Tinnitus is not something that will go away. As a musician I’ve learned a lot about it from my old teachers and other professional musicians. When I was really young, teens and 20s I didn’t use earplugs enough and would leave a rehearsal or show with the temporary tinnitus. Now I use em all the time. My hearing isn’t totally screwed; I used to hear a solid G# when sleeping but I don’t really notice anything anymore. Working in a shop I always have a good supply of foamies and have gotten laughed at for it a good bit, but, joke’s on them. Unfortunately I like to listen to rock & metal very loud but there is a point where louder isn’t really necessary. Like when hitting a drum, you need only a wrist motion and raising your arm to assist in the stroke does little to nothing except wear you out, and dent drumheads or crack cymbals.
I heard about custom earplugs formed for your ear from one of my old teachers. Never got around to buying a fit and set. They have different internals, they’ll filter out the really loud stuff and still let you hear quiet stuff. Back in 2005 or whenever I heard about them the price I heard was $160, that was a lot then. Nowadays probably be $500+.
When I talk to really old people; ie 90s, I just say everything in a very loud voice. It makes it a lot easier for them. But I don’t do it very often anymore, unfortunately an old guy I really loved passed away just before Covid. Oh man I miss him, sometimes I catch myself thinking I’m going to call him and see how he’s doing, and then I remember.