New Member Questions

[NRB]

I have worked in a loud industrial environment for 15 years and I have always been good about wearing my hearing protection. Beginning this year, I have developed tinnitus. This brings me to some questions I have about my current challenges with it and those which I have to look forward to:

I have concluded that it takes less and less noise to cause a rise in my tinnitus. This noise does not have to be what most folks would call significant. It might be a louder air conditioner vent which I sit next to for a while. My wife sitting next to me thinks nothing of it. Does this rise in sensitivity to ringing correspond to a rise in sensitivity to permanent damage? In other words, is my hearing more easily damaged and does this ultimately lead to a scenario of damage from the sound of a pin dropping? As of earlier this year, I have some tinnitus that is constant. Most of the time it is such that I can live with it though annoying and sometimes distractive. But, I wonder how bad it can get. Can it get totally debilitating? I am wearing double hearing protection now which is above and beyond what is required. But I can still have a rise in tinnitus after work. Per the last annual hearing test I took I have not had a change in hearing to speak of. Tinnitus is the problem and not hearing loss. I have 10 more years to work in this environment. What can I expect for the future of my hearing and what can I expect for my future of tinnitus? The ENT I saw recently said I will be able to hear in 10 years no problem. I should have probed him more about his thoughts on my future tinnitus and how to prevent that from getting worse. I would like to hear what folks here have to say about my future hearing and tinnitus.

I know I have put a lot out here for my first post, but I am am concerned about this and would value your comments.

Thanks,
NRB

 

[cullenbohannon]

I don't think any of us can really say what the future holds for your t and hearing but t does not cause hearing loss. I would get a good pair of ear plugs if you work in loud enviorments. Not sure why your t goes up with certain noises but sometimes it's more of a perception thing. I use to think evey loud noise or what I thought were loud noises made my t louder. But they did not. I suppose some have more debilitating t then others but everyone is different. My father's has never gotten worse in over 20 years and he never wears ear protection. Most people habituate and get better over time.

 

[NRB]

Cullenbohannon

Thank you for the response. I appreciate it.

Since T is so often associated with hearing loss it has made me wonder if it is an indication of permanent damage when I have a rise in it. What I am understanding from what you have said here is that it is not necessarily so, which is good news. I think I somewhat understand the perception thing and I try to weed out what is perception and what is an actual rise. My wife says I make a study about everything. But, I want to understand. I do wear the foam type ear plugs and now I wear the ear muffs too. I just don't want this tinnitus thing to become debilitating in the future as I have years to go before I am done with this loud industrial environment. I hope I am like your father in that T doesn't get worse.

Your response was encouraging to me. Thank you.

NRB