Life with Tinnitus — I Hold My Employer Accountable for My Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

[Gansen Moodley]

Hello my name is Gansen Moodley and I am a victim of tinnitus. My noise induced hearing loss since 2015 which was neglected by my company resulted in a >20% hearing loss and tinnitus in 2018.

How do people live with this?

When I go to sleep I wish I would not wake up during the night. If I get up any earlier, like this morning I got up at 02h39m, I cannot sleep again because of the noise in the ears, and this has been happening for almost a year.

I hold my company accountable for placing a tenant in my head.

 

[Michael Leigh]

@Gansen Moodley

Was your tinnitus caused by exposure to loud noise? Do you now have hearing loss?

If your tinnitus was caused by exposure to loud noise, please click on the links below and read my posts that you might find helpful.

All the best
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

 

[GregCA]

Hello my name is Gansen Moodley and I am a victim of tinnitus. My noise induced hearing loss since 2015 which was neglected by my company resulted in a >20% hearing loss and tinnitus in 2018.

I hold my company accountable for placing a tenant in my head.

Why are you blaming your company?

 

[Gansen Moodley]

My company has been tracking my hearing loss since 2002, and when it started deviating in 2015 they should have immediately taken me of the noisy work environment which is 105db, but instead left me there until too late which was September 2018, and now through this hearing loss I now have tinnitus

 

[GregCA]

My company has been tracking my hearing loss since 2002, and when it started deviating in 2015 they should have immediately taken me of the noisy work environment which is 105db, but instead left me there until too late which was September 2018, and now through this hearing loss I now have tinnitus

Were you provided any hearing protection while you were working there?

Where is this company located?

 

[Gansen Moodley]

Hello
Yes I was provided with hearing protection, and wore them religiously. My company is situated in Richards Bay, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa

 

[Michael Leigh]

Hello
Yes I was provided with hearing protection, and wore them religiously. My company is situated in Richards Bay, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa

HI @Gansen Moodley

Your tinnitus could have been caused by exposure to loud noise also resulting in hearing loss, since you work in a noisy environment. Even when wearing hearing protection, if external noise/ sound is loud enough it can pass through the head/skull and be transferred to the inner ear by Bone conduction - and therefore I don't think any form of hearing protection can prevent this. Proving that working in a noisy environment caused your tinnitus and hearing loss might be difficult as other things can cause this too. Using headphones at too high a volume without realising it. Going to clubs or concerts were loud music is played. These are just a few examples of tinnitus caused by exposure to loud noise.

All the best
Michael

 

[Gansen Moodley]

Thanks Michael
My audiologist did mention that my Tinnitus was caused as a result of my hearing loss. The very same day she tried to introduce melodious sounds through my hearing aid, to comfort the tinnitus, but sadly the tinnitus was louder than any sound she tried to introduce
My first issue is that when my sleep breaks at odd times, I cannot go back to sleep, due to the quietness the ringing in my ears seems louder and prevents me from going back to sleep. Is this normal
My second problem is when driving I get vertigo, does not happen often, but once this year, the car is moving at 120km/hour but seems at a standstill, is this related my hearing loss or tinnitus

 

[Michael Leigh]

Thanks Michael
My audiologist did mention that my Tinnitus was caused as a result of my hearing loss. The very same day she tried to introduce melodious sounds through my hearing aid, to comfort the tinnitus, but sadly the tinnitus was louder than any sound she tried to introduce
My first issue is that when my sleep breaks at odd times, I cannot go back to sleep, due to the quietness the ringing in my ears seems louder and prevents me from going back to sleep. Is this normal
My second problem is when driving I get vertigo, does not happen often, but once this year, the car is moving at 120km/hour but seems at a standstill, is this related my hearing loss or tinnitus

HI @Gansen Moodley

Please quote my text or write my name as: @Michael Leigh then I should receive an Alert message. I have quoted your text and written your name as examples.

Vertigo is not normally associated with tinnitus that is primarily "noise induced", although it can be linked to medical conditions within the ear/auditory system that cause tinnitus and hearing loss. One example is Meniere's. Hearing loss can cause tinnitus and if this is the case then it wasn't Noise induced. A person developing tinnitus from hearing loss, once fitted with a hearing aid/s supplies the brain with additional sound from the outside environment - the brain over time will lower it's internal gain rather like a volume control and thus, reducing the tinnitus too.

Some hearing aids are dual purpose, having a hearing aid fitted and also white noise or various melodious sounds, that you mention which can be selected. Some people find using the hearing aid with white noise or other sounds causes irritation. The purpose of using white noise or associated sounds is to treat the tinnitus. However, this is not always necessary, as the hearing aid is quite sufficient at providing the brain and auditory system with increased sound, as mentioned above and this is enough to lower the tinnitus over time. Therefore, it might be a good idea to turn off the white noise or accompanying sounds you mention and just use the hearing aid for now.

Try to avoid sleeping in a quiet room by using low level sound enrichment at night by the bedside.

All the best
Michael

 

[Gansen Moodley]

Hi @Michael Leigh
Thank you, I will certainly try your two recommendations.

 

[GregCA]

Hello
Yes I was provided with hearing protection, and wore them religiously. My company is situated in Richards Bay, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa

Are you considering any legal action?

 

[Gansen Moodley]

Unfortunately companies are protected by COIDA, and they certainly enjoy the immunity of this, so basically they can injure employees an not be help accountable, therefore I cannot take my company to court as much as I would like to.
Imagine living with tinnitus which resulted from work related noise and the company gets away, not fair

 

[Juan]

Unfortunately companies are protected by COIDA, and they certainly enjoy the immunity of this, so basically they can injure employees an not be help accountable, therefore I cannot take my company to court as much as I would like to.
Imagine living with tinnitus which resulted from work related noise and the company gets away, not fair

What?! That's so unfair! You should be able to sue them!