Exposed to Both Train Horn and Office Burglar Alarm within 48 Hours — I'm a Ball of Anxiety

[Nemoriri]

Hello again!

It has been a while now since I've posted here.

I've been doing well recently, after 1.5 years my tones disappeared and I was experiencing only static.

I was so happy and grateful for this, after such long time, I finally had big improvement. My tinnitus was mild lately, and although on my mind daily, more or less never bothered me anymore.

I've had several loud sound events that I haven't posted about here, and those spikes have always been temporary.

But two days ago, the burglar alarm went off as I left work. It has happened before and used to consider that the loudest sound I've ever heard. But it's around 110 dB, in a closed space.

But yesterday... as I was on the train home, the driver blew the horn while being at an underground station, and with all the doors open. I was also sitting in the front. I estimate the sound to have been around 120 dB.

I just cant believe the ridiculous bad luck.


Today my ear that was closest feels numb.

I've had no change in tinnitus yet, but all of my spikes have always been delayed 3-6 days.

Prednisolone is not used in my country.

But I've taken NAC, Magnesium, Zinc, Vitamin C+E and Turmeric.

This is probably the loudest thing I've experienced, and I'm so scared.I am so very worried and afraid that this will make things worse and steal my life again.

I would appreciate any type of support.
And I'm also very grateful for prayers.

Thank you all in advance. The existence of this place does help somehow.

 

[Exit]

Hello again!

It has been a while now since I've posted here.

I've been doing well recently, after 1.5 years my tones disappeared and I was experiencing only static.

I was so happy and grateful for this, after such long time, I finally had big improvement. My tinnitus was mild lately, and although on my mind daily, more or less never bothered me anymore.

I've had several loud sound events that I haven't posted about here, and those spikes have always been temporary.

But two days ago, the burglar alarm went off as I left work. It has happened before and used to consider that the loudest sound I've ever heard. But it's around 110 dB, in a closed space.

But yesterday... as I was on the train home, the driver blew the horn while being at an underground station, and with all the doors open. I was also sitting in the front. I estimate the sound to have been around 120 dB.

I just cant believe the ridiculous bad luck.


Today my ear that was closest feels numb.

I've had no change in tinnitus yet, but all of my spikes have always been delayed 3-6 days.

Prednisolone is not used in my country.

But I've taken NAC, Magnesium, Zinc, Vitamin C+E and Turmeric.

This is probably the loudest thing I've experienced, and I'm so scared.I am so very worried and afraid that this will make things worse and steal my life again.

I would appreciate any type of support.
And I'm also very grateful for prayers.

Thank you all in advance. The existence of this place does help somehow.

Hello, sorry about the incidents. There isn't much choice for us unless we have earmuffs on 24/7.

I hope you get lucky once again, it's in your odds since you're a recovery type. Don't worry about Prednisone, for most it doesn't do a thing after such incidents.

Just be very careful over the next weeks.

Let us know how it goes <3

 

[Saswata]

I hope & pray that you will be fine!! <3

I have been considering to maybe wear earplugs everywhere for the rest of my life - too scared of something like this happening. Those meant for musicians should be ok for daily use I guess.

 

[Nemoriri]

Hello, sorry about the incidents. There isn't much choice for us unless we have earmuffs on 24/7.

I hope you get lucky once again, it's in your odds since you're a recovery type. Don't worry about Prednisone, for most it doesn't do a thing after such incidents.

Just be very careful over the next weeks.

Let us know how it goes <3

Yeah you're right. Unfortunately we can't foresee the future and accidents will happen.

I really appreciate your message and well wishes, thank you <3

 

[Nemoriri]

I hope & pray that you will be fine!! <3

I have been considering to maybe wear earplugs everywhere for the rest of my life - too scared of something like this happening. Those meant for musicians should be ok for daily use I guess.

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that <3

And yeah, I get that, this condition does that to you. But that's no way to live life, constantly in fear of what could be waiting around the corner. I've been there, ended up with something similar to PTSD, constantly anxious and on edge about sounds. Plus, overdoing it on earplugs both could lead to outer ear infections (happened to me), and hyperacusis.

Constantly wearing earplugs and living anxiously in fear of what could happen is not the way to go. It's at least not how I want to live my life. But I'm careful and do protect when necessary. But accidents will always happen that we can't foresee. But we can learn from them and be more careful in those situations in the future.

I just hope I'll get through this.

Thank you so much again<3

 

[Exit]

Yeah you're right. Unfortunately we can't foresee the future and accidents will happen.

I really appreciate your message and well wishes, thank you <3

I have a question for you. I read again what you wrote.

Did your improvements to static happen after 1.5 years? Or was it a gradual long process over 1.5 years?

Perhaps you should consider buying a cheap car and avoid public transport which often leaves you on the sidewalk...?

Also if earmuffs and earplugs are not working out for you, then over the ear headphones do take out a bite of high frequency noise from outdoors. Don't use the noise cancellation function, it doesn't protect from anything.

Check out rtings reviews. Passive over the ear headphones take some dB off...

Find some that sits good on you. Check with fingers behind ear so there's no gap.

 

[Chris S.]

Just had a similar exposure today and I WAS wearing both earplugs and earmuffs and STILL the train horn sounded awfully loud - probably was around 140-150 dB (I live in a very backward state and I am sure that the freight trains here do not abide by federal regulations). Time will tell how bad the reaction of my ears and reactive tinnitus will be. From my experience, if one is standing nearby - no ear protection will dampen the 130+ dB sound (I had a pair of 3M 1100 earplugs and a pair of Howard Leight Low-profile earmuffs over them). I have to cross on foot a bridge over a train line on my way to my workplace and the train came very fast with me just being about 20-25 meters away from the tracks.

My spikes from loud events tend to last long - several (2-4) months. We'll see what it will be like after Christmas this year...

 

[dingaling]

You may already know this but being in a state of anxiety does 2 main things:

a) it heightens the fight or flight response
b) it lowers the intensity threshold that initiates the startle reflex

 

[Juan]

But two days ago, the burglar alarm went off as I left work. It has happened before and used to consider that the loudest sound I've ever heard. But it's around 110 dB, in a closed space.

Sound bounces more in a closed space, so it's worse.

For me the corticoid that works best after loud noise is Deflazacort.

 

[Nemoriri]

Sound bounces more in a closed space, so it's worse.

For me the corticoid that works best after loud noise is Deflazacort.

Well yes, 'worse' in a sense, a closed space doesn't increase the sound,
it just doesn't diminish the way it would otherwise.

 

[Nemoriri]

But I wanted to make a positive update to this thread.

It has now been 5 weeks since these horrible events.

And I can inform that I never ended up with any tinnitus spike at all.

I had sense of ear fullness for the first day or two after the train horn, which could have been from tensing up.

But it never ended up giving me any spike, neither in tinnitus nor hyperacusis.
Which had me extremely surprised since this event really felt like the loudest thing I've ever experienced,

I contacted the railway and they said the horn is between 120-125 dB at a 5 meter distance, and this was at an underground station... and much lower sound events have given me spikes.

Thankful for the prayers. I will thank Jesus for this small miracle, because it really feels like a miracle.

 

[Sandra Menzie]

I also had a tinnitus spike after a 6 month lapse. I live in an apartment complex. Workers were hammering all day plus my apartment is right next to the one they were working on. Day 3: ringing and pulsing ALL the time!

 

[Chris S.]

It has now been 5 weeks since these horrible events.

And I can inform that I never ended up with any tinnitus spike at all.

This is good to hear, Nemoriri. I also ended up with a weak spike from the train horn blast, but just the other night used a wet wipe with salicylic acid to treat a skin blemish and got a louder spike from it than from the train horn... it seems to me that, generally, spikes from exposure to loud noises tend to ebb down, but those from medications may last much longer or never go away...