Ear plugs

[EvilAries]

Since New Year I have increased my daily walking for exercise. I like to listen to music as I walk. My Tinnitus seems worse lately. Is this connected?

[rabbits65]

Personally I wouldn’t listen to music whilst your walking. It’s better for your tinnitus to listen to the outside sounds like bird song and rustling of trees etc. leave the music for when your indoors . My opinion only.

[Linley]

Agree with Rabbits65. When I am walking outdoors the noises muffle my T, but everyone is different😁

[Hidden]

Hi

Could be. Depending on volume?

I find loud music can affect my tinnitus though I enjoy the 70s and 80s music channels on TV. They are amazing.

When out walking I like listening to nature plus I can't tell direction of noise so would worry about traffic but, as others say, your choice 👍

Great you've increased your walking xx

[DR650SE]

Hello EvilAriesIf the music is soft,soothing and not loud ,I shouldn't imagine that Mr T would get upset

[Jools777]

Hello, I personally like to hear the sounds around me when I’m out walking. I love listening to music, but prefer to sit and relax while listening to music. I can’t tolerate insert earphones, I find them uncomfortable after short while and they seem to increase my tinnitus volume when I remove them after listening. I use normal earphones from time to time if my wife wants peace and quiet, and set at a sensible volume works for me. However, I do take them off after half an hour or so, give myself at least a ten minute break before I use them again.

Saying all that, this is my personal choice, based on my own experience. I think it can bedifferent for other people and they may have other methods. Hope this helps.

[bournville]

Hi everyone has a view on this but personally I would say if you must listen to music on the move use open backed headphones rather than earbuds. Always listen quietly and try to listen to music at home over speakers rather than headphones or earbuds as speakers are kinder on the ear.

[TinnitusUKPat Partner]

In with my usual recommendation of Shokz (the company formerly known as Aftershokz) bone conduction headsets, which allow you to hear the environment around you and whatever audio source - podcasts, music, calls - you're using:

uk.shokz.com/products/openmove

[Non-Leaguer]

As BTAPat says Shokz headphones are really good to hear your music through cheekbones and still enjoy surrounding sounds. Had them for a year and have been of great help.

[oldskir]

I'm very much of the opinion that loud noise is dangerous, and can cause and exacerbate tinnitus. I used to go to a lot of very loud rock music concerts in the late 1960s/early 1970s, and this is what started my tinnitus. People didn't use earplugs back then, I deeply regret now that I went to those gigs and subjected my ears to such noise levels.

I believe that listening to music should be done with minimal or no background noise, that way you can keep the volume down to a sensible level. If your music coming through ear buds is battling against things like loud traffic noise, you are going to be turning up the volume to hear it. Very easy in that situation to have the music coming through at too loud a level, with significant possibility to exacerbate the tinnitus, and indeed to cause some hearing damage.

So I would say personally, enjoy your walks and the exercise, but no ear buds.

[purenostalgia]

I am beginning to accept that my Tinnitus has gradually increased in volume over the past 9 months and that the only win I have had is getting an average of 5 hours sleep a night.

[Suz_2 in reply to purenostalgia]

I am getting about 4 to 5 hours max sleep per night as well - i wake up early every morning with a loud T then its less loud in daytime - how is it going with yr hearing aids - do u hear the T in the daytime or just at night?

[purenostalgia in reply to Suz_2]

Yes. Suz bedtime and morning when I wake up are the worst time for me, the hearing aids help during the day, with the dark mornings I do not get up but lay in bed for a couple of hours this is the worst time, I have the radio on but still hear the Tinnitus screaming in my ears.

[Suz_2 in reply to purenostalgia]

hi Mike - do ut hink yr tinnitus could have increased because of the hearing aids or do u think these have helped yr T - i am going to try HA's again after a traumatic try last October - thnx

[purenostalgia in reply to Suz_2]

It is difficult to tell Suz, but they improve my hearing, I wear them constantly during the day and only take them off at night, I have spent this afternoon cutting back some tree's and spent an hour under the carport in my easy chair, tinnitus was a thing of the past for a few hours.

Take Care

Mike

[Suz_2]

yes me too - i feel like sleeping longer when i wake but just cant - suppose the brain adapts to having less sleep - but I have many days when i am just tired all day . Just wish i could get a couple of extra hours sleep sometimes

[bantams]

Definitely agree with rabbits whilst out for walking, especially when it is windy here in Yorkshire, which drowns my Tinnitus!!

[Hidden]

Likewise I usually wake up at 3. Sleep hasn't been great recently though I just had an hour's sleep from 4.30 there which helps. xx

[HissingSid]

I have also been increasing my walks this year (weather permitting) but I never listen to music. Why would I do that as I’m distracted by natural sounds including traffic? It’s not advisable on some of my routes to listen to music as I find myself having no footpaths so I walk on right side of road so I can see oncoming traffic. If caught up in listening to music I feel that I may put myself in danger. Better to be alert at all times when outdoors.