Am i going deaf for listening to loud music?

[bostonterrier]

Usually I wear headphones because I don't want to bother my neighbors, but I like to listen to loud music,and I noticed some weird metallic sounds on my ears, is that a sign of going deaf?

[TaraMaiden]

Tinnitus.

 

Hearing problems can be exacerbated by loud noise.

Edited February 1, 2014 by TaraMaiden

[GoreSP]

Completely deaf?

No.

 

You are however damaging your hearing beyond repair with loud music.

[TaraMaiden]

My brother was a roadie for a rock group, and was constantly exposed to high-volume music for a prolonged period of time. As a result, he has a hearing problem, and has developed chronic hyperacusis, which actually makes him ultra-sensitive to noise and every-day sounds. He hates loudness and sudden noises of any kind. Rather than going deaf, his auditory sense has intensified, and he wears ear-plugs most of the time....

I am gradually going deaf, suffer from permanent 24/7 tinnitus and have a degree of hyperacusis to certain types of sound.

 

My specific tinnitus sounds like this:

 

Imagine going to a wildlife park or a zoo, and visiting the open-air aviary early one spring morning.

Now imagine every conceivable variety of native wild bird in there, singing their little lungs out....

Cacophonous, right?

There's one shrill little bugger who constantly sings one note higher than all the others; the tone is sibilant and strident, and unceasing.

 

The level of this noise varies; sometimes it's quite low, so I barely notice it. At other times, it is so invasive, I have difficulty focusing on whatever i may be doing; be it reading, watching or listening to something or someone.

 

The added complication is that, according to a specialist I have visited, my tinnitus is also imitative. For example, if I hear a smoke alarm going off, even when its noise has stopped, I carry on hearing it, for possibly anything up to an hour or more.

 

There is no known cure for Tinnitus, and there are even some rare types which can be heard by others in the vicinity (page 7 of document in link).

 

The condition can occasionally be helped by 'white noise' headphones, but these only provide relief while worn. Unfortunately (as in my case) tinnitus can sometimes 'fight' this white noise, and merely becomes louder to 'compete'.

 

Weird.....