Recent content by Bill Arsenault

Mack's orange earplugs are slightly longer than most other plugs, about a millimeter, because they offer maximum protection by going in deeper. That extra millimeter makes a big difference for me when removing them. I have never once hopelessly lost one in my ear, avoiding hours of panic and a...

I can no longer tolerate pressing obnoxious electric clippers firmly against my skull. Now, I have to shave my head with a razor whenever I shave my face. I am not thrilled about the extra time it takes every other morning instead of every other Sunday, nor am I a fan of the “prison look.” That...

I think I have discovered that Mack’s Orange earplugs are about a millimeter longer than most other plugs, including some of Mack’s lower-rated options. They are also available in many supermarkets. That extra millimeter makes all the difference for me. It often allows me to remove them without...

Thanks, that makes sense. I need to be more considerate about unnecessarily increasing worry, especially when I have no understanding of the science, only the experience of suffering.

Given all the difficulties in finding a practical treatment that provides significant relief, it’s certainly possible that the part of the brain associated with our ears has also been damaged in some way.

Make sure to enjoy yourself out there, and rest assured you’re protecting your ears as best you reasonably can at the moment—certainly much better than most people do. Tinnitus tends to gradually worsen with age and time despite our efforts, so don’t drive yourself crazy over it right now. Just...

Any type of vibration, even just driving down the road, instantly spikes my tinnitus. However, I haven’t yet determined how harmful intense vibrations might be in the long term. After all, sound itself is just vibrations, and intense vibrations can feel incredibly loud, so I figure it might...

Maybe try going without the earmuffs to see if it helps. I realize this isn’t ideal for overall noise, but in my experience, hard plastic earmuffs can make low-frequency rumbling even louder unless they’re fitted uncomfortably tight. For me, they only seem effective against sharp, higher-pitched...

Yes, ear protection can feel like a never-ending challenge and is often difficult to get just right. Hard plastic-covered earmuffs are convenient, but they come with drawbacks. Bumping them can be loud and irritating, and unless they’re uncomfortably tight against your head, low-frequency...

I bought a very quiet 2024 Honda CRF 450 RL dual sport street legal dirt bike in April and riding it has been the most positive experience I have had since having tinnitus but it was a huge gamble and very stressful at first. I have very severe bi-lateral ringing with multiple tones between 10...

Earmuffs do not seem very useful for protecting ears against rumbling low-frequency sounds, such as locomotive diesel motors, for instance, and most loud motors and machinery in general. It almost seems like the earmuffs act like an antenna that delivers these sounds directly into your skull...

Acetaminophen is known to increase the risk of tinnitus by up to 20% — whatever that means. It is also classified as an Analgesic which are also well known to cause or increase tinnitus and hearing damage by restricting the oxygen and blood flow to the ear. If you can feel the physical effects...

You may want to consider just using plain English in the future as most of us here are just ordinary people and not your fellow Professors. We are already stressed out and unlikely to pull out a dictionary just to decipher your post. You’re not helping anyone by over-complicating things with...

Hey Dave- I forgot why I am supposed to be remembering you right now, but I don’t remember ever forgetting you so you got me all confused. Anyway, thanks for all those videos. They got me thru that ruthless hour or two between 3:33am and breakfast this morning. I pretty much found all of it...

I can definitely relate to the issues you are now having with that level of intrusiveness. There’s no way around the fact that you don’t just have a very mild case - but what you’re experiencing is not out of the ordinary around here, other than maybe your specific medication reactions. Plenty...