinnitus is also a side-effect of some oral medications, and may also result from an abnormally low level of serotonin.
The sound perceived may range from a quiet background noise to a signal loud enough to drown out all outside sounds. The term 'tinnitus' usually refers to more severe cases. A 1953 study (Heller and Bergman) of 80 tinnitus-free university students placed in a soundproofed room found that 93% reported hearing a buzzing, pulsing or whistling sound. However, it must not be assumed that this condition is normal -- cohort studies have demonstrated that damage to hearing from unnatural levels of noise exposure is very widespread in industrialized countries.[5] (see noise health effects)
Because tinnitus is often defined as a subjective phenomenon, it is difficult to measure using objective tests, such as by comparison to noise of known frequency and intensity, as in an audiometric test. The condition is often rated clinically on a simple scale from "slight" to "catastrophic" according to the practical difficulties it imposes, such as interference with sleep, quiet activities, or normal daily activities.[6] For research purposes, the more elaborate Tinnitus Handicap Inventory is often used.[7]

straight outta MedSkool, Crazy muthafucka named Rhythmtec

[The klubb Krayz]

straight outta MedSkool, Crazy muthafucka named Rhythmtec

fuXXin hell you lot are a deep bunch

[rhythmtech]

fuXXin hell you lot are a deep bunch

eh?

[Jay Pace]

I got tinnitus and hyperacusis for not looking after my ears.
It fades with time, providing you look after your lugs. Will probably always have the ringing but I don't notice it so much anymore.

Never, ever, ever play out without ear plugs.
DJ monitors all too often destroy your hearing as you battle to hear yourself over the club PA, with a headphone blasting into your eadrum.

[v0ins]

Thanks everyone for your advice/help. I'll get the official story may 9th and reply back if I remember.

[John Vella]

I am getting my ears tested soon as well. My left ear--also my headphone ear-- is really bad. :(

[Little_Fella!]

Erm... sorry... what was that you were saying?? yek:briggin:

Seriously tho, the protection of the ears is so important for anyone wanting to move into the production side of things at some point, which you may already be..

@vOins : I remember the exact same thing happened to me n I ***t miself... came off the back of playing far too long in one go with some rubbishy headphones, havin to trap them between ear n shoulder and gettin a crickk neck to boot- bloody daft!:ohdear:

Probably a combination of volume level and also tightening up when playing as sometimes your whole body feels like crackin' after a particularly long or stressful set..!!

Filter plugs and good headphones...:;

[Little_Fella!]

Oh yeah... it does go away after a while..

I layed off for a couple of weeks n then made a concious effort not to stress out too much and bought some decent headphones..

Still gotta get me some plugs so I'm glad this was mentioned as I keep forgetting...

[dan the acid man]

even some good quality moulded plus aren't that expensive, as long as you don't make a habit of losing them.

[v0ins]

So I went to a professional ear doc and he didn't really know what to tell me. I passed all the hearing tests, all he said was to maybe put some cotton or something in my ear while playing (lol @ cotton). I'm going to go back in 6 months to see if it gets worse but i'm sure its not. I have adjusted to using my right ear with the headphones and I havnt run into any problems since =)

[DJsmallpaul]

I've never used earplugs whilst gigging & the only thing i notice when i come home from a club is i have to turn the tv up 2 or 3 notches more than usual but by the next day my hearing is back to what i presume is normal.

I take it when your using earplugs you mean you ware them under your earphones whilst your actually mixing ? Is that pratical ? i mean don't you have to turn up the headphone monitor volume up even more than normal ?

Like i say i've never tried it, for all i know their isn't much difference in the sound your ears recieve via the earplug apart from obviously muffling the sound a little.

Would you say you should ware earplugs no matter how big or small the club is ? the one i resident at is quite small & only has like 8 speakers & you can still have a convo with somebody in the dj booth which makes me think i can't be doing to much damage.

It's obvious you need to look after your ears so as part of this thread i also want to ask how you clean your ears. People tell me not to use cotton buds so i haven't for about 3 years now, been trying those drops you put in your ears, seems to do the job although i've never had a big problem with wax. Anybody ever noticed a hot & spicey curry helps melt the wax in your ears making them easier to clean without poking things down your lug hole.

[conor256]

I take it when your using earplugs you mean you ware them under your earphones whilst your actually mixing ? Is that pratical ? i mean don't you have to turn up the headphone monitor volume up even more than normal ?

i was thinking the same thing...... do you actually wear them whilst using the headphones???? or just when your hanging out in the club then take them out for mixing????

i noticed i have to turn the t.v up a bit more than i used to....... but at the same time our t.v is f**ked ...... ;)