My Tinnitus Got Spiked by a Tower Fan?

[Samwise_The_Loud]

Hi Everyone,

So currently a heatwave is happening, and being a normal person I decided to buy a fan. This fan, in fact:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08729TQKV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm not sponsored or anything, and I'm not making any recommendations.

Anyway, the max stated noise level for this fan is 54 dB. So I try it out while working for an hour or so a good 4 meters away from me. I measure the sounds, nothing more than around 30-45 dB. Everything seems okay, except my tinnitus seems a little louder than usual. I figure this is due to the stress of work which always settles down after it finishes.

So I leave it on whilst sleeping with it at least 5 meters away from me and rotating, but I wear earplugs just to be safe. And lo and behold, when I wake up, my tinnitus is spiking.

It's not that bad a spike, and it's already going down. But how? Do fan frequencies just have this effect?

Thanks all and best wishes,
Sam

 

[GuitarMan]

Check out the section on Reactive Tinnitus here.

https://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/your-role-in-treating-tinnitus-12792

I have no idea if this is what you have but I looked it up last night because of my own experience yesterday.

I do know that mine seems to be more sensitive to some frequencies than others. Kids screeching, high pitch dog barks, dishes clattering, basically sharp high pitched sounds. Loud but lower pitched sounds don't seem to bother me.

In your case maybe there's a frequency the fan is putting out that affects you, or it could have just been a coincidence and not related to the fan.

 

[bobvann]

You know, my wife purchased a neck fan on Amazon. I tried it and my baseline has increased since, yet fire trucks' and ambulances' sirens don't cause anything. This shit is whacked.

 

[Joe Cuber]

I do know that mine seems to be more sensitive to some frequencies than others. Kids screeching, high pitch dog barks, dishes clattering, basically sharp high pitched sounds. Loud but lower pitched sounds don't seem to bother me.

Came here to say the same thing. And, for me, I also react to fans, water fountain sounds, ocean sounds, cars driving by, driving in a car.

 

[MindOverMatter]

Came here to say the same thing. And, for me, I also react to fans, water fountain sounds, ocean sounds, cars driving by, driving in a car.

I experience pretty much the same as you @Joe Cuber, but it is possible to habituate/get used to this as well. When you come to the point where you can endure those sounds, even though ears react to them, it's half a victory.

That, in combination with the fact that for most people it will only result in temporary annoyance or spikes, and by time maybe not even that. Fear of sound and fear of worsening do make it worse (in our heads at least) to cope with. It's important to break the negative circle.

 

[MindOverMatter]

It's not that bad a spike, and it's already going down. But how? Do fan frequencies just have this effect?

In my personal experience frequencies has a lot to do with reactiveness and what we react to, yes.

Some sounds are just annoying, and make tinnitus react, and possibly spike for some time. More so in the beginning when new to this. But it won't make you worse at such sound levels.

 

[Joe Cuber]

I experience pretty much the same as you @Joe Cuber, but it is possible to habituate/get used to this as well. When you come to the point where you can endure those sounds, even though ears react to them, it's half a victory.

That, in combination with the fact that for most people it will only result in temporary annoyance or spikes, and by time maybe not even that. Fear of sound and fear of worsening do make it worse (in our heads at least) to cope with. It's important to break the negative circle.

I agree with everything you're saying here @MindOverMatter, and a timely reminder, thank you. Just this week, I got myself into a negative cycle, and just yesterday evening, I decided I had enough of the negativity. I finally read the Back to Silence post, and today I started to apply the technique. My responses are still annoyance and anxiousness, but I had a markedly better day already.