this is why people should protect their ears.
Ear protection used correctly and with prudence can be beneficial and help one in the recovery process with tinnitus and hyperacusis. Over protection or used too freqently will instil negative thinking - lowering the loudness threshold of the auditory system making it more sensitive to sound, and will ultimately make a person's tinnitus and hyperacusis worse. In addition to this, one risks developing other problems such as: phonophobia and misophonia. as mentioned in my post in the link below.
Michael
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-complexities-of-tinnitus-and-hyperacusis.25733/