Can I Use Lawn Mower (by Hand)?

[Bill Bauer]

it should be fine

No, it SHOULDN'T be fine. It Might be fine, and if you want to gamble with the quality of your remaining life, you Could, but there is no reason to think that it Should be fine.
Here are quotes from some people who found out the hard way that hearing protection provides only a false sense of security (Note, this is just the tip of an iceberg - there are many more stories like that on this forum.)

My T faded a lot suddenly almost 3 years ago. I had total remission of some trebly sounds in my head. It became only audible in quiet rooms.

Now its back in full force cause Im stupid. Some ENT told me ear plugs are safe. Wrong! T is with me again.

I was told not to wear hearing protection for normal everyday situations but look where it's got me. I had my plugs in my pocket too. Getting on with a normal life hasn't helped for me.

" iwholovemusic " had a spike for about 2 years after loud event . I remember he had posted this about 2-3 years ago .
He was also wearing ear plugs and ear muffs !

I tried to wear some ear plugs while I was at the gym because I was afraid the clashing of the dumb bells was going to hurt my ears.

However, after working out twice I now have these two low frequency tones that feel like they are fighting over who should be playing every waking second. I can't quite figure out their pitches because they keep tag teaming, but it's much lower than my regular tinnitus.

I'm kind of distressed because I feel like I can never workout again for fear of making my tinnitus worse. What should I do?

qqq

With regards to noise exposure that isn't dangerous to most people, I developed a new tone in my right ear after a noise exposure at work back in October. I spent about half an hour in an area that I would estimate was at most 90db, but it was probably less than that. I had deeply inserted large foam earplugs at the time, but apparently that was not enough protection. That tone has not gone away, and it's not some psychosomatic spike. Spikes in volume are somewhat relative in my opinion, they can be attributed to stress, lack of sleep, noise exposure, diet, etc., but completely new tones that do not go away are something different.

You might think that going to a loud restaurant, or being at a loud office "should be fine", but then there is this

the noise has actually got worse - a lot worse just lately as I've been exposed to a noisy office environment. Normal for everyone else but too noisy for my ears. I now have a noise like a jet engine, a rushing wind with a high-pitched whine in it.

and

Yeah. I am going through the same thing. Got my T to improve and go back to mild and went to a restaurant I have eaten safely at twice post T and have had the loudest spike that has, after a week, not improved at all. And my H got worse too.

Skype beeping loudly for 20 seconds? Sounds like it "should be fine", right?

Was a difficult first few months, but i protected my hearing a lot (avoiding loud places, wearing custom -35 dB plugs outside and peltor muff when things got loud).

The tinnitus had slowly lowered o a slight "shhh" that was so low i was ok to sleep in a silent room (and i hardly heard the tinnitus even with the peltor on most days, or if i heard it it didn't bother me).
I had stopped all medication.

5 days ago, looking for work, i had a skype call. basically my PC messed up and the skype ringing tune was much higher than it usually is. Took me 20 seconds to stop it but apparently it may have been too long.

Now i'm back to a loud baseline tinnitus with new very high pitched sounds coming and going on top of it.
Very depressed and angry that one small mistake can mess my ears again when my life was finally going so well again.

The last person I would like to quote is

I can't take it anymore. I don't want to die but at this stage the urge to stop suffering is stronger. Ps. To all members in this forum advising against so called "overprotection". I never exposed myself to sounds even remotely considered as being potentially harmful to healthy people but because of your advice I was exposed to sounds uncomfortable for me which eventually proved to be damaging.

At initial stages i was very weary about sound levels around me and used protection everytime I felt uncomfortable.

Only by reading TRT literature or some posts here I started to expose my self to sounds loud but never louder than 75-80 dB.

Whenever I was feeling like something is not right I was stupid enough to believe you these changes were part of "the natural process of healing".

Is this your healing? Every time you feel like giving this sort of advice have my case in mind.

 

[Bill Bauer]

, @Bill Bauer will get cracking with the search feature and post anecdotal stories.

LOL You must be clairvoyant.

I almost never use the search feature. Every time I see an important post, I save it in a special text file. I began doing this only a couple of months ago. For something like an entire year, I have been reading this forum and NOT saving posts. I remember reading so many more posts that reinforce the same point as the point of the posts I quoted above...

 

[Hayden Gooddy]

@Bill Bauer so your advice is, never go to resteraunts, do regular chores, go to bars, or literally anything that seemingly involves actually living because something might happen? Should we all just isolate in our quiet houses? T can become terribly worse for absolutely no reason at all no matter how much you avoid the world. I think I'm done with this forum. The negativity here is too overbearing. Walking out the front door comes with risks for everybody. But I'm not going to sit inside for the next 60 years because things might happen. That's a terrible way to live. I know many people with T who see concerts, play in bands, do chores, work in wood shops and so on. Some of these people have had it for over 20 years.

 

[Bill Bauer]

so your advice is, never go to resteraunts, do regular chores, go to bars, or literally anything that seemingly involves actually living because something might happen?

My advice is to never attend concerts or go to the movies ever again. Only go to quiet restaurants, stay away from live (or any other) music. Stay away from power tools, lawn mowers, and vacuum cleaners. Get a family member to use those tools, or pay someone to do this for you.

The negativity here is too overbearing.

The problem is not people pointing out the danger, the problem is the danger.

I know many people with T who see concerts, play in bands, do chores, work in wood shops and so on. Some of these people have had it for over 20 years.

Have you ever considered the possibility that their T might not have lasted this long (or might have been quieter) had they taken better care of their ears?

 

[Hayden Gooddy]

@Bill Bauer its a loud world man. You're either apart of it or you hide from it. A life without T isn't worth it if I don't actually LIVE. Exercise caution and go live. You can have the final word.

 

[Tinker Bell]

@Bill Bauer so your advice is, never go to resteraunts, do regular chores, go to bars, or literally anything that seemingly involves actually living because something might happen? Should we all just isolate in our quiet houses? T can become terribly worse for absolutely no reason at all no matter how much you avoid the world. I think I'm done with this forum. The negativity here is too overbearing. Walking out the front door comes with risks for everybody. But I'm not going to sit inside for the next 60 years because things might happen. That's a terrible way to live. I know many people with T who see concerts, play in bands, do chores, work in wood shops and so on. Some of these people have had it for over 20 years.

To give a bit of perspective, Bill was already avoiding restaurants (something about not trusting people with his food), movie theaters, and other social activities prior to tinnitus. That likely shapes his views.

 

[Bill Bauer]

A life without T isn't worth it if I don't actually LIVE.

Not having T is a necessary, but not a sufficient condition for "actually living."

its a loud world man

Depends on where you go. It is not loud at all in the middle of nowhere in places like Canada and Iceland.

 

[Jason37]

@Hayden Gooddy don't leave dude....you are my new favorite poster! A lot of great positive advice and thinking from your posts make me feel almost normal again. I just bought the ego pro plus battery operated mower and it only registers about 75 db. It cuts great and with plugs and muffs it's no louder than a small vacuum.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Bill Bauer and others. I love everyone that discusses 'safe noise' but I also see several medical system areas as a need to be included. People with heart, respiratory problems, somatic sensory issues and so many other issues need to be careful with noise.

In this link below go to section - Noise effects on the operators

Vibration-induced hearing loss can involves many noise sources.
"Vibration is transmitted up the spinal column to the skull and temporal bones, which enclose the cochlea. Ear Muffs do nothing to protect the operators..."

http://www.nonoise.org/quietnet/cqs/leafblow.htm

 

[Greg Sacramento]

Thoughts from post above ... From literature it seems that ergonomic impact resistant vibration gloves may be useful when vibration is received from direct hand contact.

 

[Ed209]

I'm experiencing deja vu. I have no idea why it just came over me.

 

[TuneOut]

Or using a chainsaw

A chainsaw?! Just the thought of it gave me a permanent spike. Thanks a lot!

 

[DT_N_DA_CLUB]

There are also some gas mowers that aren't that loud. Wearing ear protection while cutting the grass with a mower that is 85 db is absolutely safe. There shouldn't be a debate at all about this.

 

[Pleasure_Paulie]

There are also some gas mowers that aren't that loud. Wearing ear protection while cutting the grass with a mower that is 85 db is absolutely safe. There shouldn't be a debate at all about this.

Yet....the debate continues!! Welcome to the Tinnitus Talk!!

 

[Bill Bauer]

Wearing ear protection while cutting the grass with a mower that is 85 db is absolutely safe.

Bet your life on it, and let us know how it works out for you.

 

[Autumnly]

I know many people with T who see concerts, play in bands, do chores, work in wood shops and so on. Some of these people have had it for over 20 years.

Yeah, that's how I ended up with severe tinnitus and it was mild in the beginning. I'm not saying people should stay at home all day but I do think that things like concerts can permanently worsen tinnitus even if that person wears hearing protection. Of course, not in every case and the thread is about a lawn mower not a concert but I don't think it's responsible to tell someone to just 'live their life' - go out with hearing protection but if your body is giving you signals that t is getting worse then listen to those. I had people with tinnitus tell me I'd be safe with ear plugs and if I noticed a spike it would just be due to me worrying about it... I know other people aren't as naive and stupid as I used to be but the severity of my tinnitus was honestly preventable and I wouldn't wish such a worsening on anyone else. But again, this is about a lawn mower. Sorry for digressing the thread...

 

[Jason37]

If millions of people have T and they don't mow their yards then I should be starting a mower business catering to them.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

I think that @Bill Bauer is often more right than wrong as the World Health Organization supports many of his views.

Articles on noise vibrations state that direct vibrations on body (hands) from a mechanical device with a motor using hearing protection may not help as vibrations travel up the spine to the cochlear. Vibration gloves are recommended for touching motor vibration objects. I still would use hearing protection with louder motor noise sources.

My County has spent thousands of dollars and they agree with the World Health Organization. Those with certain diseases /conditions and use certain medications are at risk of loud noise.

I have posted links to all of the above.

On the other side of the equation using noise protection for extended periods can lower the auditory threshold. Those with neck related tinnitus should be careful bending neck while wearing headphones. One should not also live in silence either and we all know that's not good medicine. Notch music and pink music seems to help some.

We are all different and no equation fits all, but loud noise is bad biology.

 

[glynis]

I think that we are all different in many ways and for everyone it is going to be trial and error on what we know we are ok with.
I try do everything I can and not let my health problems stop me but adapt everything I need to but rule out ones that I know would put me in danger .
I have an added issue and now have to be careful what I eat and food I have loved for many years due to complications from gallbladder removal,
Breathing problems,Menieres and sever tinnitus on top.
Being up to date on issues you face gives you the knowledge on doing what is best for you.
The forum will give you idea's and members views and you can look into what you read and chose what to do.
Backed up information is always better.
Love glynis

 

[New Guy]

@glynis You're one of the strongest people I sort of know.

 

[TuneOut]

On the other side of the equation using noise protection for extended periods can lower the auditory threshold.

One question is how long does it lower the auditory threshhold? Is it minutes, hours, days? Does the time to recovery of the threshhold depend on how long someone has been using ear protection?

 

[TuneOut]

There are also some gas mowers that aren't that loud. Wearing ear protection while cutting the grass with a mower that is 85 db is absolutely safe. There shouldn't be a debate at all about this.

No, that would definitely mess up my ears. The low frequency sound goes right through.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

One question is how long does it lower the auditory threshhold? Is it minutes, hours, days? Does the time to recovery of the threshhold depend on how long someone has been using ear protection?

Hi @TuneOut Using headphones at (45 minutes) I will meet the end of my threshold and sometimes I will spike for a day or two. This has always been the same for me since first onset in 2010.

 

[DT_N_DA_CLUB]

OMG 85 DB is not that loud guys. Also, a lawn mower isn't that low of a frequency. There are a lot of people with mild tinnitus and I'm sure they cut the grass with no problems with foam plugs.

 

[TuneOut]

OMG 85 DB is not that loud guys. Also, a lawn mower isn't that low of a frequency. There are a lot of people with mild tinnitus and I'm sure they cut the grass with no problems with foam plugs.

Not everyone has the same sound resistance as you do. I used to be able to do things like that with my tinnitus. Then things changed for the worse.

 

[DT_N_DA_CLUB]

Not everyone has the same sound resistance as you do. I used to be able to do things like that with my tinnitus. Then things changed for the worse.

I'm not talking about cutting the grass without ear plugs. I wear foam plugs, 32 db. Even if they only cut out 20 db that's still 65 db. Surely everyone can handle that.

I'm not more sound resistant than others either. I've wore plugs to concerts, wore headphones sometimes got little spikes nothing permanent.

The two things that permanently changed my tinnitus was an ear infection and an ultrasonic teeth cleaning that lasted 40 minutes.

 

[Bill Bauer]

an ultrasonic teeth cleaning that lasted 40 minutes.

The incident that gave me tinnitus lasted a fraction of a second.

got little spikes nothing permanent.

If you begin hitting a wall with a hammer, it takes a while before you see the objects on the other side of the wall.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

The incident that gave me tinnitus lasted a fraction of a second.

If you begin hitting a wall with a hammer, it takes a while before you see the objects on the other side of the wall.

Isn't hitting a wall with a hammer a little too noisy, just saying.

 

[DT_N_DA_CLUB]

The incident that gave me tinnitus lasted a fraction of a second.

If you begin hitting a wall with a hammer, it takes a while before you see the objects on the other side of the wall.

I get that there is a accumulation for hearing loss and tinnitus. Just because there is a spike does not mean the hair cells are recovering or some broke.

Wearing ear plugs isolates the sound of my tinnitus and pulls it in the forefront. Taking them out my brain was used to hearing the sound of my tinnitus over the external noises and it brings up the gain of the tinnitus because we are more conscious of it without external noises.

I agree being exposed over and over of intermittent loud sounds can eventually cause a permanent increase in tinnitus. But we are specifically talking about wearing ear plugs and cutting grass. That has nothing to do with intermittent exposure to loud noise. So your hammer analogy doesn't apply to this.

The fact is cutting grass is a typical activity to do. If it was that dangerous to people with tinnitus this message board would be swamped with people saying they got permanent damage. If you did a poll and asked how many people cut the grass with foam ear plugs and concluded they had a permanent increase it would be extremely low.

Then consider how many people have normal tinnitus and only hear it when it's quite. Most of those people arent on this site and im sure a good percentage still cut the grass without ear protection. Maybe they have a little spike then it disapates but it's nothing that is obviosly scaring them or slowly increasing or changing the pitch of their tinnitus.

The millions of people with mild tinnitus cutting grass with earplugs. My mom for example, she cuts the grass without ear protection and her tinnitus only changes when she is congested.

Are there hundreds of posts about permenant spikes do to cutting the grass wearing earplugs?

no

What is the next thing saying wearing foam plugs while using a kitchen blender is dangerous?

It's not logical, with ear plugs those devices are lowered to in the 60 decibels.

In addition we know high frequencies are more damaging lawn mowers are probably between 3-7 khz (this is just a guess I have no idea what frequency they are). I'm sure it deals with the make and model but I'm talking about the quiter push mowers in the 83-85 db range. Does anyone know the frequency of some push lawn mowers?

 

[TuneOut]

I'm not talking about cutting the grass without ear plugs. I wear foam plugs, 32 db. Even if they only cut out 20 db that's still 65 db. Surely everyone can handle that.

That does seem to make sense. But I just don't find it to be the same as, say, a 65db shower. I used to vacuum but even with earplugs plus earmuffs on the tinnitus got considerably worse. I couldn't figure it out. Then I realized it's because the low frequency sounds must be getting through. And vibration as @Greg Sacramento mentioned. But maybe I'm a special case. I don't know.