Very Loud Fire Alarm. Feel Like I'm Back to Square One.

[3ri0w]

What's up nowaday? U good?

 

[Alue]

What's up nowaday? U good?

Yesterday morning I was feeling a little better after a quiet weekend, but then I had a pretty loud day yesterday. Despite wearing earplugs my ears are spiking bad now.

 

[3ri0w]

Same here... dunno why these things have started happening again and again but like u kno being at the wrong place wrong time and getting to hear these loud sounds.. ear ache, pain, dullness, ring ring. Just suckssss. Merry X-Mas tho 8) Hope you'll get noice presents

 

[Vincent R]

I know this thread serves no purpose but I'm back to worrying about my ears and I don't know what else to do.

Living with tinnitus is bloody torture, due to the sound in itself and the repeated noise incidents that might make it worse.

At this point, I can't do much save for offering my empathy, as a sufferer in arms. I've been fairly paranoid about something aggravating my condition, and yet it has happened to a few times by now. I used to be a dynamic person who had a social life and such, but living like that simple isn't possible any longer. I feel like one of those dinosaurs the scientists dig up - a creature that, for all practical purposes, is history.

The only thing that makes my life endurable is the insight that one it will actually be over.

One thing, though. I advice you to wear foam ear plugs at all times whenever you leave home. Properly inserted, they offer substantial protection, and you'll be able to hear what people say pretty well. Nothing else works against surprise incidents.

 

[Alue]

I've been fairly paranoid about something aggravating my condition, and yet it has happened to a few times by now.

I have developed a new fear. Fire alarms. Particularly in places where I wouldn't be wearing hearing plugs like hotels. I recently had someone who doesn't have T and H tell me they had an alarm go off in a hotel room and they make those things so painfully loud that there is no way you can stay in the room. I spend a lot of time in hotels with my job...

I used to be a dynamic person who had a social life and such, but living like that simple isn't possible any longer. I feel like one of those dinosaurs the scientists dig up - a creature that, for all practical purposes, is history.

I know what you mean. I used to be a very adventurous person, now it's pretty much the opposite.

One thing, though. I advice you to wear foam ear plugs at all times whenever you leave home. Properly inserted, they offer substantial protection, and you'll be able to hear what people say pretty well. Nothing else works against surprise incidents.

O' I wear them very often. I wear them enough that the inside of my ear canals get irritated and start to hurt from the friction of pulling them in and out. I have a hard time finding earplugs that fit me properly because I have very large ear canals and the smaller ones do not offer substantial protection.

 

[Elfin]

I have developed a new fear. Fire alarms. Particularly in places where I wouldn't be wearing hearing plugs like hotels. I recently had someone who doesn't have T and H tell me they had an alarm go off in a hotel room and they make those things so painfully loud that there is no way you can stay in the room. I spend a lot of time in hotels with my job...

This happened to me whilst on honeymoon in Florida. I awoke at 2am to a noise unlike anything I had heard in years. I reached for some ear muffs but they hardly seemed to cut the noise at all. I got down by the bed and tried to get under it.

The noise lasted about 30 seconds, but it was awful.

When I complained the next morning, the owner of the hotel simply shrugged and smiled. I checked out immediately and we went elsewhere

 

[Alue]

This happened to me whilst on honeymoon in Florida. I awoke at 2am to a noise unlike anything I had heard in years. I reached for some ear muffs but they hardly seemed to cut the noise at all. I got down by the bed and tried to get under it.

The noise lasted about 30 seconds, but it was awful.

When I complained the next morning, the owner of the hotel simply shrugged and smiled. I checked out immediately and we went elsewhere

The problem is every hotel has these set to an ungodly decibel level by law.
I know disabling or tampering with a fire alarm in a building is illegal, but what about just taping a piece of foam or napkin in front of the speaker while you are staying in the room? Would that be considered tampering with?

I did that with my carbon monoxide alarm at home and it actually brought the decibels down quite a bit while it's still more than loud enough to get my attention anywhere in the house.

 

[Digital Doc]

I have developed a new fear. Fire alarms. Particularly in places where I wouldn't be wearing hearing plugs like hotels. I recently had someone who doesn't have T and H tell me they had an alarm go off in a hotel room and they make those things so painfully loud that there is no way you can stay in the room. I spend a lot of time in hotels with my job...


I know what you mean. I used to be a very adventurous person, now it's pretty much the opposite.


O' I wear them very often. I wear them enough that the inside of my ear canals get irritated and start to hurt from the friction of pulling them in and out. I have a hard time finding earplugs that fit me properly because I have very large ear canals and the smaller ones do not offer substantial protection.

I use the Howard Leight Max 1 for a larger ear canal. They also have a smooth coating to ease insertion and removal. I figure if they are marketed for those big headed construction guys, that should be enough for me.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I did that with my carbon monoxide alarm at home and it actually brought the decibels down quite a bit while it's still more than loud enough to get my attention anywhere in the house.

I don't see an obvious speaker on my smoke alarm and on my carbon monoxide alarm at my home. Are you sure you are not taping that foam over the actual intake for the sensors?

I have an old memory foam pillow that I would love to tape over those alarms in hotel rooms, but I am not sure how it would be possible, as they are usually located on the ceiling.

 

[Alue]

I use the Howard Leight Max 1 for a larger ear canal. They also have a smooth coating to ease insertion and removal. I figure if they are marketed for those big headed construction guys, that should be enough for me.

I think I've tried those, they are better but not as good as the hearos xtreme. But it seems like the quality of the hearos xtrems have gone down. I don't like the taper on the other ones, the pointy end with the flange. I don't know why my ear canals are so large, I'm not a huge guy, I guess I'm just oddly proportioned.

 

[Alue]

I don't see an obvious speaker on my smoke alarm and on my carbon monoxide alarm at my home. Are you sure you are not taping that foam over the actual intake for the sensors?

I have an old memory foam pillow that I would love to tape over those alarms in hotel rooms, but I am not sure how it would be possible, as they are usually located on the ceiling.

For the CO alarm I'm pretty sure, but that's a good point, you don't want to tape over the sensor. I haven't done it for my fire alarm. I only have one in my house and it's centrally located at the top of a tall ceiling so it's not like my head will ever be right next to it if it ever goes off.

They usually are located either at the top of the wall or on the ceiling.

I've spent over 60 nights in hotels in 2018; no alarms yet, but this has become a new fear of mine.

 

[Bill Bauer]

this has become a new fear of mine.

It is now one of my fears...

 

[Bill Bauer]

I've spent over 50 nights in hotels in 2018; no alarms ye

Every time you check out, you might want to ask the people at the reception about the last time they have had an alarm go off. You could record their answer and use them to estimate the probability of this happening...

 

[Alue]

Every time you check out, you might want to ask the people at the reception about the last time they have had an alarm go off. You could record their answer and use them to estimate the probability of this happening...

Maybe, but all it takes is some idiot smoking a blunt in their room.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Maybe, but all it takes is some idiot smoking a blunt in their room.

Perhaps it is a good idea to wear earplugs whenever one is inside of a hotel... It is the least one can do... You might also want to choose motels (where one can park outside the room) to hotels where one would have to walk down a long hallway and down stairs in order to get out (although the chance of someone smoking a joint might be higher at a motel).

 

[Alue]

Perhaps it is a good idea to wear earplugs whenever one is inside of a hotel... It is the least one can do... You might also want to choose motels (where one can park outside the room) to hotels where one would have to walk down a long hallway and down stairs in order to get out (although the chance of someone smoking a joint might be higher at a motel).

Nah, if I'm staying a lot of nights a year in a hotel I'm not going to get a crappy motel. I have platinum status with Marriott and often get upgraded to suites.

I don't think I would want to wear earplugs whenever in a hotel... I have to give my ears a break from earplugs sometimes.

 

[LAnative]

It's been 2 months since my tinnitus spiked from stupidly going to a concert. Huge spike. Didn't start coming down until 5 weeks later. I'm getting closer and closer to baseline, and still improving. I'm about 75% back to before the spike and still seeing improvement. Again, no improvement until 5 weeks after the event.

I would bet that you will get better. Stay positive.

 

[Digital Doc]

I think I've tried those, they are better but not as good as the hearos xtreme. But it seems like the quality of the hearos xtrems have gone down. I don't like the taper on the other ones, the pointy end with the flange. I don't know why my ear canals are so large, I'm not a huge guy, I guess I'm just oddly proportioned.

I have not tried the Hearos Xtreme, but seems like their quality is variable at best these days. I also like the Moldex Meteors, but the taper makes them harder to insert for me, although also makes them more comfortable. I also recently tried the Mack's Ultra Soft, and found them quite comfortable, but have not tried them in noise quite yet, so not sure if they seal as well, but also like the nude color for more social situations to make them less noticeable.

 

[Foncky]

To the contrary. There's a member here whose life was fucked up after a balloon popped near him causing a permanent spike.

That would be me (amongst others probably)

What I don't understand is : let's say a balloon is 160dB. Let's say a gun is also 160dB. The gun is heard far, far away. Not the balloon. I guess dB (volume) and intensity (or whatever it is called) are two different things.

Anyway yes, a balloon popped near my ears exactly 3 years ago (in a closed car, that's important) and my life has never been the same since that (I had mild H and T before, it's severe now + I lost a lot more hearing).

 

[Juan]

That would be me (amongst others probably)

What I don't understand is : let's say a balloon is 160dB. Let's say a gun is also 160dB. The gun is heard far, far away. Not the balloon. I guess dB (volume) and intensity (or whatever it is called) are two different things.

Anyway yes, a balloon popped near my ears exactly 3 years ago (in a closed car, that's important) and my life has never been the same since that (I had mild H and T before, it's severe now + I lost a lot more hearing).

How's your audiogram these days?

After years of hyperacusis I am losing hearing too

 

[Foncky]

Low frequencies are ok, medium are okayish and high not ok at -70dB.

I can hear my high pitched T loud and clear

 

[Finnigan]

I just went through a very loud fire alarm at a customer's building yesterday. You know it's bad when people that don't have tinnitus are running out of the building holding their hands over their ears. I actually had a decibel meter in my pocket at the time and it was a solid 115 dB! Much louder than my home fire alarm or ones I recall at my previous place of employment. How is something that loud even acceptable in a non-emergency situation (drill testing etc.)? My head is screaming at me today.

I was about to update the post I made a year ago here: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/two-year-anniversary.25868/ saying that I was doing a lot better, but it seems like that was premature. I'm afraid this might just put me back to square one. I know this thread serves no purpose but I'm back to worrying about my ears and I don't know what else to do.

I'm so sorry to read this, I hope you filed for work comp to cover any new or additional med expenses.

 

[Alue]

The spike from the fire alarm went away, but I'm posting here again to see if anyone has any ideas about hotel fire alarms. I spoke with someone else the other day that told me he was in a hotel fire alarm and it was painfully loud even after he put earplugs in. I spend so many nights in hotels that this has become a new fear of mine. They like to put those things right next to the bed. I know I cannot modify or disable them, that would be illegal, but is there anything else I can do? I wish there was something I could just put over it that would dampen the sound a little if it were to go off (I'm sure it would be plenty loud enough). I'm just afraid of one going off right over my head when I'm asleep. I don't need 120 decibels to wake me up.

 

[Bill Bauer]

The spike from the fire alarm went away

I am very glad to hear that it Can go away after one is exposed to a fire alarm.

I wish there was something I could just put over it that would dampen the sound a little if it were to go off

The only thing that comes to mind is using masking tape to tape a memory-foam pillow over it...

 

[Alue]

I am very glad to hear that it Can go away after one is exposed to a fire alarm.

The only thing that comes to mind is using masking tape to tape a memory-foam pillow over it...

To be fair, I had hearing protection immediately available (plugs and earmuffs). If I didn't, I can't say what would happen. I was thinking the same thing, but would that be considered "modifying or tampering with"?
I find it ridiculous how loud fire alarms are. It seems excessive to me, but nobody really cares or thinks about hearing loss.

 

[Bill Bauer]

would that be considered "modifying or tampering with"

Who cares - take it down before you check out.

 

[Julien87]

It is now one of my fears...

Happened to me a few years ago. In the middle of the night.. Was pissed, but fine.

 

[hans799]

The spike from the fire alarm went away

I am so glad to hear.

I spend so many nights in hotels that this has become a new fear of mine.

Great, now I have this fear, too.

I sleep with wax earplugs (NRR -30dB) every night. Hopefully they'll be a good first line of defense if a fire alarm ever happens.

Do you sleep in hearing protection? Might be a good idea in hotels from now on.

 

[Contrast]

How many seconds were you exposed to 115 dB? The average human ear can withstand this for a few minutes without taking damage. Some people are more vulnerable indeed, but are you? The "compromised ears" theory claiming that all T sufferers are more likely to get inner ear damage is backed by zero scientific evidence.

Plus bear in mind that the combination of noise and worriness multiplies the risk of an aggravation.

 

[Bill Bauer]

View attachment 25972

Could you please provide a link to where you got this from?