Does Car Door Slams Bother Anyone?

[Sean]

Hi all, does car door slams causes spikes anyone's tinnitus?

For me it just feels TOO loud. I have to wear ear plugs when I close the car door. I think it's around 94 dB when we close the car door.

 

[Telis]

Yeah totally and the pressure as well.

 

[kmohoruk]

I've noticed that mine tends to do that as well. I tend to feel the pressure change. It's very quick - but it's something that I just noticed since I got H.

I just try and shut the door a bit more quietly and I seem to be ok.

I've been told that it really can't do any damage, and it doesn't cause me any pain in my ears really. Long as I'm not slamming it REALLY hard or anything

 

[nogood]

if someone sneezes it bothers me at times, the two year old in the house sometimes screams in joy, my ears go weeeeeee... but its not every day for me.. i guess our hearing is very sensitive .. esp affected by cold/stress/ and what not..
it might be a clue that underlying cause maybe active or chronic inflammation.

 

[Sean]

Guys ..so last night some one had closed to car door when I plugs were out ..I have been wearing plugs in the car from past two years .
This T is a real bitch to get !how much can we really protect!!

 

[Bilgato]

Different tones, including car doors slamming really bother me too, but some don't.

Here's a story about a guy with an acute sensory problem some of you might be able to relate to a little, it's by Edgar Allen Poe, and a movie was made out of it staring Vincent Price.
Here's a summary incase you're intrested.
http://www.shmoop.com/fall-of-house-of-usher/summary.html

 

[michaelpro]

Yeah...car door slams, the pressure hurts. Also, kitchen cabinet slams. I went and bought felt pads for that

 

[Jiri]

I think it's around 94 dB when we close the car door

You mean 94 dB when you close it normally or when you slam it shut? Happened today to me too, a friend slammed the car door shut. I was wearing earplugs. Should I now be worried that I get a tinnitus spike?

As for the pressure, that's the sound wave, correct? Or is it the same kind of a thing like when you go to a loud rock concert and the low bass just resonates through your head (with the respect that this happens just momentarily)?

Edit: Just found this chart. Pls find it attached to this post. It says: "banging car door at 1 m distance (maximum level) - 105 dB".

 

[Rubenslash]

You mean 94 dB when you close it normally or when you slam it shut? Happened today to me too, a friend slammed the car door shut. I was wearing earplugs. Should I now be worried that I get a tinnitus spike?

As for the pressure, that's the sound wave, correct? Or is it the same kind of a thing like when you go to a loud rock concert and the low bass just resonates through your head (with the respect that this happens just momentarily)?

Even without plugs you wouldn't have to worry..It's about time you stop visiting the "overprotecting" threads because they seem to do you more harm than anything else.

 

[Jiri]

Even without plugs you wouldn't have to worry..It's about time you stop visiting the "overprotecting" threads because they seem to do you more harm than anything else.

I should probably stick to reading "success stories" only. I decided that these next 6 months I'm gonna try to live in a bubble and let my system relax as much as possible. Is why I worry over every door slam, a car honk, plates clanking..

I just don't want that loud "eeeeeeeeee" sound like in my 1st month back. Pure torture.

 

[Gman]

I just block my ears if I know the other person is a slammer. It never used to bother me but then I had a spike once after getting hit with the overpressure. I could feel it in my ear.

 

[Bill Bauer]

You mean 94 dB when you close it normally or when you slam it shut? Happened today to me too, a friend slammed the car door shut. I was wearing earplugs. Should I now be worried that I get a tinnitus spike?

You Don't want to not wear some form of hearing protection while slamming a car door. This is especially true if you are inside of the car, and you or someone else slams the door shut. It will probably not lead to a spike, but it can't be good - I don't see it promoting healing.

Perhaps in a couple of years I might change my policy on this. For now, I will stick to it.

 

[Vincent R]

I should probably stick to reading "success stories" only. I decided that these next 6 months I'm gonna try to live in a bubble and let my system relax as much as possible. Is why I worry over every door slam, a car honk, plates clanking..

I just don't want that loud "eeeeeeeeee" sound like in my 1st month back. Pure torture.

Whether people worry or not depend on how they're wired. If you happen to be the nervous type, I doubt you can reprogram yourself to shrug your shoulders. And even if you can, wearing some good protection is a lot easier*.

That being said, you seem even more anxious than me, and I intentionally try to feed my paranoia as much as I can. If you wore earplugs, you should be fine.

*And, as a bonus, protects your ears.

 

[Jiri]

You Don't want to not wear some form of hearing protection while slamming a car door.

I always wear earplugs + earmuffs on whenever I'm riding in a car/bus with someone. I'd like to know how much protection I actually have at that moment - I don't think it's 27,5 NRR muffs + 32 NRR = 59,5 NRR? The rest I agree, it certainly doesn't promote healing.

I doubt you can reprogram yourself to shrug your shoulders.

I am a pretty anxious person. I'm trying to override protocols in my brain and think more positive. I just need hope for better tomorrows. That's why I think reading positive threads like by jjflyman and Bill Bauer could help. After all, it is even stated in the intro message when you sign up that most people on this forum are hurting and seeking help. Bill said it himself that this forum is overrepresented with people who are bad case scenarios. When they heal or feel better I don't think they have the need to come back (the intro msg states this as well).

 

[AZeurotuner]

I always wear earplugs + earmuffs on whenever I'm riding in a car/bus with someone. I'd like to know how much protection I actually have at that moment - I don't think it's 27,5 NRR muffs + 32 NRR = 59,5 NRR

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/do-math-dont-get-too-excited-calculate-double-hearing-gaspar

 

[Ed209]

Whether people worry or not depend on how they're wired. If you happen to be the nervous type, I doubt you can reprogram yourself to shrug your shoulders. And even if you can, wearing some good protection is a lot easier*.

But you can. CBT is one method; especially exposure therapy. All you need to do then is let time do it's work, and your behaviour will gradually adjust and become more rational and healthy again. However, if you decide to get carried away and read all the over-protection threads instead, then you will slowly become more paranoid and anxious; which will make your life a living hell. We become what we believe.

How many more panick threads do you need to see to understand that this nonsense isn't doing anyone any good? I've only been gone for 6 months and I'm getting a record number of PMs from people scared out of their minds. In fact, in some cases their phonophobia seems to be more of an affliction than their tinnitus.

You have to remember that this is a support forum. There are a lot of vulnerable people here who are now copying these bad behavioural habits and are becoming mentally unstable in the process. It's not wise to pass on your anxieties to others, because it's making the situation worse for everyone.

No medical professional would ever advise anyone to double protect their ears in everyday situations! But unfortunately advice like this is becoming the norm on here now.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I always wear earplugs + earmuffs on whenever I'm riding in a car/bus with someone. I'd like to know how much protection I actually have at that moment - I don't think it's 27,5 NRR muffs + 32 NRR = 59,5 NRR?

According to many sources, you just add 5 dB to the largest NRR. So in your case it would be 37.

How does wearing dual hearing protectors change NRR?
When hearing protectors are worn in combination (i.e. earplugs AND earmuffs), rather than adding the two NRR numbers together, you simply add five more decibels of protection to the device with the higher NRR. For example, using 3M™ E-A-R™ Classic Earplugs (NRR 29) with 3M™ Peltor™ H7 Deluxe Earmuffs (NRR 27) would provide a Noise Reduction Rating of approximately 34 decibels.

https://www.coopersafety.com/earplugs-noise-reduction

Note, however, that NRR is the max possible noise reduction available in theory. Many sources recommend adjusting NRR, to get a better estimate of the true (realistic) NRR that you are actually getting.

On the web page above, they say

How does NRR change decibels of exposure?
When hearing protection is worn, your level of exposure to noise is based on the NRR rating of the protection device being used. Keep in mind, however, that while the NRR is measured in decibels, the hearing protector being used does not reduce the surrounding decibel level by the exact number of decibels associated with that protector's NRR. For example, if you are at a rock concert where the level of noise exposure is 100 dB and you are wearing earplugs with an NRR 33dB, your level of exposure would not be reduced to 67 dB. Instead, to determine the actual amount of decibel deduction applied (when decibels are measured dBA which is the most common), you take the NRR number (in dB), subtract seven, and then divide by two. Given the previous example, your noise reduction equation would look like the following: (33-7)/2 = 13. This means that if you are at a rock concert with a level of noise exposure at 100 dB and you are wearing a hearing protector with an NRR 33 dB, your new level of noise exposure is 87 dB. If you are wearing a product with an NRR of 27 it would deduct 10 decibels (27-7/2=10).

Others use slightly different reduction methods:

NIOSH recommends using subject fit data based on ANSI S12.6-1997 [or most current edition] to estimate hearing protector noise attenuation.

If subject fit data are not available, NIOSH recommends derating hearing protectors by a factor that corresponds to the available real-world data. Specifically, NIOSH recommends that the labeled NRRs be derated as follows:

• Earmuffs – Subtract 25% from the manufacturer's labeled NRR
• Formable earplugs – Subtract 50% from the manufacturer's labeled NRR
• All other earplugs – Subtract 70% from the manufacturers labeled NRR

https://www.protectear.com/nrr-rating/

In any case, it appears the most optimistic estimate for your case is
(32/2)+5 = 16+5 = 21 dB. The other method provides adjusted NRR that is 7/2 = 3.5 dB smaller, or 17.5dB.

 

[Bill Bauer]

There are a lot of vulnerable people here who are now copying these bad behavioural habits

Says you. I say that it is you who is promoting astonishingly reckless behavioural habits that can lead to horrific outcomes.

 

[Bill Bauer]

No medical professional would ever advise anyone to double protect their ears in everyday situations!

Are you saying that those medical professional are relying on published peer reviewed research about what causes T and H spikes? You may recall a link that I posted earlier, that explains that such research does not exist.

In the absence of research, what you can do is look to the experience of others. Note that the existence of people who got hurt by everyday noises proves those noises are not safe. The only uncertain thing now is the Probability that they are not safe in one's particular case. Given what is on the line if one is hurt (a huge potential loss) and the low cost of being mindful of possible noises and slipping on muffs when you are expecting a potential for noise, my choice is to go with the non-reckless option of protecting myself.

 

[Bill Bauer]

However, if you decide to get carried away and read all the over-protection threads instead, then you will slowly become more paranoid and anxious

I would say that all you would be doing is making it easier for you to incorporate the lessons shared by others into your life, and do what they learned the hard way they should have done.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I've only been gone for 6 months and I'm getting a record number of PMs from people scared out of their minds.

Keep in mind that there is some self selection going on. People who don't want to stop acting reckless, contact you to get you to tell them that they are doing the right thing.

 

[Ed209]

Are you saying that those medical professional are relying on published peer reviewed research about what causes T and H spikes? You may recall a link that I posted earlier, that explains that such research does not exist.

In the absence of research, what you can do is look to the experience of others. Note that the existence of people who got hurt by everyday noises proves those noises are not safe. The only uncertain thing now is the Probability that they are not safe in one's particular case. Given what is on the line if one is hurt (a huge potential loss) and the low cost of being mindful of possible noises and slipping on muffs when you are expecting a potential for noise, my choice is to go with the non-reckless option of protecting myself.

Bill, my mother-in-law is a senior audiologist of about 25 years. They see more cases and have more data than anyone on here. I'm also fortunate enough to have many consultants, GPs and dentists as friends (because of my job). I have spoken a lot about this condition with all of these people, including my own consultations with two other ENTs and two audiologists (three if you include my mother-in-law). I've yet to come across anyone who thinks protecting your ears - in the manner you often suggest - is a good idea.

This advice is repeated by every tinnitus and hyperacusis foundation there is, including the BTA, ATA and AOHL.

 

[Bill Bauer]

which will make your life a living hell

Actually, it is the life of people who act recklessly that often turns to a living hell. Protecting oneself is not a big deal.

 

[Bill Bauer]

my mother-in-law is a senior audiologist of about 25 years

Ed, I am sorry, I don't have time to find threads where people say that audiologists (or their advice) had caused their T (or caused a huge permanent spike). But I remember there are Many of these threads.

I've yet to come across anyone who thinks protecting your ears - in the manner you often suggest - is a good idea.

Of course - all they know is that T is incurable. That is all that is being taught in medical schools. They are also told to refer T patients for CBD, etc. What do you expect? The doctors are not going to track their patients to see how their lifestyle habits are impacting their T. And even if they did, the doctors are not going to make any medical advice based on their findings. Why take the risk? They are basing their advice on published research (and on what is being taught in medical schools, which is also based on published research), and we had already established that research like that doesn't exist yet.

 

[Ed209]

Keep in mind that there is some self selection going on. People who don't want to stop acting reckless, contact you to get you to tell them that they are doing the right thing.

You have no idea Bill. I'm quite concerned for peoples sanity here, and you really don't seem to understand that. I will not share what's been said in confidence, but suffice to say, it's quite concerning.

Let me be really clear here: we should ALL protect our ears. That is not the issue. It's when people feel that they need to protect them all the time. The more this behaviour is enforced, the worse it gets, and it soon becomes a very slippery slope into an anxiety disorder/ phonophobia/ misophonia. It's not the right way to deal with tinnitus.

 

[Elfin]

Having overprotected by ears, I have to agree with Ed.

What started off as 'I'll just protect against this sound...and then that sound', left me protecting my ears against all sounds essentially. I am wearing plugs around the house to deal with microwaves, the TV when the wife has it up, kettles and road noise outside.

On hearing a sound that I think could harm me, such as a siren in the distance, I get panicked.

This makes everyday living unnecessarily hard and has put me into the anxiety disorder range. Rationally, I know that a kettle or tap or shower, shouldn't harm me, but this rationality currently isn't enough. I am looking to get anxiety treatment and hopefully a healthier balance in life which does not include obsessing and panicking over everyday sounds

 

[Bill Bauer]

I will not share what's been said in confidence, but suffice to say, it's quite concerning.

People contact me too. My conclusions are opposite of your conclusions.

It's when people feel that they need to protect them all the time.

The doors where I work are heavy and my co-workers have a habit of slamming those doors behind them. As a result, I wear earplugs when I am at work. I would not be wearing them there, if not for those doors. It makes sense to protect your ears when you are walking along a busy street. Lex learned the hard way that one should protect inside malls. In any case, there are many places where it doesn't make sense to protect one's ears. I suggest that one spends a lot of time at one of those places while wearing protection. If there are no instances when one is glad one had protection, then it makes sense to stop wearing protection there.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

There's a lot of definition that should be considered. With some there's a breaking point where too much, too long protection can cause the brain to realize that hearing one's tinnitus thru a blockage is normal, thus increasing tinnitus perception - a spike usually temporary.

Wearing protection for X amount of minutes or for short term use, such as using a bender or vacuum is advisable.

There are also studies done on wearing protection for longer extended time that places us into a catch 22 situation.

Some research states that those with long timed journeys either with or without protection to get to their employment can cause harm. However these articles don't state if a subway or train was used. There are noise factor studies that were done in London that state that their city transportation is mostly within safe decibel guidelines.

 

[Bill Bauer]

On hearing a sound that I think could harm me, such as a siren in the distance, I get panicked.

You SHOULD be panicking (if you don't have muffs nearby). If an ambulance with its siren blaring comes close to you, you might regret it for the rest of your life. It is ok to be scared of scary things.

This makes everyday living unnecessarily hard

Still easier than living with debilitating T, right?!

 

[Ed209]

Ed, I am sorry, I don't have time to find threads where people say that audiologists (or their advice) had caused their T (or caused a huge permanent spike). But I remember there are Many of these threads.

Bill, but that's one of the most basic statistical errors one can make isn't it? Do all the positive experiences get reported on here? Forums only show the bad side of things. What data on real patients do you possess to make a clinical judgement?

I have no doubt there's going to be bad experiences out there. That goes without saying about anything in life. But, are you saying you know better than the combined knowledge of all the Drs and audiologists around the world?