Will my hearing come back?

[jmasterx]

Hi

I went to go see DT about 12 hours ago, and since the show, I cannot hear most of the 3khz range in my left hear. I can barely hear the 88th key on my piano in this ear and it gets better as I go down the scale. I also have a tiny bit of ringing in my left ear.

Is this considered temporary hearing loss or is it more serious? It seems to have gotten a bit better but I'm a bit worried bout the fact that there is a range of sound I can hardly hear.

Think this will go away in the next few days or does this sound serious. It is my second ever concert.

I was in the 4th row on the leftmost side.

[Dark Castle]

I wouldn't worry bud, it's 99.9% temporary, and it happens after every concert, especially the more metal they get.
At worst it might last a couple of days, the ringing at least, but you'll be fine.

[jmasterx]

Okay, so it's normal that I can't hear the 3,000hz - 4,000hz range right now but I should be able to hear it again soon?

[BlobVanDam]

My hearing has been muffled after concerts (higher frequency loss), with the signature high pitched noise. It's always been fine the next day after sleeping. I've even observed music sounding sharper after concerts.
Your hearing should return to normal within a day, but hearing damage is cumulative, so in future consider using ear plugs.

[jsem]

I can't remember which concert it was due to, but this happened to me once. Went over in about two days.

One concert shouldn't give you permanent tinnitus.

[jmasterx]

So in summation, losing a specific range of frequencies (3-6kish) in my left ear should not be something I should worry about?

[MetalJunkie]

So in summation, losing a specific range of frequencies (3-6kish) in my left ear should not be something I should worry about?

You did read all the responses, right?

[lordxizor]

You may have a small amount of long term hearing loss, but it should mostly return. I blew out my left ear at a DT concert a decade or more ago and it took like 6 months for it to come back to normal. In hearing tests I've had a small amount of noise induced hearing loss in that ear. Nothing I notice on a day to day basis though. I would highly suggest investing in a nice set of ear plugs if you intend to go to a lot of concerts.

[jmasterx]

Thanks everyone.  I was getting really worried.

@lordxizor Did you get at least most of it back in the first few days?

[Dellers]

I had trouble hearing for two days once, with major high frequency noise in my ears, but eventually things became relatively normal. Of course there will be some permanent hearing loss as well after listening to concerts without any protection, so if you do it often you'll probably be deaf by the time you're 60 and definitely get tinnitus.

Loudness is why I don't like going to concerts anymore. They're way too loud, to the point where I have to guess which songs are being played. I failed at pointing out songs when I saw Prince a few years back. The latest DT show I was at a few weeks back was annoyingly loud as well, even with 15 or 20 (can't remember) dB dampening. I just don't think concerts are worth it anymore, when the sound is that loud it will sound crap anyway. The last 6 years I've only been to one concert where the volume was low enough for the sound to be good, and that was Mezzoforte. If bands want my money from now on they have to keep making records. Watching live shows these days feels like being abused, and I just won't support it.

[Kotowboy]

I saw Green Day at Wembley Arena in 2009 without plugs and that was pretty comfy. The pyro was pretty loud though. 

[El Barto]

World Slavery tour in 84 rang my ears for 4 or 5 days. Went away. Another concert rang them pretty well for a little over a week. Again, no problem. Both of these shows made DT sound like a chamber ensemble. Unless you're one of the tiny minority that's prone to getting your ears hosed by a concert or two I'd say you're perfectly fine and shouldn't worry. If you found the sound last night or the experience today particularly unpleasant then I'd certainly agree with the earplugs suggestion. If you're like me and enjoy loud concerts then I wouldn't bother.

[jmasterx]

It has been 24 hours and when I do this hearing test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-iCZElJ8m0 4,000 to 6,000 is basically nothing at all in my left ear. Everything else up to 18,000 is normal. Will it kind of come back in a burst or should I be seeing progress?

[El Barto]

It has been 24 hours and when I do this hearing test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-iCZElJ8m0 4,000 to 6,000 is basically nothing at all in my left ear. Everything else up to 18,000 is normal. Will it kind of come back in a burst or should I be seeing progress?

Unless you took that test right before you ran out the door to see DT (and honestly even then) I'm not sure I'd put much stock in it. I'll also point out that if this is freaking you out so much you're going to be a complete basket case by the time you're 40.

[rumborak]

I wish concerts started transmitting the stereo sound with a small FM transmitter or something. That way you could bring your own headphones and dial in the perfect volume. Concert venues are always a various combination of too loud here, too quiet there, too boomy here, too boomy there. Too many a concert has been ruined by a sucky venue PA.

[jmasterx]

It has been 24 hours and when I do this hearing test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-iCZElJ8m0 4,000 to 6,000 is basically nothing at all in my left ear. Everything else up to 18,000 is normal. Will it kind of come back in a burst or should I be seeing progress?

Unless you took that test right before you ran out the door to see DT (and honestly even then) I'm not sure I'd put much stock in it. I'll also point out that if this is freaking you out so much you're going to be a complete basket case by the time you're 40.

But in my right ear I hear each and every frequency just fine.

EDIT: just tested myself again, the 4k range isnt loud, but Im starting to hear it again. I feel so relived!

[Jaq]

If you're going to worry that much about hearing loss at concerts, wear earplugs next time.

And stay the hell out of any sort of construction field. Doing that for 25 years has done more damage to my hearing than every concert I went to combined.

[Dr. DTVT]

Realize that your hearing probably wasn't perfectly symmetrical to begin with.  Most people who need vision correction have different prescriptions for each eye.  Furthermore, your ears don't hear different types of sounds at the same frequency the same.

[lordxizor]

@lordxizor Did you get at least most of it back in the first few days?

The ringing stopped after a day or two, but my ear felt kind of plugged for months. I went to the audiologist several months after for an unrelated reason and found out I had some noise induced hearing loss. I went again a year later it was almost back to normal.

[jmasterx]

@lordxizor Did you get at least most of it back in the first few days?

The ringing stopped after a day or two, but my ear felt kind of plugged for months. I went to the audiologist several months after for an unrelated reason and found out I had some noise induced hearing loss. I went again a year later it was almost back to normal.

Was it still noticable after a day or 2? Right now, my 4K range seems to have been the most affected.

[Onno]

I went to an insanely loud concert once, and I think my hearing's pretty sensitive to begin with, since I can't seem to cope with loud noise as well as most other people. Anyway, I think I have a very light tinnitus which results in a high pitched noise I can only hear when it's really silent.

[Kotowboy]

I've had a rustling sound in my ears since 1997.

It used to be i'd have to drown it out or not think about it to get some sleep.

Nowadays I sometimes focus on it to take my mind off something else because i'm so used to it being there.

[Kotowboy]

@lordxizor Did you get at least most of it back in the first few days?

The ringing stopped after a day or two, but my ear felt kind of plugged for months. I went to the audiologist several months after for an unrelated reason and found out I had some noise induced hearing loss. I went again a year later it was almost back to normal.

Was it still noticable after a day or 2? Right now, my 4K range seems to have been the most affected.

Give it a week i'd say. You'll have probably forgotten all about it by then any way.

[lordxizor]

Do you notice anything when you're not trying to do a hearing test?

[jmasterx]

Do you notice anything when you're not trying to do a hearing test?

Yes, but in normal hearing it's getting a bit better every few hours. But things that are in the 4KHz range such as the highest C on a piano are unclear and I cannot distinguish the highest C from the highest B unless I turn it up about twice as loud as I normally play. But in my right ear I distinguish it without trouble.

The ringing is almost completely gone. I still hear some static a bit when I listen to some 4-6K frequencies for a few minutes but the static is improving a lot.

I'm thinking it might take a while for my 4-6K range to get back to normal, but every day speech is pretty much fine at this point. Hopefully it gets even better in the next 48 hours.

[carl320]

I played a local show once and stuck around for the following band.  I had forgotten my earplugs but didn't think I needed them.  In the first song of their set the guitarist hit a note and held it.  The feedback was painful.  I hear a ringing in my ears for three days.  Since then if I forget earplugs I plug them with paper, just to have something.

And I agree with Jaq about staying out of construction, or any industrial/manufacturing job.  I've been to a few places where the normal noise level left me with that cotton feeling in my ears (I work in LTL trucking, which also gets loud).  Sometimes they supply plugs and even mandate them, but not every place does.

[jmasterx]

Could anyone shine some insight on my progress?

So far, my left ear is pretty much back to normal, however, for the past 48 hours I have have very, very light wooshing in my right ear. In addition, high pitched frequencies feel much louder. Last night, the wooshing was loud enough such that my quiet PC was not enough to over power it,  I needed a fan. Today, the wooshing is much less loud and I can sleep peacefully with only my PC.

However, it has been over 48 hours since the show. Will my ear continue to heal in the next few days aswell? Should I expect high frequencies to lower in volume and should I expect the very light wooshing to be temporary and go away within the week? I'm not sure how this works. A lot of sites say that if you hear wooshing passed 48 hours that it is permanent. It seems to get better. It tends to disappear for an hour sometimes if I keep things quiet and returns when I start listening to TV and talking.

In the last 12 hours, high pitched sounds have decreased in volume but are still pretty loud compared to usual.

[kirksnosehair]

I'm seeing Dream Theater (and doing the meet -n- greet) tomorrow night.  I will definitely be bringing ear plugs.  Last time I saw them (ADTOE Tour) they were way, way too fucking loud.

[rumborak]

Oh hell yeah, I'm bringing my earplugs tomorrow.

[kirksnosehair]

You doing the meet -n- greet, rumby?

[rumborak]

Nah Dare I ask how much you dished out for that?

[kirksnosehair]

hmm....I can't remember.  Might have been something along the lines of $125.00 or in that neighborhood.   I've only met Portnoy in person.  I have no idea what to expect. 

[rumborak]

I heard Mike Manginini only speaks through a ventriloquist doll.

[Kotowboy]

And even then - he only speaks in an iambic pentameter .

[Beowulf]

It's not a good show unless your ears are ringing afterwards!