Hearing Loss and Trumpet Playing

jhatpro · Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 9:34 am Post subject: Hearing Loss and Trumpet Playing

My wife has been commenting lately that she thinks I'm losing my hearing. I tell her if she'd talk louder and quit creeping up on me I'd hear just fine. (The other day she came up behind me and scared the bejezus out of me. I told her she's lucky I'm not a Vietnam vet or I would have flashbacked her.)

Anyway, I'm 64 and thinking maybe she's right and wondering if my hearing deficiency, if real, could be affecting my playing. I mean, I could get interested in a hearing aid if it would help me play better. (Just to hear my wife better? Nahhhh.) So what do you think?
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Dr. Stu · Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 9:50 am Post subject:

Get thee to an audiologist. I would go to an ENT (otolaryngologist) and have a routine ENT (ears, nose & throat) exam. This is especially important if you were ever a smoker. An ENT will have an audiologist who works with him/her, probably in his office, who can test your hearing and recommend the correct hearing aid.

A certain degree of hearing loss, especially higher frequency, is normal and expected as we get older, somewhat more in musicians- depending on the settings in which you usually play. Rock musicians routinely exhibit dramatic hearing loss and many develop tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

You can turn your hearing-aid up when you play, and turn iit off when you are home with you wife. Just smile and nod alot. That's what my dad does

.

-Stu

Jazzy_Mike · Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 5:50 pm Post subject:

I believe that music will eventually cause some degree of deafness to us all. I remember the BBC did a study on musicians in marching bands and found that they had drastic rates of hearing loss. So thats understandable. If you were in an orchestra I assume your hearing loss would be less significant. But I had a decible tester one day and took it to two rehersals. My jazz orchestra, about 18 people, had a decibel rating of 95, my orchestra, 50 people, had a decibel rating of 110. The standard rating for hearing loss is 30 mintues at 80 decibels will cause damage.
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funktrumpet · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 7:04 am Post subject: yep

I'm 30 and I know that 7 years of teaching private lessons in a closet has damaged my right ear permanantly. I guess its true that often we give our whole lives to these kids....

trptStudent · Heavyweight Member Joined: 06 Aug 2004 Posts: 2572

_Aquafloyd · Regular Member Joined: 17 Jan 2005 Posts: 38

Just a shade past 30 myself, and I know I have hearing loss. I am not diagnosed, but I actually have to turn the closed captions on on my TV so as not to bother the rest of my family with an overly loud TV.

I don't even want to go to a doc, because I am concerned that if they prescribe some sort of hearing aid, that my ears might lose all reference for pitch, etc. I don't know if this would happen or not, but don't really want to take any chances.

Does anyone know if hearing aids do this? Does anyone here wear hearing aids either while playing or not? I'd love to "hear" whatever experiences folks have had with this.

Thanks,

-Mike
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mototrmpt · Veteran Member Joined: 22 May 2004 Posts: 186

Jhatpro,
based on what you originally wrote about your wife sneaking up on you, I would say you had a definite severe hearing loss. If it sounds like your wife mumbles alot, that is another definte sign. One sign of know it's time for hearing aids is when you let you hearing (or lack of) effect your lifestyle. Such as prefering to stay home instead of going out with others because you're self conscience about not hearing them or if it's affecting you relationship with your wife or other family members. Get to an audiologist and check out the new digital toys they have. For people with severe hearing loss, the hearing improvement can be pretty amazing.

I've have mild hearing loss and even tried (for a number of months) a 7 channel digital in the ear hearing aids. Although it seems to help at times, it also made it more difficult at other times. One thing for sure, sounds and music did not sound natural to me while wearing them. This could have been due to short testing period (I thought a 5 month period was fairly decent period, but maybe it take longer) and I just needed longer to get used to them. I'm only 43 and still a bit vain about appearances and when I couldn't get the in the ear canal type hearing aids (pretty much totally hidden) to work for me in quite meeting situations and noisy restraunts, I gave up (for now). This was not a quick (or cheap) process and I actually tried 3 different brands and models. I'm sure some day my hearing will deteriorate to the point I will need them, but for now, I would rather struggle a little bit and still hear natural sounding music.

-Lance

Billy B · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 7:36 am Post subject:

Your wife's mumbling could be a sign of her hearing loss. That's my story and I am sticking to it.

Playing with bag pipes would require a previous hearing loss.

Take care of your hearing. Always have ear plugs with you on the gig, just in case. On breaks find a place to hang out that is quiet. Immediately after the gig absolute silence is best. Rest those ears. Hearing loss is accumulative. Always wear hearing protection when operating power equipment, shooting, etc...
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surfhorn · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 7:49 am Post subject:

Due to playing for years with amplified bands coupled with the fact that I have surfed regularly for 40 years, my hearing is poor. I have about a 70% closure on the left ear and almost 85% on my right due to spending so much time in cold water and the wind.

I've also had speakers peak out while onstage which have almost brought me to my knees. I always carry pairs of earplugs in all my suit coats, cases and cars. If playing with a ska/rock amplifies band, I carry my shooting ear protectors to uess whenever I'm on stage during soundcheck.

After one ear infection, I was barely able to play higher notes for a while; everytime I did, my rt ear would buzz. Not a pretty picture.
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Tootsall · Heavyweight Member Joined: 05 May 2002 Posts: 2952

Depending where (or if) you work, your employer may also be wise to consider having an audiologist check the hearing of employees regularly. We get our hear hearing tested every two years and the results are reviewed with each individual afterwards. I'm happy to say that my efforts to protect my hearing at work is reaping dividends (although... my wife doesn't believe me) and I have the hearing of a 58 year old. Since I'm about to turn 58 this week...........

But it's true... you start losing your upper range whether you are exposed to loud noises or not...when you are very young. The degradation just happens faster when you are exposed to loud noises. The longer and/or the louder, the faster. And it never helps when your wife always turns her head away from you and drops her voice just as she gets to the important part of the message!!!

SinfonianTrumpeter · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:14 am Post subject:

mototrmpt · Veteran Member Joined: 22 May 2004 Posts: 186

Mike said:

jhatpro · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:54 am Post subject:

Thanks for your input, everyone. I mentioned this to my wife but I didn't catch her reply.

Incidentally, I was telling my story to three guys I play tennis with, all in their 70s and 80s, and they immediately fell out laughing. "Welcome to the club, junior," said one. At least that's what I think he said.

Gotta go. I think my wife is sneaking up on me.
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"Old trumpet players never die, they just blow away."

Edwards X-13 trumpet
CarolBrass flugel
King SilverSonic cornet

Meldog · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:17 am Post subject:

I have a fairly significant loss in my left ear that is hereditary or something. I was told it wasn't due to anyhting I did. I'm only 25, so I guess I'm joining the club early:)..lol. When I was in college I relied heavily on my tuner because I just had trouble hearing my intonation. in front of a group conducting I have no problems but put me behind the horn and I had some issues. About 3 years ago I put the tuner away and just started going by feeling. When I tune, I tune to the fifth and so on and I have found my ear has gotten pretty good. I guess it's hard to explain but it is working for me, slowly, I still do have issues but each day it gets easier to deal with. I had the same problem though. I am constantly saying "huh" or "stop mumbling". At least I know why now:)
Adam Metzler
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plp · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:14 pm Post subject:

Glad to know I'm not the only one, 24 years of construction sites and heavy equipment (I work for a freakin' pile driving company!!) have taken their toll, in spite of the fact I always wear hearing protection. I am the de facto safety guy on most jobs, and always try to lead by example when it comes to the personal protective equipment.

Do any of you play with guys that use hearing aids and play in tune? That is the proof for me, if it can be done.

old geezer · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:26 pm Post subject:

I have not suffered any loss ( I get checked at work every two years), but I have a hissing in my ears. I have had that for at least 5 years. I have a friend who is almost 84 and has a great deal of hearing loss. He plays stand up bass and tunes pianos. He has two hearing aids - digital for most of the time and the old style for music. He says the digital just doesn't work for music. old geezer Dave

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Burkhart87 · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:36 pm Post subject:

I just saw an add for this online, maybe it could help you guys:
www.walkersgameear.com

Jazzy_Mike · Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 2:31 pm Post subject: