Tinnitus + Vibration from Your Hotel Room Neighbors' AC = A Bad Combination

[valeri]

@valeri i have the same problem. In the beginning (first months) I didn't have issues with low frequency noises. Now a car drive, planes etc make it spike. The sound that i perceive is beyond imagination. It's deep, fills all my head and also has a sensation of vibration. Plugs do not work at all. I also had an extra worsening after 2 boat trips. I am afraid that i have to quit car drives forever which as you understand is almost impossible. What I wanted to ask you is if you feel your hearing dropped due to this low frequency sound. This part of my tinnitus consists of approximately 200hz + 400hz tones. Apart from my ringing.

Is your tinnitus low frequency or high pitch?

 

[Bill Bauer]

However, to answer your question, you might want to request the top floor corner room.

Makes sense. Thank you.

One thing to keep in mind is that some hotels have central AC. At those hotels, those staying on the top floor, can sometimes experience vibration from the AC units located on the roof. This had happened to me twice this year...

 

[vermillion]

Is your tinnitus low frequency or high pitch?

It begun as a mid-pitch ringing. Then a hissing and a high pitch ringing developed, and before 1 year those low frequency sounds were added which intensified recently. It's needless to say that they are the worst. So I have a wide spectrum of sounds but the low frequency ones are the hardest and when they spike I cannot hear very well.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Is your tinnitus low frequency or high pitch?

Sometimes it is high pitch, sometimes it is a hiss, at other times it is a buzz in my head.

 

[valeri]

It begun as a mid-pitch ringing. Then a hissing and a high pitch ringing developed, and before 1 year those low frequency sounds were added which intensified recently. It's needless to say that they are the worst. So I have a wide spectrum of sounds but the low frequency ones are the hardest and when they spike I cannot hear very well.

Low frequency is a killer! Unless you have you don't know how intrusive it is!
Can you mask it?

 

[vermillion]

Low frequency is a killer! Unless you have you don't know how intrusive it is!
Can you mask it?

Well it's a bit tricky. It's getting harder to mask. In the beginning it was audible only in a silent room with the windows closed. Not anymore. The thing is that to low frequency sounds, such as an airplane's engine, is reacting and it's trying to compete with this external sound. I don't think this is recruitment, for I don't perceive the actual sound louder but the low frequency tinnitus sound. Also a car drive spikes it. When I put my plugs on the hell is multiplied by 3. I can't habituate to this. I can also feel it physically.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Low frequency is a killer! Unless you have you don't know how intrusive it is!

Have you ever had the high frequency T? The "head T" that I sometimes get might be "low frequency", and I prefer it to the high frequency that I find to be harder to ignore.

 

[GregCA]

Low frequency is a killer! Unless you have you don't know how intrusive it is!
Can you mask it?

I think the volume is much more determinant than frequency. I have both a low frequency T and a high frequency T. The low frequency T has a low volume, and is easily masked by ambient noises, but my high frequency T cuts through everything and is loud: that's my killer.

 

[New Guy]

What are you wearing on your head when you drive 3-400 miles in a day?

I use x5a's for my diesel truck but plugs for my wife's Honda CRV. Once you get the CRV on the highway the noise ramps up and I go for the x5a's to be safe. The noise I notice most is the tires on the pavement. That's loud! Stuff we never thought of before.

 

[Bill Bauer]

What are you wearing on your head when you drive 3-400 miles in a day?

I have three setups: X5A, earplugs, or soft earplugs inserted half a centimeter (one fifth of an inch) into the ear canal, with Bose 25 noise cancelling headphones over that. I rotate among those setups.

 

[Elfin]

Have you ever had the high frequency T? The "head T" that I sometimes get might be "low frequency", and I prefer it to the high frequency that I find to be harder to ignore.

Completely agree, whilst the low rumble is annoying, it can be masked and 'habituated to' more easily, in my opinion. The high pitched tones and buzz make it feel like my head is caving inwards...

 

[RingerBell]

I think the volume is much more determinant than frequency.

Yes, too much of anything is a bad thing. High pitch T cuts through everything and is painful. On the other hand, low frequency sounds are always present atleast if there's some traffic or home appliances nearby, so it's still it's like listening your T through a broken speaker all the time.

 

[Starthrower]

I think the volume is much more determinant than frequency. I have both a low frequency T and a high frequency T. The low frequency T has a low volume, and is easily masked by ambient noises, but my high frequency T cuts through everything and is loud: that's my killer.

@GregCA my situation is about the same as yours tinnitus high/low frequencies.

@Bill Bauer the A/C situation in hotels bothers me also. But it also bothers my husband who does not have tinnitus. It isn't fun paying for a room and not being able to sleep. Also the bathroom pipes from above rooms are usually behind the bed wall or nearby.

The rumbling vibration sensation is a killer for my high frequency tinnitus.

Most hardcore veterans of tinnitus will respond stop whining and worrying it is not gonna kill you.

After so many years now I can deal with the situation but I don't like it much. But in that first year? I would take all my sound machines and earplugs and noise canceling headphones.

I have a phobia about staying in hotel rooms when you can not open a window. You rely on their air flow. I actually will not stay in a hotel without open window access. And all or most of the newer hotels do not have open window access.

 

[RingerBell]

The rumbling vibration sensation is a killer for my high frequency tinnitus.

That rumbling vibration is one of the tinnitus tones I hear.

 

[New Guy]

If I wear the x5a's more than an hour or so a day my head feels the effects of being squeezed. It gets uncomfortable.

 

[Bill Bauer]

If I wear the x5a's more than an hour or so a day my head feels the effects of being squeezed. It gets uncomfortable.

You can wear Bose 25 for an unlimited time.

 

[valeri]

I think the volume is much more determinant than frequency. I have both a low frequency T and a high frequency T. The low frequency T has a low volume, and is easily masked by ambient noises, but my high frequency T cuts through everything and is loud: that's my killer.

Greg I agree with you, loudness definetly matters.
For me unfortunately the loudness of low frequency is through the roof, can't be masked and it vibrates my brain 24/7!
Pure hell!

We all just need something to tame these suckers, high or low!

 

[valeri]

Well it's a bit tricky. It's getting harder to mask. In the beginning it was audible only in a silent room with the windows closed. Not anymore. The thing is that to low frequency sounds, such as an airplane's engine, is reacting and it's trying to compete with this external sound. I don't think this is recruitment, for I don't perceive the actual sound louder but the low frequency tinnitus sound. Also a car drive spikes it. When I put my plugs on the hell is multiplied by 3. I can't habituate to this. I can also feel it physically.

Same here

 

[New Guy]

I like the idea of comfortable headphones but I'm not going to use noise cancelling ones. I'm old school and I don't trust electronics.

I'd go down with the NRR and wear ear plugs with them for something more comfortable. I may be on the road for 8-10 hrs next weekend and I need to figure this one out sooner than later.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I like the idea of comfortable headphones but I'm not going to use noise cancelling ones. I'm old school and I don't trust electronics.

They work well to reduce the constant hum you get to hear in a car. Of course they won't offer any protection in the event of airbags deploying...

I'd go down with the NRR and wear ear plugs with them

I thought NRR stood for "noise reduction rating". Are you using this abbreviation to mean something else?

 

[New Guy]

Yes Bill. The X5A's have a NRR of 31 but I would use something with an NRR of 25 with earplugs on a long ride. The lower the NRR the less it protects your hearing as far as I understand.

I don't trust my abilities to put earplugs in right so I'm very cautious when I use them. If I know the noise is going to be loud and prolonged I won't rely on ear plugs. My wife's Honda is ok with ear plugs under about 30-40 mph but over that I wear my X5A's.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Oh, now I understand. You use more comfortable muffs that provide the same NRR when combined with earplugs.

Are you against Bose noise cancelling headphones because you are worried that they might make your T worse?