How long should it take for normal hearing to return after a loud concert?
I attended a loud rock concert 5 days ago now. Following the concert I had tinnitus in both ears and trouble hearing. Normal (or seemingly normal) hearing returned to my right ear after about two days. However my left ear still has ringing, and sounds are extremely muffled. Is it normal for it to take so long for hearing to recover? What are the chances that I’m facing permanent damage?
It will take as long as it takes to return, possibly up to a few weeks. Depending on the level of db’s and how often you expose your ears to this kind of punishment, this is normal. The chances that you’ve done permanent damage seem pretty slim, but you should be more careful in the future. While waiting for your hearing to return fully, you should refrain from listening to any loud music, and in the future, wear earplugs (if you don’t have earplugs, roll up some toilet paper into plugs).