A List of Places Where You Could Be Exposed to Loud Noises. Places to Watch Out for.

[Bill Bauer]

Let's try this again. My earlier thread about this topic got hijacked. I will quote the relevant content from that thread below. If you want to debate whether it is a good idea to protect one's ears, please do it in the old thread and not here. Here I am hoping that people will post places and situations that seem innocent but that ended up giving you a spike in your tinnitus.

1. If you open a window when it is windy outside, make sure to close all doors (or to use a door stopper). If you don't do that, one of the doors might slam.

2. Consider taking the batteries out of your fire alarm. [Yes, this is very controversial. If you think you wouldn't be able to survive being exposed to a fire alarm - follow this tip, otherwise of course it doesn't make sense to do that.]

3. You may want to protect your ears when you are in a parking lot of a supermarket that uses metal shopping carts. Those things are loud, especially when a large number of them are being moved (and especially if the person moving them decides to turn them all 90 degrees, and does it fast).

4. Carry Peltor ear muffs with you wherever you go, in case a fire alarm goes off.

5. If you are at a place where a sudden loud noise is likely, it makes sense to carry your Peltor muffs in your hand (as opposed to planning to taking it out of a bag).

Any other places where people like us are at risk of getting a spike? Any other tips or ideas related to the above?

Underground parkings, the high-pitched sound the tires sometimes make on the slick floor when turning or breaking can be very loud.

Anywhere around a kid carrying a balloon.

I have one: if you sneeze or cough

Ever sneezed or coughed while wearing earplugs? It's loud without plugs, I do not recommend it while wearing earplugs due to the occlusion effect.

That would be ironic, wouldn't it? You could be wearing earplugs and earmuffs because you are worried that you might hear a loud external noise, then you suddenly sneeze or cough.

Or hiccup. Hiccuping can be loud, too.

Probably not a great idea, don't get me wrong i don't like the noise they make but i think burning to death might suck too.

You might also take someones eye out, or your head might implode. Just sneezing at all makes my tinnitus go excruciatingly loud.

Anywhere around a kid in general, especially in a supermarket, so may kids screaming because they don't get what they want.

Also in your car, i found out the other day the noise in my car on the highway was getting up over 80 decibels and the noise on the train i caught the other day was hitting peaks up in the 90 decibels.

I remember reading about someone here getting a spike after being exposed to the noise of his neighbour mowing the lawn.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Most people (but not all) that are troubled by spikes in tinnitus have suffered an acoustic trauma. This is often caused by headphone use or going to venues where loud music is played. It can be brought on by working in a noisy environment and other activities where there is loud noise. These people will usually have hyperacusis making the auditory system hypersensitive to sound and thus the reasons for the spikes anytime one is subjected to certain sounds or what is perceived as loud sound. Tinnitus and hyperacusis come in different levels of severity and will affect each person differently. Both these conditions take many months to heal and often taking up to two years for full recovery.

This healing process or habituation will again be different for each person because it depends on a number of factors. How severe the conditions are and the person's emotional response towards them or their mindset. Their outlook on life and whether they are a positive or negative thinking person. This is hugely important and I can't put too much emphasis on this. In some cases professional help may be required with a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist trained in the treatment and management of tinnitus and hyperacusis. This may involve counselling.

It must be fully understood, unless a person habituates over time in particular the hyperacusis being fully cured, a person will always have problems with sound which will cause "spikes" because the auditory system is in some degree of hypersensitivity all the time. One can try and help themselves using sound enrichment especially at night, using a sound machine or slowly introduce themselves to normal everyday sounds, to help desensitize the auditory system but essentially, it is treatment that is required if one wants to get better and stop the overuse of hearing protection, and keeping away from normal everyday sounds and environments.

Michael

 

[dpdx]

Most people (but not all) that are troubled by spikes in tinnitus have suffered an acoustic trauma. This is often caused by headphone use or going to venues where loud music is played. It can be brought on by working in a noisy environment and other activities where there is loud noise. These people will usually have hyperacusis making the auditory system hypersensitive to sound and thus the reasons for the spikes anytime one is subjected to certain sounds or what is perceived as loud sound. Tinnitus and hyperacusis come in different levels of severity and will affect each person differently. Both these conditions take many months to heal and often taking up to two years for full recovery.

This healing process or habituation will again be different for each person because it depends on a number of factors. How severe the conditions are and the person's emotional response towards them or their mindset. Their outlook on life and whether they are a positive or negative thinking person. This is hugely important and I can't put too much emphasis on this. In some cases professional help may be required with a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist trained in the treatment and management of tinnitus and hyperacusis. This may involve counselling.

It must be fully understood, unless a person habituates over time in particular the hyperacusis being fully cured, a person will always have problems with sound which will cause "spikes" because the auditory system is in some degree of hypersensitivity all the time. One can try and help themselves using sound enrichment especially at night, using a sound machine or slowly introduce themselves to normal everyday sounds, to help desensitize the auditory system but essentially, it is treatment that is required if one wants to get better and stop the overuse of hearing protection, and keeping away from normal everyday sounds and environments.

Michael

Great Post!!!

 

[jer]

A few of the surprising places that gave me permanent spikes where;

1) a dental cleaning with an ultra sonic cleaning. That incident increased my tinnitus to being bearable to being about 2-3 times as intrusive.
2) ototoxic medications and some herbal medications (also magnesium) that where said to have a very low chance of it being toxic to one's ear or that where said to help, but still had a very bad effect on me.

 

[Sam Bridge]

@Tinker Bell last night i put sodium bicarbonate ear drops in, this blocks the hearing. I did actually sneeze while i had the drops in but i don't recall it being any louder than a usual sneeze. Not that i am going to experiment with ear plugs in lol

Edit: i guess the sneeze was over so quickly i couldn't compare how loud it was.

 

[JurgenG]

This is certainly not the path one with T should follow.
You'll get as anxious as me. Trust me.

Why would you hold a peltor in your hand, I just plug my ears really quick with my fingers, it takes less time and stops pretty much all noise. If you think it might look silly, well don't mind that.

 

[dpdx]

Vacuum Cleaner, Ambulance, Fire Truck, Police Siren, etc

 

[Philippe79]

MRI scan. Noisy as (even with earplugs). It's ironic.. You go in for a scan of your ears, only to be worrying about them more afterwards. Just wear good earplugs, as the ones they supplied me with weren't very good!

 

[Red]

Home Depot.
Bad experience shopping here.
I can hear their forklifts from outside the store they are so loud. Probably as loud or louder than a fire alarm. I get that it is heavy machinery but I have never heard a forklift that loud before.

Their card readers are also really annoying.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Home Depot.
Bad experience shopping here.

This reminds me of my bad experience shopping at BestBuy. They store goods along one of the walls of the store, and use a huge metal ladder-like contraption that makes slamming noises at random intervals.

 

[dpdx]

I would also add perhaps playing audio in a car, vaccum cleaner, blender, ambulance, fire trucks, police siren, fire alarm, washing mashine, music at stores, it also appears that talking on a cellphone also causes a spike. Of course, in addition avoid earbuds, loud venues, concerts, cinema, festivals, loud restaurants and bars.
I also noticed that when I walk too quickly T rises? What is that about. Oh yeah, shopping carts those things can be loud. Someone said on this forum that we are going to live like old people until a cure is found, well I think we are more living like severely disabled old people hahaha.

 

[TuneOut]

Restaurants with a lot of people yapping their heads off loudly. It really adds up. That's why I'm back here today. I felt it, too. But I wanted to be a man in front of my girlfriend. Fuck it.

 

[Tinker Bell]

It's probably easier to make a list of places where you may not be exposed to loud noises.

I'll start us off . . .

Yeah, there really is no place. Even if your home is quiet, there could still possibly be a loud noise from an external source whether nature (thunder) or man made (ever heard a sonic boom from a jet - yikes).

 

[Bill Bauer]

Even if your home is quiet, there could still possibly be a loud noise from an external source whether nature (thunder)

After reading about someone getting a spike after a thunderstorm, I began wearing Peltor muffs during thunderstorms.

 

[Codaz]

I made a list:

Go kart tracks
Flight platform just before you enter a plane
Festivals
Shopping malls which decorate events with music
Motorcycles rushing by

 

[Taylorslay]

Restaurants with a lot of people yapping their heads off loudly. It really adds up. That's why I'm back here today. I felt it, too. But I wanted to be a man in front of my girlfriend. Fuck it.

Your girlfriend should understand the issues that you have with Tinnitus. "Being a man" is not risking a possible spike and taking care of yourself. Lol don't risk it for the biscuit. Yolo doesn't work in all situations.

 

[TuneOut]

Your girlfriend should understand the issues that you have with Tinnitus. "Being a man" is not risking a possible spike and taking care of yourself. Lol don't risk it for the biscuit. Yolo doesn't work in all situations.

Haha. Thank you. It's just me, though. I want to live a normal life and do normal things with her. She is actually incredibly supportive about my ear situation. She understands it as best she can. And she's always aware of situations where I might have problems and communicates her concern.

It's just really difficult for me to have to restrict myself. She's a musician on the side and I haven't attended her shows for some time now. I feel terrible about it. I hate having to live this way and for her to have to deal with it.

Oh, and she's no longer my girlfriend. We're engaged to be married. God I dread the idea of any wedding music!

 

[Taylorslay]

Haha. Thank you. It's just me, though. I want to live a normal life and do normal things with her. She is actually incredibly supportive about my ear situation. She understands it as best she can. And she's always aware of situations where I might have problems and communicates her concern.

It's just really difficult for me to have to restrict myself. She's a musician on the side and I haven't attended her shows for some time now. I feel terrible about it. I hate having to live this way and for her to have to deal with it.

Oh, and she's no longer my girlfriend. We're engaged to be married. God I dread the idea of any wedding music!

That's wonderful, but not? It's wonderful you are engaged congratulations!!!

I understand your frustrations. But I'm glad she is completely supportive. I'd be worried if she wasn't haha.

If you're planning your own wedding. I suggest make it small. And make mention to whom is playing at the wedding to keep the volume lower than 80db (make sure of it). Seat you and your wifes tables away from the band playing.

I completely understand the struggle with music at the wedding. If it was my wedding I wouldn't want to miss it for the world just because of T or H. I think there are thinks you can do to make it safe for yourself. Your wedding doesn't need to be like a concert hall.

I would also take into account the space. I've noticed that in tighter rooms the sound echos more. Like when my dogs bark in the hallway it hurts my ears due to H. But when they bark out in the open it doesn't bother me near as much.

But remember to enjoy yourself. Just because you have T or possibly H doesn't mean you can't enjoy life. Of course there are restrictions but you can still enjoy life.

 

[TuneOut]

@Taylorslay

Thanks! I'll let you know how the wedding goes.

 

[Vincent R]

My experience is that outdoors in cities carries the most risk because of fireworks and sirens. Avoidance wont work since life is too unpredictable. I advice people to get a couple of earmuffs that can easily be confused with headphones (check for black Peltor with a neckband) and perhaps a hood to hide them under.

It's convenient to use the combo earmuffs + hood when it's cold or just dark outside. Actually, if it's dark, you can wear really chunky muffs and no one will care or even notice. No negative social effects or losses in life quality. And you can skip out on the anxiety routine if a car honks. Even sirens may be possible to brush off unless they happen close up.

How much an individual protects against loud noises depends on personal inclinations and circumstances. One thing people might want to consider is to protect themselves in those situations where it doesn't come with any drawback. I mean, no one really cares if you have a couple of earmuffs on when you take the bicycle to your job and sooner or later it will save you from some stress.

 

[Bill Bauer]

My experience is that outdoors in cities carries the most risk because of fireworks and sirens.

Some cars can be Loud when they accelerate. I had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time - standing right next to cars that had drivers floor their gas pedal.

 

[Elfin]

God I dread the idea of any wedding music!

Got married this year. Had a DJ and told him to keep it at a reasonable level and wore musicians earplugs. Had a fire pit etc outside and bbq, so spent a lot of time away form the music and was fine.

Spikes I got were beforehand and were due to tiredness, stress and anxiety!

 

[Codaz]

My experience is that outdoors in cities carries the most risk because of fireworks and sirens. Avoidance wont work since life is too unpredictable. I advice people to get a couple of earmuffs that can easily be confused with headphones (check for black Peltor with a neckband) and perhaps a hood to hide them under.

It's convenient to use the combo earmuffs + hood when it's cold or just dark outside. Actually, if it's dark, you can wear really chunky muffs and no one will care or even notice. No negative social effects or losses in life quality. And you can skip out on the anxiety routine if a car honks. Even sirens may be possible to brush off unless they happen close up.

How much an individual protects against loud noises depends on personal inclinations and circumstances. One thing people might want to consider is to protect themselves in those situations where it doesn't come with any drawback. I mean, no one really cares if you have a couple of earmuffs on when you take the bicycle to your job and sooner or later it will save you from some stress.

How does your family / partner respond to you wearing earmuffs?

 

[Codaz]

Got married this year. Had a DJ and told him to keep it at a reasonable level and wore musicians earplugs. Had a fire pit etc outside and bbq, so spent a lot of time away form the music and was fine.

Spikes I got were beforehand and were due to tiredness, stress and anxiety!

Seriously when my T started life turned upside down, and when it became much worse a month ago in my left ear I never ever thought that I could have a life with marriage, but you seem to prove that it is possible. Huge respect for that but I'm too afraid to do such things. I don't trust myself and my body anymore to do such big things in life. I even thought about staying single all my life since I'm quite bad at explaining why my life is already shit for years. And who wants to date a guy where his life isn't great. Maybe you have some advice in PM.

With all the places with loud sounds I'm more scared than sometimes is reasonable.

 

[Vincent R]

How does your family / partner respond to you wearing earmuffs?

They're indifferent. I can't see any downside with wearing earmuffs outside. No one cares.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I can't see any downside with wearing earmuffs outside. No one cares.

I've been having the same experience.

 

[Vincent R]

I've been having the same experience.

I've had several decades of life without T and in hindsight, I've been privileged. But then was then and now is now. I can't get back to things the way they were, so I try to make the most of what I actually can do. Ergo, I don't fight my anxiety but instead let it roam freely. Everyone at TT have to make their own calls, obviously, but I think getting eccentric about things might work. I see no real gain in compromising.

 

[Codaz]

I've had several decades of life without T and in hindsight, I've been privileged. But then was then and now is now. I can't get back to things the way they were, so I try to make the most of what I actually can do. Ergo, I don't fight my anxiety but instead let it roam freely. Everyone at TT have to make their own calls, obviously, but I think getting eccentric about things might work. I see no real gain in compromising.

The problem is, everything is inside your head. So what people think about it, how it makes you feel. Saying that you shouldn't give a shit is easier said then done since I found out so much more vulnerability points about myself.
Sometimes I turn sad and cry whilst being no crybaby at all. Sometimes I just need an exhauste valve in myself to let emotions go and then get on with life.

 

[dpdx]

this topic should apply to only vulnerable/sensitive people. If you have a spike from going to a supermarket or some place then you fit this cateogory. In any case I would wear peltor muffs or earplugs while at this places or being around them.

I would add
those blow dryers in the restrooms where you place your hands and blow hot air.....

My list, some of these include places where i got T spike, i put T next to them in that case.
1) Cafes
2) bars
3) Resturants T
4) Malls T
5) Certain supermarkets or stores where music is loud
6) Busy Roads (walking next to a busy road) T
7) Fire trucks, ambulance, police sirens
8) Playing music in the car or too loud on laptop T
9) Caffeine (Green Tea/Coffee) T
10) Sweets T
11) MRI
12) Leaf Blowers, Lawn Mowers, Drills, etc
13) Hand Dryer in Restroom
14) Vaccum
15) Clubs
16) Concerts
17) Festivals
18) Cinema
19) Subway
20) Ipod

The things in bold are very high risk..

 

[LisaCuddy]

How can magnesium cause a spike? Sorry but I think that you are confusion correlation with causation here. Your body needs magnesium and to be honest, I think these days that everyone is deficient in magnesium. There's dozens of studies showing that magnesium is an important factor in health.