Could the Occlusion Effect from Earplugs and Earmuffs Be Damaging My Hearing?

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Hi everyone,

I've been dealing with hyperacusis and tinnitus, so whenever I go outside, I wear both earplugs and earmuffs to protect my hearing. Recently, I've started to worry about whether the occlusion effect could actually be harming my hearing further.

After wearing hearing protection for a while, I notice that my hearing feels "tired" (I'm not sure how else to describe it). It's as though my ears are strained even though I've been trying to avoid noise. Has anyone else experienced this? Could this be related to the occlusion effect?

I came across an article called "Natural Hearing Protection: Hands?" by Lawrence Yule, which includes a graph that shows some interesting—and concerning—data. The graph suggests that:

• Sound levels while covering the ears are sometimes higher than the reference levels.
• At frequencies under 40 Hz, sound levels exceed 100 dB when using fingers to block the ears, which seems dangerously high.

If this data is accurate, it makes me wonder:

• Could hearing protection that causes the occlusion effect (like earplugs + earmuffs) damage hearing at lower frequencies?
• Is this something I should be worried about when wearing my setup outdoors?

I've attached a screenshot of the graph and included a link to the article for context. I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts or experiences on this!

Link to the article: https://lawrenceyule.com/2015/11/19/natural-hearing-protection-hands/

Thanks in advance for any insights you can share!

Screenshot of the graph: