Really Scared My Hearing Has Been Damaged by an Ambulance Siren?

[Zander93]

I was on the pavement when an ambulance sped past me with the siren on leaving me with muffled hearing (it feels like partial deafness) and ear pressure people say ambulance sirens are around 120 to even 130 dB so I'm really scared I've had my hearing damaged.

 

[SwiftLeo]

Well, I suppose you'll know soon enough. It may just "pop" soon. I mean anythings possible don't get me wrong, but how long has your ear been like this? Today? Yesterday? A week?

 

[Samir]

Sped past you? Like in 5 seconds? Was this the first time it happened? How far were you from the siren? The longer the exposure, and the closer you are to the source the more damaging the loud sounds are. That's the general idea. But I don't think you could have damaged your hearing by this one short event, unless you already had some damage before which may have worsened now.

Did you visit a GP, or an ENT doctor? Did you have you hearing tested?

 

[Sam Bridge]

I doubt it did any damage, this happens to me at least once every few weeks and nothing changes.

 

[glynis]

I think you will be fine but any worries see your doctor as might give you a course of steroid...lots of love glynis

 

[Ed209]

I think you'll been fine. This happened to me a couple of months back. One of my students lives near an amulance depot, and one day, as I was standing on the footpath, the driver blasted the siren just as he pulled along side me. I have no idea why because there wasn't any traffic, but all I can tell you is that it nearly gave me a heart attack . I must have jumped a mile; I absolutely shit myself.

I was worried about my ears for about an hour or so, and then I just let it drop. In my case I was ok and there was no further damage that I'm aware of at least. I still think it was wrong for him to have hit it just as he pulled right next to me though.

 

[Samir]

I wish these truck drivers were more considerate when honking the horns and firing the siren. They are hurting their own ears and the ears of their crew as much as they are hurting all the bystanders. Besides the sirens, emergency vehicles also have the warning lights. Those are not just for show you know. Those can be very effective even without the siren.

I don't know what it's like in other countries, but unless the emergency is of highest priority we don't use the sirens in Sweden. Sometimes only the lights are used. Any sane (and sober) person will step aside and make room on the road for the emergency units to pass through. No need to blast people with sirens and horns.

It's thought as if emergency service people are dying for attention! "Hey look at me, I'm a fire truck driver! Watch out! Here I come!"

 

[Zander93]

I don't know what it's like in other countries, but unless the emergency is of highest priority we don't use the sirens in Sweden. Sometimes only the lights are used. "

That sounds like Northern European astute thinking and consideration.

To answer your previous queries:

The siren was going on continuously as it was advancing down the road towards me and was right along side me for about 3- 4 seconds.

I couldn't say how far away The siren was from my ear, 2-3 metres maybe, but the ambulance itself was right next to me and the pavement for that period.

I just came back from the urgent care centre, I was meant to see the ENT but they said to call my GP to see a specialist.

I have had several short bursts like this in the last few years, that always have had a bad effect on me, this just seems severe.


I looked up the Decibels levels of London ambulances and found that the loudest it could've been is 109 db according to the ambulance
service:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/requ...html/3/2016 01 06 2028 FoI Response.docx.html

But I don't know at what distance that is.

Thank you for your time

 

[Samir]

That sounds like Northern European astute thinking and consideration.

Don't give us too much credit! We have had ambulances and fire trucks crashing into each other, and police cars ramming down people. The problem usually sits 60 cm behind the windshield.

I couldn't say how far away The siren was from my ear, 2-3 metres maybe, but the ambulance itself was right next to me and the pavement for that period.

That does seem pretty close. They should shut it off right before they arrive at the scene. But it should not be too damaging to your ears unless you already have some damage or you are sensitive to loud sounds. You can try blocking the sound with your hands next time. I sometimes do that when I hear them approach, now more so then before.

I just came back from the urgent care centre, I was meant to see the ENT but they said to call my GP to see a specialist.

Sounds like Sweden! With the exception that we have to go past the nurse first, before we see the GP. The GP is not an ear specialist. He can only write a referral to an ENT doctor. This all takes time, and by the time you get to the right doctor your symptoms may have worsened or subsided.

Not sure what they could do anyway, even if you get there straight away. Some ENT doctors will give you steroids in an attempt to save your hearing after a traumatic event, but this seems to be more of a practice they do in the US, and even there it seems that only a few doctors do this. There are oral steroid and there are steroid injections they give you through the ear drum. This is used for sudden hearing loss. I think most doctors will tell you to take it easy and avoid loud sounds for some time to give your ears time to recover.

There is a lot to wish for in the way that hearing problems are treated following a traumatic event. I think it should be treated like a serious medical emergency. They should also administer steroid injections or whatever else they find has a protective and healing effect.

I have had several short bursts like this in the last few years, that always have had a bad effect on me, this just seems severe.

Have you done any hearing tests recently? Do you have any hearing loss? I think you will be fine, just avoid these kind of situations if you can. Also, seek out an ENT and have yourself checked out. That might help you bring an ease of mind, and that goes a long way. Do a hearing test if you haven't already. If you see an ENT he will probably order a hearing test for you at the clinic.

According to that paper, they have reduced the siren (wail) level in all vehicles delivered from 2006 and onward by 7 dB, from 109 dB to 102 dB. Maybe you met with one of the older models, who knows! But it's a good thing that they are making these changes. So it's not at standstill.