Tinnitus Spike from 70 dB Battery Powered Lawn Mower

[Eric N]

I wish I could understand how I have a spike after using a 70 decibel lawn mower with ear muffs on for like 20 minutes. It has been 10 days now. Ever since I've did that damn MRI two years ago, not only did I get x3 tinnitus increase, the noise threshold required to get worse is much lower. I used to use gas powered lawn mowers before the MRI with no problems, with hearing protection on of course.

Just more proof to the concept that the more damage you have the more it easy it can get worse at least for me.

 

[Violetdusk]

Hi @Eric N
Unfortunately this is my problem too. I've replaced several items in my house, quiet boil kettle, quiet hoover, and i wear custom mould earplugs with ear defenders on top otherwise I get terrible spikes. I don't even use lawnmowers...too loud, I pay a gardener, close the doors and wear earmuffs, but my Tinnitus and Hyperacusis is really bad and getting worse. My ears got blasted by a firetruck siren recently....just after I took my earplugs out in the street thinking i was safe....i am having a terrible spike, but it could also be the permanent new level...I hope not, as I won't last long if it stays.
Basically, once our ears are damaged, they are far more easier to get further damage. I'd recommend ear plugs and ear muffs next time, or if you're worried, maybe hire a gardener to avoid the stress. Good luck!

 

[Digital Doc]

The electric gear is quieter than gas, and was thinking I might have to upgrade my lawn gear to battery powered.

In general, the earplugs afford more protection than the ear muffs. The ear muffs work better to protect the ears from transmitted vibrations.

I would certainly wait for things to calm down, but if you want to retry dont depend just on earmuffs, and use foam earplugs with a nrr of 33 underneath the ear muffs.

 

[all to gain]

I wish I could understand how I have a spike after using a 70 decibel lawn mower with ear muffs on for like 20 minutes. It has been 10 days now. Ever since I've did that damn MRI two years ago, not only did I get x3 tinnitus increase, the noise threshold required to get worse is much lower. I used to use gas powered lawn mowers before the MRI with no problems, with hearing protection on of course.

Just more proof to the concept that the more damage you have the more it easy it can get worse at least for me.

Man, I feel for you. I had an MRI scan done too, and things have been much worse since. More of a piercing electrical sound and now permanently in both ears. I researched MRIs loads beforehand too. It sucks big time.

 

[Digital Doc]

Man, I feel for you. I had an MRI scan done too, and things have been much worse since. More of a piercing electrical sound and now permanently in both ears. I researched MRIs loads beforehand too. It sucks big time.

Did you have hearing protection for the MRI? I have been in the control booth for MRI's, and even out there the noise is quite loud.

 

[Bill Bauer]

quiet hoover

What is the brand and model of the vacuum cleaner that you found to be reasonably quiet?

 

[Sven]

I wish I could understand how I have a spike after using a 70 decibel lawn mower with ear muffs on for like 20 minutes. It has been 10 days now. Ever since I've did that damn MRI two years ago, not only did I get x3 tinnitus increase, the noise threshold required to get worse is much lower. I used to use gas powered lawn mowers before the MRI with no problems, with hearing protection on of course.

Just more proof to the concept that the more damage you have the more it easy it can get worse at least for me.

It really doesn't seem possible. Are you sure it's not your worrying that's triggering it? Maybe you listened for it directly afterwards and started something?

Any way, I hope it recedes back to "normal" for you soon.

 

[Mister Muso]

It really doesn't seem possible. Are you sure it's not your worrying that's triggering it? Maybe you listened for it directly afterwards and started something?

Any way, I hope it recedes back to "normal" for you soon.

It's possible alright. Happened to me too. Took about a month to subside back to baseline. I can use a lawn mower now but I use 32NRR plugs under my ear muffs. I don't use the strimmer though.

 

[all to gain]

Did you have hearing protection for the MRI? I have been in the control booth for MRI's, and even out there the noise is quite loud.

Yes, both ear plugs and ear defenders.

One of the worst mistakes of my life having an MRI so soon after getting tinnitus or at all.

 

[all to gain]

Did you have hearing protection for the MRI? I have been in the control booth for MRI's, and even out there the noise is quite loud.

I did loads of research and got an MRI with a pediatric quiet setting, also got lots of advice from the radiologist in the weeks leading to the MRI. I should have know better though when I read an article about a woman who had actually gotten tinnitus from an MRI, and she got it bad too. But I took it as I had been spooked by a doctor abroad who had written down as their preliminary analysis of me that may be he has "multiple sclerosis?", I should have known better as I already knew it was meds that had given me the blurred visions and tinnitus, so although they are both symptoms of MS, they probably weren't in my case. I asked my GP if he thought I had MS and he said no. I did ask him about the loudness of an MRI scan and he said he had stood right next to them, but he never said I shouldn't get one.

I've just had a really bad run of decisions on my part and doctors' part and bad advice. But all too late now. Think my tinnitus could have been dealt with much easier if I hadn't gone the MRI route, although it was still bothering me.

 

[MattS]

Man, I feel for you. I had an MRI scan done too, and things have been much worse since. More of a piercing electrical sound and now permanently in both ears. I researched MRIs loads beforehand too. It sucks big time.

I think there are good reasons to think that it's not just the sound, but also the magnetization, of the MRI that could influence one's tinnitus. They are trying to use TMS to help tinnitus, without full success so far. But the MRI magnetization is far stronger, and far less focal. It could cause all kinds of wonderful changes to the ears/brain/physiology.

 

[all to gain]

I think there are good reasons to think that it's not just the sound, but also the magnetization, of the MRI that could influence one's tinnitus. They are trying to use TMS to help tinnitus, without full success so far. But the MRI magnetization is far stronger, and far less focal. It could cause all kinds of wonderful changes to the ears/brain/physiology.

I'm sure you're right. All I know is that I sometimes have an electrical field type thing going on, which usually feels like it is situated outside my head. Real strange!!

The thing I didn't take into account is the fact that the sound etc could simply go through the skull. There I was just worrying about protecting my ears.

Big mistake!

 

[Earing]

I would switch to 3M Peltor X5A muffs. The Ear Defenders may not be as good. The 3M X5A are very good, and really comfortable. But remember the formula of NRR -7 divided by 2= actual reduction. The Ear Defenders say 32dB NRR. If that is true, the reduction will not be 32dB, rather 32-7 / 2 = 12.5dB actual reduction. If you put in earplugs the most you can further reduce the dB is another 5dB reduction. So that would mean 12.5 + 5 = total of 17.5dB reduction. I have read that the max is only 14.5dB though. Not sure if it is 17.5dB or 14.5dB.

 

[Earing]

Looking at the Ear Defenders they say there is a 32dB NRR and reduces up to 125dB. What the f does that mean?

Then in the photos they show it has an SNR rating of 32dB. The SNR rating is from the UK, and it is 6dB higher than the NRR, which means they have an NRR rating of 26dB not 32dB. But the statement that they reduce up to 125dB is bogus. What does that even mean? I think they are the same cheap Chinese junk as the other ones. I bought a pair that look identical to the Ear DEfenders for $11 that stated an NRR of 37dB. They do not.

https://www.amazon.com/Ear-Defenders-Comfortable-Adjustable-Construction/dp/B06XG1BSTV

 

[MattS]

Did you have hearing protection for the MRI? I have been in the control booth for MRI's, and even out there the noise is quite loud.

I would switch to 3M Peltor X5A muffs. The Ear Defenders may not be as good. The 3M X5A are very good, and really comfortable. But remember the formula of NRR -7 divided by 2= actual reduction. The Ear Defenders say 32dB NRR. If that is true, the reduction will not be 32dB, rather 32-7 / 2 = 12.5dB actual reduction. If you put in earplugs the most you can further reduce the dB is another 5dB reduction. So that would mean 12.5 + 5 = total of 17.5dB reduction. I have read that the max is only 14.5dB though. Not sure if it is 17.5dB or 14.5dB.

Just remember that this is worst case scenario, assuming you don't know how to properly out your plugs/muffs in/on. Definitely worth remembering that the true dB reduction is lower than stated; but most of us will do better than the -7÷2 formula.

 

[MattS]

I'm sure you're right. All I know is that I sometimes have an electrical field type thing going on, which usually feels like it is situated outside my head. Real strange!!

The thing I didn't take into account is the fact that the sound etc could simply go through the skull. There I was just worrying about protecting my ears.

Big mistake!

The whole point of MRI is that the magnets get through the skull to visualize the brain and spinal cord. So the magnetization is through and through. I use MRI all the time in my research; will no longer be able to be present while my research scans are happening (which is okay, that's what grad students are for).

 

[Earing]

Just remember that this is worst case scenario, assuming you don't know how to properly out your plugs/muffs in/on. Definitely worth remembering that the true dB reduction is lower than stated; but most of us will do better than the -7÷2 formula.

Who says most of us will do better? I am not picking on you or anything, I would like to know where you get that we will do better than the formula. The formula is accepted by 3M, the labour boards and govt agencies that oversee this type of thing. They don't say it is a worst case, they say it is the formula for the actual dB reductions.

 

[MattS]

Who says most of us will do better? I am not picking on you or anything, I would like to know where you get that we will do better than the formula. The formula is accepted by 3M, the labour boards and govt agencies that oversee this type of thing. They don't say it is a worst case, they say it is the formula for the actual dB reductions.

I don't have the documentation in front of me, but I'm pretty sure that it's stated in several places that the reason for this calculation is because of differences - mainly to do with fit and application - between the laboratory and the real world. They don't say that the laboratory findings are false - just that they are difficult to obtain in the real world, where people don't apply their protection as well, or allow slippage, etc.

You're absolutely right that we're not immune to this. But I, for instance, an about 100 times better at putting in an ear plug than I was 4 months ago, and also 100 times better than my wife at getting a deep seal. That's not me boasting - that's just the fact that I've taken ear protection really seriously, use the things often, and have gotten pretty proficient at it.

Am I reaching laboratory levels of protection? Unlikely. But I expect I'm doing better than the random Joe on the street too.

I can try to find the relevant passages if you're interested. I don't have them handy...just know I read it at some point. Could likely track it down.

 

[Bill Bauer]

It really doesn't seem possible.

Neither does it seem possible that giraffes have the long necks that Some people Say they have. Let's not believe our lying eyes!

 

[Mister Muso]

I would switch to 3M Peltor X5A muffs. The Ear Defenders may not be as good. The 3M X5A are very good, and really comfortable. But remember the formula of NRR -7 divided by 2= actual reduction. The Ear Defenders say 32dB NRR. If that is true, the reduction will not be 32dB, rather 32-7 / 2 = 12.5dB actual reduction. If you put in earplugs the most you can further reduce the dB is another 5dB reduction. So that would mean 12.5 + 5 = total of 17.5dB reduction. I have read that the max is only 14.5dB though. Not sure if it is 17.5dB or 14.5dB.

I've seen figures like this a couple of times and I'd appreciate it if someone could explain the science behind it, and how these manufacturers can still use the higher figures without being done for false advertising.

I understand that every 10db means a doubling in volume, and I remember something about logarithms from school. Am I on the right lines?

 

[Digital Doc]

I've seen figures like this a couple of times and I'd appreciate it if someone could explain the science behind it, and how these manufacturers can still use the higher figures without being done for false advertising.

I understand that every 10db means a doubling in volume, and I remember something about logarithms from school. Am I on the right lines?

Yes, the db scale is logarithmic, and going up by 10 doubles the volume, which is why 90 db is so much louder than 80 db, for example.

 

[Mister Muso]

So what's with the takeaway-7 and divide by 2 business then, to get the "true" NRR?

 

[Eric N]

Still doing real bad. Thankfully it's only one tone that is spiked instead of all ten. The tone is on the low side at 1.3 kHz which may be close to what the lawn mowers makes so maybe there is a correlation.