Help - Ear Buzzing

[persona]

I've been practicing with headphones lately, and I started to notice a "peeeeeeeeeeeeee"-like sound when I go to bed. I generally don't hear it during the day (because of all the noise), but I always do in the night silence. Is there a way to stop this (aside from giving up the headphones, of course)? Should I ask a doctor for any treatment?

And also... how do professionals deal with this? I mean, it may not be much of a problem for classical misicians, but I bet every popular musician must work with headphones a lot (not to mention the unavoidable loudness in recitals).

[ted]

There has been discussion of this from time to time, for example

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,9221.0.html

[timothy42b]

For some people, reducing caffeine intake helps. 

[pianistimo]

does it come and go or is it continual.  i was really scared there for a while because i'd go bicycling when it was really windy and then continue to hear screaming whistles, too.  i think your ears have to get used to not having the earphones on for a while - and you'll feel better after a day or two or three.  if it is still a problem after a week or two - i wonder if getting your ears cleaned out would help.  sometimes the various tweaks of the ear really help.  some formations of ears are probably more succeptible to pressure from the outside of the ear to the inner.  do you think.  i am just rambling, really.

you could put something over your ear to muffle sound (bandana?) and then, put earphones on?  of course, then you'd have to turn the music up again.

[jamie_liszt]

I had problems similar with my ears, I could hear that noise you describe as "peeeeeeeeee" but also my left ear would thump, thump, thump similar to a heart beat. But it wasn't like when you have your head on your pillow and you may hear a slight heart beat, this one was massive, I could hear it and feel it. It went on for about 2 months before it got better.

[barnowl]

Persona, don't use the earphones no mo'.

I have tinnitus that comes and goes, and doesn't bother me any more.

However, soon after getting my digital piano, I used my earphones to practice a kid's Mozart piece, with the volume set to very low.

I wasn't having a tinnitus attack when I started, but man, my ears were buzzing when I finished. So, I asked someone who knows about this stuff.

It seems that with earphones, the source of the signal is so close to the ears, that even a low volume sound can have enough energy to harm them.  If you continue to use the phones, you risk permanent damge to your hearing.

Get rid of the earphones.

[faulty_damper]

Persona, don't use the earphones no mo'.
 If you continue to use the phones, you risk permanent damge to your hearing.

Get rid of the earphones.

Actually, once you have tinnitus, it's a sign of Permanent damage.

[barnowl]

Actually, once you have tinnitus, it's a sign of Permanent damage.

Could be for all I know, but there are degrees of damage, and one episode of tinnitus doesn't necessarily mean great harm has been done.

[faulty_damper]

True.  But ringing only occurs if damage has already occured.  It doesn't ring if there isn't damage.  It's irrepairable.

Eyesight is the same way - once it has been damaged (by intense light), you can't get it back but it doesn't mean you are blind, just blind to what has been damaged.  The simple test to this kind of damage is to look up at the stars and see if you can see stars brightly directly or do you have to look off center to use the undamaged portions of the eye.

[gyzzzmo]

At least use your headphones less and put them ALOT softer. Dont try to simulate accoustic piano-sound by putting your headphones louder. As youre already noticing, it damages your hearing.

You can go to your docter with your ears if it really gets annoying, maybe he can do some tests....

[pianistimo]

help.  i'm looking at the stars and some are bright and some are dim  (no matter how direct i am).  how do i know if my eyesight is going if the holes allow for constellations to form out of what i look at?  for instance - at night, from a distance, my husband looks like orion.

[berrt]

help.  i'm looking at the stars and some are bright and some are dim  (no matter how direct i am).  how do i know if my eyesight is going if the holes allow for constellations to form out of what i look at?

Light sensitivity is lower in the spot of sharp vision. So it is completely normal that you can see dim stars in areas slightly off-center which you cant see in the central spot. Losses of the field of vision are only detectable by specific tests - unless they are gross.

for instance - at night, from a distance, my husband looks like orion.

From a distance of 1500 light years? Then he IS orion!

B.

[overcast_32]

Get you some of those small personal MP3 player type of speakers... if you position them right, I'm sure the sound will be just as good as headphones, plus you can keep the volume way down if you choose too. I bet circuit city (or the like) has a pretty good deal on them. Powered ones even better - some good PC speakers would work just fine too. I have a regular console piano so my family just has to live with it, lol.

[persona]

I haven't used the headphones since I posted the original message. The buzzing has gradually decreased, but not that much, and I don't think it will ever dissapear completely. Is there anything at all one can do? How do the rest of you handle this? (please don't answer "by not using headphones", I'm not in the mood for such a response).

[pianowolfi]

I use earphones to practise, and I haven't got such a problem. I use earphones that are not close to the ear, big ones. However when I listen to music on my ipod or mp3 player I also use the small ones. I think, something might have been seriously wrong with your earphones.  I have a tinnitus but it comes from a middle ear inflammation a few years ago, and it's not very loud.

[barnowl]

I haven't used the headphones since I posted the original message. The buzzing has gradually decreased, but not that much, and I don't think it will ever dissapear completely. Is there anything at all one can do? How do the rest of you handle this? (please don't answer "by not using headphones", I'm not in the mood for such a response).

I think most of us just get used to it, Persona. At first, I suspect we all get very unhappy (I used to hyperventilate) over it, but after awhile we all settled down and learned to live with the problem.

There is no cure for tinnitus. See an Ears Nose and Throat doctor and he'll tell you the same thing. So don't fall for the quack offers you can find online.

Lastly Persona, think of all the hideus things that have befallen others, but not you: losing a hand, going blind, becoming a quadraplegic, and so on.

Now, uh, what's your complaint, again - a little ringing in your ears?   

Perhaps you might get down on your knees tomight and thank God for all the wonderful blessings He's bestowed upon you. While you're there, ask Him for help in coping with your problem.

I'll say some prayers for you at Mass tomorrow, and later in the week, at Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration.

[persona]

I really appreciate your praying barnowl, although I'm an atheist. I'll see a doctor anyway, even when I know there's no cure. I need to be 100% sure.

[barnowl]

I really appreciate your praying barnowl, although I'm an atheist. I'll see a doctor anyway, even when I know there's no cure. I need to be 100% sure.

Please let us know what the doctor says, Persona. Maybe there's been a breakthrough.

[henrah]

So does using any kind of head/earphones damage your ears?


...dayum....

[persona]

henrah: belive me! I was warned about this right in this forum, but I thought "If you're gonna belive everything you read on the internet...". But belive me it's true (and very annoying!). So remember: say NO to headphones!!!

[barnowl]

henrah: belive me! I was warned about this right in this forum, but I thought "If you're gonna belive everything you read on the internet...". But belive me it's true (and very annoying!). So remember: say NO to headphones!!!

I wonder if I was the one who warned you, Persona.

I played the earpphones at very low volume on my digital p and bingo! Ringa-ding-ding. I think I posted or opened a thread abou it and got shouted down by some.

[persona]

hehehehe, I'm not sure. It might have been you. I think it was in a thread of mine were I was asking whether what you practice on a digital can be "translated" to an acoustic piano without having to start all over (that's when headphones came up). But yeah, whoever it was, I'm really sorry I didn't listen.

[ccnokes]

I've had incessant ringing in both of my ears for years now.  I only notice it at night sometimes when i'm going to sleep.  You learn to mentally tune it out to the point you don't even know its there.