Playing/learning a musical instrument with tinnitus

[Spencersmum]

Hi, I play cello. I started playing cello in 2020, my tinnitus started in October 2017. I have worked my way through grades. My amazing teacher took a new career direction and I had a heck of a job finding a new teacher. Adding ‘I have constant tinnitus’ to an introduction seems to freak some people out.

When you are booking exams with ABRSM, I have no clue about Trinity, it would be interesting to know, there is a drop down to choose for various accessibility options. Hearing is one, but there is no specific mention of tinnitus.

The past couple of exams ABRSM have allowed me to play without accompaniment. I struggle with the sound of the accompaniment and my tinnitus and my cello. I can cope with my cello and tinnitus.

I am getting in touch this year to ask if we could be allowed extra time for certain aspects of the exam as other accessibility options are. Also, if tinnitus could be included in the drop down box for booking exams. I’m not a teacher, or a parent, I’m a student. They have asked for more information about tinnitus and I forwarded some BMJ papers and others and the link to this site.

I came here to see if anyone else was learning a musical instrument. What do you think? I firmly believe that playing helps keep me. I recently took up the clarinet as well.

[RKAUF]

Hi, tinnitus is classified as a hearing disability. There's disability legislation in the UK, saying that schools need to make 'reasonable adjustments' to allowed disabled students to study and take exams. This may include extra time, providing equipment to assist you with your learning, allowing you to take exams in a different environment, etc. It is worth speaking with the disability officer in your college and/or with the student union rep. All the best!

[Spencersmum in reply to RKAUF]

Hi, I’m long past school and university. I am doing these exams independently. For fun.

However, you have an excellent point. The ‘S’ in ABRSM does stand for schools.

The accessibility officer is the person I am emailing just now. It may be worthwhile pointing out what you have just said.

[RKAUF in reply to Spencersmum]

It's the same rules for any education provider ; o )

gov.uk/rights-disabled-pers...

[Spencersmum in reply to RKAUF]

Thank you.

I don’t suppose you have a robust link for tinnitus as a disability too?

Sorry, but 99% of the stuff I have found are ambulance chasers who think you want a pile of cash because you worked somewhere noisy, I don’t mean to trivialise…..

I killed my search engine doing pharmacology😜

[RKAUF in reply to Spencersmum]

That’s an excellent question. I couldn’t find anything on the Tinnitus UK website defining it as a disability. However the UK government have a working definition regarding what is considered to be a disability, and if your tinnitus reaches this threshold then you can classify it as such:

gov.uk/definition-of-disabi...

[RKAUF in reply to RKAUF]

You’re disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.

‘substantial’ is more than minor or trivial, eg it takes much longer than it usually would to complete a daily task like getting dressed

‘long-term’ means 12 months or more, eg a breathing condition that develops as a result of a lung infection

[rabbits65]

very well done to you. You sound very happy with your music. Many years ago I used to play the piano, sadly I had to give this up as I developed tenosynovitis in my arms and I am ok now so long as I refrain from that movement. I would love to go back to playing music and to help my tinnitus and other pressures I get in my head and ears.

[Spencersmum]

whilst I appreciate this is a tinnitus forum, I started cello as an adult and my original cello was a 4/4. I just thought all adults played a 4/4. I was fine until I got to grade 3 and the pieces, scales and arpeggios in that. I was told by various teachers practice, practice, practice, your hands mould to the instrument.

My left hand along the pinky side was starting to hurt a lot. I read forums and suggested a 7/8 to my teacher, two teachers told me I would never get the sound quality and projection from a 7/8, and continued to insist I try and make the stretch. After 18 months my adult left hand could just, painfully managed some of the more awkward slurred three note arpeggios. The final straw was when my teacher grabbed my finger and positioned it.

I went out and purchased a good 7/8 cello. She can project! Also no more pain.

I’m sorry you suffered with tenosynovitis. I have heard a lot about tendinitis in cello forums, I gather in one the sheath around the tendon is inflamed and the other it is the tendon itself.

Have you ever tried any other musical instrument? One that maybe doesn’t have the same ROM as the piano. I’m not a doctor or a physiotherapist…..or even particularly expert on the range of musical instruments there is.