Drummers these days may discount the importance of their ear drums and their precious hearing. But what they don’t realize is that without their hearing, they wouldn’t be able to effectively drum! So why don’t drummers take better care of their ears? These same drummers polish their cymbals, clean their drums, and make sure their drums are perfect but neglect something that is so much more valuable and irreplaceable – their hearing. This article dives into tinnitus, a hearing condition that can negatively affect a drummer forever.
So what exactly is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a ringing in the ears without an external source. What this means is that the ringing is only in the head, something that would drive anyone insane. Tinnitus is not a disease, but rather a symptom currently without a definitive cure. This is why it is especially important to take preventative measures, which will be discussed later in the article.
What kinds of tinnitus are there?
There are two types of tinnitus – subjective and objective. Subjective tinnitus is a condition heard only in a patient’s head. Objective tinnitus is a rare condition where a clinician can actually hear the ringing when a powerful microphone is put next to the patient’s ear. The sounds are a result of trembling of certain muscles. Patients may hear sounds that differ in pitch and volume and have different experiences with tinnitus.
What causes tinnitus?
There are a variety of causes for tinnitus, the most common being a sudden loud noise or prolonged exposure to loud music through PA systems or personal stereos. Other common causes included working in a noisy industrial work environment, hearing loss, head injury, certain drugs like an aspirin overdose, temporomandibular and cervical spine disorders, suppurative otitis media, otosclerosis, ear wax, Meniere’s disease, impacted wisdom teeth, hypertension and atherosclerosis, acoustic neuroma, palatal myoclonus, arterivenous fistulae and arterial bruits, severe anemia and renal failure, glomus jugulare tumors, Lyme disease, stress and depression, and thyroid disorders.
Many of these causes for tinnitus may be out of your control. The best thing you can do is to keep yourself in good general health and to keep yourself away from prolonged loud sounds.
How do I prevent tinnitus?
Tinnitus can easily be prevented with some basic safety precautions. In fact, for drummers, 75% of tinnitus cases could have been prevented with better care. Always wear ear plugs or isolation head phones when playing the drums, for practice and for playing with a band. Most of the earplugs current on the market are comfortable, cheap, and effective blocking out noise from 5dB to 30dB. When playing with a band, using in-ear monitors is also a great way to save your hearing without compromising sound quality and your ability to hear other band members. General health is also important in preventing tinnitus. Exercise frequently and avoid excessive drinking and smoking. This will significantly reduce your chances of getting tinnitus. Visit
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I have tinnitus. What can I do?
There are no definitive cures for tinnitus that are proven to work. There are many products that claim to be the cure but most fail to deliver on their promises. It’s good to see a doctor and check out the cause of your tinnitus. Depending on the cause, there may be some treatment available to you. Besides this, it’s very important to take care of your ears as tinnitus can get progressively worse. Also, some tinnitus is temporary and loud sounds and noisy environments must be avoided in order for your ears to heal properly.
Beware of tinnitus. It’s really a scary thing that young drummers don’t even consider when they’re in the basement pounding away at the drums. Your health and well-being are way more important than some concert or drum playing so make sure you wear ear protection and take care of your ears. You won’t regret it.
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