Every concert aficionado knows and loves the feeling of a post-concert buzz after seeing their favorite artist perform. What’s less enjoyable is the ringing in your ears after exposure to hours of unsafe noise levels. Unfortunately, there is no way to stop tinnitus immediately, but there are ways to help manage the discomfort until it goes away on its own.
Turn on White Noise
People who experience tinnitus on an ongoing basis sometimes purchase tinnitus maskers or white noise machines to cover their tinnitus. This same effect can be achieved by playing white noise, nature sounds or other ambient noise.
Find a Distraction
Oftentimes the worst part of tinnitus is how much attention the person experiencing symptoms gives it. Rather than sitting around and thinking about the ringing in your ears, turn on the television, play some music or listen to a podcast. Make sure to keep the volume low to prevent worsening tinnitus or hearing loss.
Meditate
Many people have found that meditation can help relieve their tinnitus symptoms. Shari Eberts, a hearing health advocate, described her experience with meditation and tinnitus: “When I returned home, I maintained my meditation practice, and the silence stayed with me. Even my debilitating fluorescent light outbreaks are much fewer and farther between.”
There are a variety of apps available to help you through guided meditation, or you can try it on your own by holding still and clearing your mind.
Preventing Tinnitus
After a concert, it can take anywhere from a couple hours to a couple days for your hearing to return to normal. In extreme cases, it may take more than a week – if this is the case, it’s important to schedule an appointment for a hearing test right away.
Sounds over 85 dB are considered hazardous to your hearing and can cause permanent damage, and the average concert is about 120 dB. If you are a frequent concertgoer or performing musician, we recommend purchasing a set of custom high-fidelity musician’s plugs. These plugs are molded to your ear shape for maximum comfort, and they allow you to hear music clearly while blocking unsafe noise levels.
Once you lose your hearing, it’s gone for good. To schedule a hearing screening or to purchase musician’s earplugs, call North Alabama ENT today!