[Emil]

So I went to a Hardcore Superstar concert last saturday and the sound was AWFUL. Unfortunately my left ear still suffers. It's not ringing or anything, but I do feel that my ability to hear has decreased. It is slightly getting better though. Today is a big improvement compared to Sunday, for example.

I've been to loud and noisy concerts several times before, but this is the first time it's been this bad. Does anyone have a similar experience? Any advices? Should I go and see a doctor or should I keep my cool and consider the fact that my hearing is slowly coming back as a sign of a healing process? All help is appreciated.

And please no sarcasm about earplugs, it's too late now anyway.

EDIT: Sorry, wrong forum. Can a mod please move it? Thanks.

[(Don't)Lie_to_me]

I've had a bit of pain after some gigs where I was close to the front.

Generally, it was fine by the middle of the next day: if it continues for another couple of days, I'd see a doctor. If it's not ringing then there shouldn't be any permanent damage. I wouldn't expose it to loud volumes for a while.

[Fredrik]

I rarely post here these days anymore (used to very much though) but I read frequently, but this I have to reply to. When it comes to hearing disabilities and music you could say I'm a good person to ask. As a kid I had a VERY minor hearing disorder on my right ear. It wasn't even noticeable, but with time this hearing disorder has gotten worse and worse. Nowadays I notice it to a much higher extent and even then, I am very good at protecting my hearing too. The thing is, a healthy ear with full hearing capability withstands a whole lot more sound than a damaged ear, the difference is HUGE! If you now have suffered a very minor damage to one ear, be SURE to protect it WELL from now on. Always use decent earplugs from now on when exposed to high-sounding environments (like concerts), big sporting-events, nightclubs or other places. Or you will definitely decrease your hearing capability further and trust me, you don't want that.

The best earplugs IMO to use are called Killnoise (www.killnoise.com). Small, efficient and they take away the damaging sound level but you are still able to hear all the sounds around you. I attended a Nightwish concert recently and after a while I thought to myself: "Hey, the volume of this concert is very easy on the ears" only to a few seconds later remember that I had my earplugs in. I completely forgot about them.

[Fredrik]

Originally Posted by (Don't)Lie_to_me

If it's not ringing then there shouldn't be any permanent damage.

Ooooh, that is SO wrong! You can suffer from all kinds of hearing disabilities without ringing in the ears!

[Iceman]

Always wear ear plugs. Always. If you don't, you've only got yourself to blame. It's all unique, you might damage you ears by going to just one concert when your friend goes to shows every day and has no problems. I won't risk it anymore. I have lowered hearing in both my ears after years of playing ****ing loud in a rock band. And no plugs of course. After I saw the doctor, I haven't gone to a show without plugs. Just buy the high-end ones so you don't lose any frequencies. They actually many times make the sound better.

Ice

[Thomas Anderson]

When I was a kid I remember going for hearing tests - apparently I had measles when I was about 4 and it affected my ears. I know that I have slightly reduced hearing in one ear (can never remember which) and I've noticed sometimes if I hear a car alarm or something high pitched pretty far away I can only hear it through one ear, if I turn my head one way it is almost gone, then turn the other and I can hear it again.

I've only been to one big concert before and didn't bother with earplugs, and was fine, but this summer I'll be going to 3 in the space of a week so I might get some earplugs, just incase.

[Emil]

Alright, thank you very much for your inputs guys. I guess ear plugs is the option from now on, like it or not. But even at clubs? That's rough. It is still getting better by the way, I try to avoid my i-Pod and such.

[asok80]

Good idea to avoid iPods and such earphones as that can damage your hearing even more. What I've been told over the years is that it's not the loudness that damages your hearing (at shows) but usually distortions or as you experienced awful sound and longer tones kept at the same level. However, it is all indiviual of course iPods etc. played at maximum volume does not help. I have a friend who used to listen to the stereo and to her walkman with headphones and on max volume all the time and now she's got major problems with her ears and her hearing and cannot use headphones anymore unless with very low volume on and also has to use earplugs at shows.
Hope your hearing comes back all right.

[Kathleen]

Earplugs are good advice obviously. I have to mention that when I was quite young - nobody worried about noise damaging your ears - for themselves or for their kids. I went to a lot of LOUD rock concerts as a young person but the loudest I have ever heard (or almost not heard) was going to the drag races. I'm not sure you Europeans know about the drags. It's a straight line 1/4 mile track with 2 lanes. The first person to the finish line wins the heat. Imagine hearing unmuffled 60's muscle cars for hours on end - and then a few heats of the double A fuelers (elevated fuel dragster engine mounted on a short wheelbase chassis, and a slider clutch - blown nitro fuel). They were the loudest.

I would have trouble hearing for 3 - 4 days after. Everything sounded as if it were underwater. By the following weekend everything would sound normal again - and then back to the races we went. I did this for a few years between the ages of 16 - 19. Fortunately for me it never seemed to cause any permanent damage. I have to take certain hearing tests every few years to keep a construction safety qualification (have to be able to hear the backhoe backing up on a jobsite) and I have always been in the normal range.

I'm sure that some of it is specific to the individual - what might damage your hearing might not damage mine. In any case - you are in music Emil and your ears are precious - take care of them LOL.

[Emil]

Originally Posted by asok80

What I've been told over the years is that it's not the loudness that damages your hearing (at shows) but usually distortions or as you experienced awful sound and longer tones kept at the same level.

Unfortunately, this was exactly the case.

Originally Posted by Kathleen

Everything sounded as if it were underwater.

And this is pretty much how it feels. But like I said, it's a lot better now.

Originally Posted by asok80

In any case - you are in music Emil and your ears are precious - take care of them LOL.

Oh, I will certainly try. Thank you both for your solicitude.