Member- Oct 31, 2020
- 1,259
- Tinnitus Since
- 9-17-2020
- Cause of Tinnitus
- turning everything up to 11
Hello,
I've been on Tinnitus Talk for several years, but this is my first time venturing into this section of the website.
I have had sound sensitivity since a few weeks after my tinnitus started in 2020. I began wearing earplugs after an audiology exam made my tinnitus worse. Since around November 2020, I have worn them whenever I go outside. I also use them while cooking and doing chores.
For the past two years, I have been wearing them in the bathroom and while showering because my parents' living room is directly above, and there is always the risk of stomping, slamming, or other loud sudden sounds. Because of that, the faucet now sounds loud to me without earplugs.
I have not watched TV in about six months for similar reasons. I think watching TV was helping to keep my mild sound sensitivity from getting worse. Now I mostly sit in silence with just an air purifier running.
About three weeks ago, I was in a public restroom and forgot to check for hand dryers. Someone used one for about four seconds while I was inside. My Apple Watch recorded 94 dBA. Since then, I have had the symptoms below.
Yesterday, while standing in line at Aldi, a child had a temper tantrum a few checkout aisles away from me. I pulled up the NIOSH app on my phone just as the child let out a horrific scream that measured 84 dBA on the app. My body was between the phone and the child so it may have been louder. Since coming home from that incident, my ears have had intense pressure that is painful and has an almost burning sensation.
Here are some quick bullet points since the pressure is making it hard to think clearly.
I've been on Tinnitus Talk for several years, but this is my first time venturing into this section of the website.
I have had sound sensitivity since a few weeks after my tinnitus started in 2020. I began wearing earplugs after an audiology exam made my tinnitus worse. Since around November 2020, I have worn them whenever I go outside. I also use them while cooking and doing chores.
For the past two years, I have been wearing them in the bathroom and while showering because my parents' living room is directly above, and there is always the risk of stomping, slamming, or other loud sudden sounds. Because of that, the faucet now sounds loud to me without earplugs.
I have not watched TV in about six months for similar reasons. I think watching TV was helping to keep my mild sound sensitivity from getting worse. Now I mostly sit in silence with just an air purifier running.
About three weeks ago, I was in a public restroom and forgot to check for hand dryers. Someone used one for about four seconds while I was inside. My Apple Watch recorded 94 dBA. Since then, I have had the symptoms below.
Yesterday, while standing in line at Aldi, a child had a temper tantrum a few checkout aisles away from me. I pulled up the NIOSH app on my phone just as the child let out a horrific scream that measured 84 dBA on the app. My body was between the phone and the child so it may have been louder. Since coming home from that incident, my ears have had intense pressure that is painful and has an almost burning sensation.
Here are some quick bullet points since the pressure is making it hard to think clearly.
- I was wearing solid custom molded earplugs during both incidents.
- My ears feel tight with a dull pain like strong pressure. It feels as if my tensor tympani muscles are either squeezing, fatigued, or like something is pressing against my eardrum. It is similar to when earplugs create a tight seal and a vacuum starts building inside the ear canal. Sometimes this makes me feel dizzy and I also feel pressure in my sinuses, especially in my forehead and eyes.
- I am experiencing some TTTS but not as badly as with past ear traumas. Typing on my keyboard slightly triggers it and brings back that pressure sensation.
- I do not feel any discomfort when my earplugs are in. Earlier I wore them while making coffee and no sounds felt uncomfortable. In fact, after removing them, my ear felt better for a few minutes with no pressure or pain, but the symptoms returned when I started typing this.
- Occasionally when the pressure subsides, my ear feels slightly itchy.
- I do not have any muffled hearing.
- My tinnitus has been worse since the hand dryer exposure but has not changed further after the child screaming. It has just remained at the same terrible level.
