I've worn plugs and muffs together at times when driving because I was too lazy to take the plugs out. When I take the muffs off with the plugs in I'm like, "Wow! I didn't realize how little the muffs do." Then, when I take the plugs out everything gets significantly louder.
Hi John, I just wanted to say to be careful about the way you're protecting your ears. You seem to be going down the over-protection route and I really don't want to see you become phonophobic. There are already too many people on here who are in a terrible position because of this type of behaviour and I don't want to see you become one of them.
It's a very slippery slope. Some are now scared to talk without double protection; that's how bad it can get. All I'm saying is be careful buddy. Protecting your ears is important when it's really noisy, but try not to turn this behaviour into a necessity, where you can't function without earplugs and/or muffs. Behaving this way doesn't tend to improve tinnitus, it usually makes it worse and creates obsessional tendencies.
These excerpts below perfectly highlight what can happen, and I help many people with these problems via PM. It's a vicious cycle that many fall victim to:
Hypersensitivity to everyday sounds leads some patients to develop phonophobia - an overwhelming fear of sound or noise. Patients with hyperacusis and phonophobia often spend an inordinate amount of time monitoring sound levels in their immediate environment. Some of these people mistakenly believe that exposure to low-level sounds can cause additional damage to their hearing. A majority of patients with severe hyperacusis overprotect their ears by wearing earplugs or earmuffs (or both) much of the time. Overuse of earplugs or earmuffs (that is, daily use even when the patient is not exposed to hazardous sound levels) can lead to further hypersensitization of the patient's auditory system. A vicious cycle of overprotection- hyperacusis-phonophobia (OHP) develops. Some patients stop going to movies, restaurants, religious events and other functions because sound exposures in these environments are perceived as painful or potentially harmful. Patients have quit working because anxiety about
possiblesound exposure at work was overwhelming. In extreme cases, patients become recluses, rarely leaving their homes. The vicious OHP cycle can have devastating consequences for a patient's personal relationships, self-image, lifestyle and quality of life.
And another:
One common feature of people with altered sound tolerance is that they try to avoid loud sounds. Although this may seem like a commonsense precaution, it can turn out to be counter productive and can make you even more sensitive to sound. As people avoid sound their environment becomes quieter and the auditory system becomes more sensitive to sound because of this lack of sound input.
Ear protection should not be used for normal day-to-day activities. Whilst it is understandable that people may wish to use ear plugs or ear muffs when doing something such as emptying a dishwasher or driving a car, it will not help with learning to manage hyperacusis in the long term. Of course, it is sensible to use ear protection measures when doing something really noisy such as using DIY tools.
If ear protection is currently being used for everyday situations, it is important to discuss strategies for reducing their use with the hyperacusis therapist. They will have some useful suggestions and be able to provide support through what can seem like a daunting time. For advice on appropriate ear protection measures, see the BTA leaflet Noise and the ear.
I'll post one more:
The overuse of hearing protection is almost universally discouraged based on evidence that it will lower loudness thresholds over time. Risks of overprotection include increased auditory gain, anxiety induced hypersensitivity, and reinforcement of negative associations with sound. Positive results from studies of
Sound Therapy & Counseling reinforce the notion that overprotection can prevent people from building sound tolerance. These treatments emphasize a gradual increase in sound exposure rather than sound isolation. It is often recommended that those with hyperacusis walk the fine line between setbacks and overprotection rather than follow a course of isolation and hypervigilance. Practically applying this guideline is not always straightforward.
http://www.audiologyonline.com/arti...eracusis-phonophobia-tinnitus-retraining-1105
https://www.tinnitus.org.uk/hyperacusis
http://hyperacusisfocus.org/research/earplug-use-2/
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