Protection...

Some may say I have wussed out. Some might think "old." Some might be saying "can't hear himself burp." Well it's kind of true I guess because this week at band rehearsal I started wearing fancy noise reduction ear plugs. Results so far are good but it was harder to make a photo of a body part you can't really see than I expected. Not to well practiced up at this kind of photography. 

Seems this past winter I have been troubled more than usual with sinus, laryngitis and something that has been steadily growing, tinnitus which is a ringing in the ears caused by among other things exposure to loud noises. 

I got plenty of reasons to have ringing in my ears. I have worked in loud (I did use hearing protection but it was for 25 years) places, did some gun shooting, years of thinking I had to be front row at musical performances and of course playing loud music in bands. I have also been guilty of listening to music in the car and with the advent of digital read out volume levels thinking that to be a responsible adult I had to set the read out to my age to well you know what they say, act my age. 

Seems that\loud music does not bother me if I am in a big enough space. A recent show I attended, Deke Dickerson and Los Straitjackets saw the guitar players using Twin Reverb, Super Reverb and Hard Rock Deluxe Fender amps plus bass and drums. Those are big boy amps and in a medium sized venue volume was well controlled.  If I am playing in a spacious rehearsal hall or big stage myself no problems to exacerbate the ringing in my ears because best I can guess is that I am not on top of my amp, someone else's amp or have the drummer ringing cymbals in my ear.  Lately I am in a small rehearsal space with the guys on top of each other and what with the sinus and all tinnitus has been bad. 

The sinus is much better and I used the ear plugs this week for the first time. I had some regular off the shelf foam plugs but these work to stop loud, low, high pitched and sudden noises while letting you hear yourself sing and then be able to talk between tunes and hear the voices of others. 

I think it's going to work for me. I will live.  Maybe you should get you some ear plugs next time you see me play.