Are people with tinnitus affected by loud noise?

[The motor guy]

Are people with tinnitus affected by loud noise differently then people without it? To me it's like a constant reminder that I've damaged my hearing when you hear the constant ringing afterwards. I was in a bar the other night with a buddy and I was trying to get him to understand that hey we can go outside and pickup the food in 10 minutes instead of sitting hear going def. He kept misunderstanding, so it felt like my right ear was going to explode from the awful sound for 20 minutes. I swear those speakers were all treble and no bass. I guess if you don't have to listen to the constant ringing for days afterward, a person probably wouldn't have any complaints. I pretty much always have hearing protection on in loud environments, so it just kills me when I don't have it. At one point I went almost 2 years without being exposed to loud noise and my hearing was awesome, along with my tinnitus virtually disappearing. Until I went to see this one movie with a ton of guns in it, it went downhill from there.

 

[E150GT]

I work at an electrical supply house. When the warehouse guys are loading pipe they just toss the metal pipe bundles on top of each other and it's loud and it hurts. One of the inside sales guys always covers his ears when they are doing this. I asked him about and he said as a young electrician someone threw a bundle of pipe by his ears and now he always hears ringing. The guys tossing pipe bothers me but it really bothers my coworker. I'm not sure how the warehouse guys can stand doing that daily.

 

[slo town]

I'm a 64 year old male who is in superb physical conditioning. I've always taken good care of myself, with one exception. In my youth I attended countless rock concerts in San Francisco (Winterland and Fillmore West). And, as a car guy, I've owned decades worth of loud automobiles.

I wised up in my mid-40s and treated my hearing with much more respect. Unfortunately, the damage had been done. I have severe, constant, 24 hours a day tinnitus.

This is no exaggeration - BY FAR the loudest sound I hear even when driving at HIGHWAY SPEEDS is the ringing in my ears! As I type this message over morning coffee the ringing in my ears is almost deafening. My ears don't ring, they scream. I've seen audiologists over the years and nothing can be done. The damage is permanent.

I've been told that some people with severe tinnitus can suffer torturous psychological effects because of the incessant ringing. Thankfully that's not become an issue for me, although I see the possibility. This scares the heck out of me!

OP, like you, even with this overpowering ringing noise I am sensitive to loud banging noises.

I strongly urge you younger folks to protect your hearing. Even if my tinnitus does not worsen, it's something I must live with constantly. I fear it will worsen to the point I will become functionally deaf.

Scott

 

[Alfred_B]

I have had tinnitus for a long time now -- mainly from shooting guns without hearing protection and loud rock concerts.

Loud noises are very painful for me. For example, when we are weightlifting at a Crossfit workout and people drop their weights, the sound physically hurts my ears. The loud music during the workouts is sometimes unbearable, too. I can't go to car races without hearing protection because my eardrums feel like they are about to rupture and sounds are like what you hear from a blown speaker.

Just about the only good thing about tinnitus is that I can detect the buzzing sound from CRT and plasma screens and know when there is one that's on from a long distance.

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted By: SLO_Town
I'm a 64 year old male who is in superb physical conditioning. I've always taken good care of myself, with one exception. In my youth I attended countless rock concerts in San Francisco (Winterland and Fillmore West). And, as a car guy, I've owned decades worth of loud automobiles.

I wised up in my mid-40s and treated my hearing with much more respect. Unfortunately, the damage had been done. I have severe, constant, 24 hours a day tinnitus.

This is no exaggeration - BY FAR the loudest sound I hear even when driving at HIGHWAY SPEEDS is the ringing in my ears! As I type this message over morning coffee the ringing in my ears is almost deafening. My ears don't ring, they scream. I've seen audiologists over the years and nothing can be done. The damage is permanent.

I've been told that some people with severe tinnitus can suffer torturous psychological effects because of the incessant ringing. Thankfully that's not become an issue for me, although I see the possibility. This scares the heck out of me!

OP, like you, even with this overpowering ringing noise I am sensitive to loud banging noises.

I strongly urge you younger folks to protect your hearing. Even if my tinnitus does not worsen, it's something I must live with constantly. I fear it will worsen to the point I will become functionally deaf.

Scott


Have that problem too. At my old job guys at the shop laughed cause I held my ears a lot when loud noise, and they would start pounding hammers on steel work benches whenever I walked in. Made me so mad. Same with dropping channel steel when moving it around, but I guess I can't blame them for that, good way to mess up your back or smash a finger trying to lightly set something like that down. There isn't a quiet way to move heavy steel.

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted By: Alfred_B
I have had tinnitus for a long time now -- mainly from shooting guns without hearing protection and loud rock concerts.

Loud noises are very painful for me. For example, when we are weightlifting at a Crossfit workout and people drop their weights, the sound physically hurts my ears. The loud music during the workouts is sometimes unbearable, too. I can't go to car races without hearing protection because my eardrums feel like they are about to rupture and sounds are like what you hear from a blown speaker.

Just about the only good thing about tinnitus is that I can detect the buzzing sound from CRT and plasma screens and know when there is one that's on from a long distance.


Yeah maybe a speaker at the bar I as at was blown, just sounded horrible.

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted By: SLO_Town
I'm a 64 year old male who is in superb physical conditioning. I've always taken good care of myself, with one exception. In my youth I attended countless rock concerts in San Francisco (Winterland and Fillmore West). And, as a car guy, I've owned decades worth of loud automobiles.

I wised up in my mid-40s and treated my hearing with much more respect. Unfortunately, the damage had been done. I have severe, constant, 24 hours a day tinnitus.

This is no exaggeration - BY FAR the loudest sound I hear even when driving at HIGHWAY SPEEDS is the ringing in my ears! As I type this message over morning coffee the ringing in my ears is almost deafening. My ears don't ring, they scream. I've seen audiologists over the years and nothing can be done. The damage is permanent.

I've been told that some people with severe tinnitus can suffer torturous psychological effects because of the incessant ringing. Thankfully that's not become an issue for me, although I see the possibility. This scares the heck out of me!

OP, like you, even with this overpowering ringing noise I am sensitive to loud banging noises.

I strongly urge you younger folks to protect your hearing. Even if my tinnitus does not worsen, it's something I must live with constantly. I fear it will worsen to the point I will become functionally deaf.

Scott


I just don't get it's like I'm the only one it bothers, or do people just not care? I guess if you never hear the ringing noise then their isn't a way to know their is something wrong. I don't think I'm losing my hearing, the ringing just gets louder then goes back to not being as noticeable.

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted By: E150GT
I work at an electrical supply house. When the warehouse guys are loading pipe they just toss the metal pipe bundles on top of each other and it's loud and it hurts. One of the inside sales guys always covers his ears when they are doing this. I asked him about and he said as a young electrician someone threw a bundle of pipe by his ears and now he always hears ringing. The guys tossing pipe bothers me but it really bothers my coworker. I'm not sure how the warehouse guys can stand doing that daily.


They get used to it. Doesn't mean it's good though.

 

[totegoat]

I shot a pistol the other day without ear muffs........Once was a ringing reminder.

 

[Ojustracing]

Add me to the list of hearing loss/severe ringing. Just like most, loud music, firearms and un-muffled racing snowmobiles. At points in the 90's the ringing was so bad even more when stressed I wanted to slam my head against a wall to make it stop.

I too am hypersensitive to specific sounds. Lift safety locks and flipping water bottles hitting the floor(I will actually jump and become enraged!!!) to name a few. I've come to live it. But the older I get the more chronic health issues become apparent from turning wrenches for 33+ yrs.

 

[Blueskies123]

Yes to answer your question. On a different subject I find Gingko and citrus bioflavonoids taken together once in the morning and at night help my moderate tinnitus about 40%. They can thin your blood so do not take them if you are already on blood thinner.

 

[slo town]

Originally Posted By: Ojustracing
Add me to the list of hearing loss/severe ringing. Just like most, loud music, firearms and un-muffled racing snowmobiles. At points in the 90's the ringing was so bad even more when stressed I wanted to slam my head against a wall to make it stop.

I too am hypersensitive to specific sounds. Lift safety locks and flipping water bottles hitting the floor (I will actually jump and become enraged!!!) to name a few. I've come to live it. But the older I get the more chronic health issues become apparent from turning wrenches for 33+ yrs.


Me too. My wife has long had a habit of dropping things, like when unloading the dishwasher. Sometimes we argue over it, ithe clanking, sharp sounds bother me that much.

Scott

 

[carviewsonic]

I'm in my early fifties and have hearing loss with tinnitus, mostly in my right ear. I've been careful with loud noise since this started approx. 8 years ago. I have about six different brands of ear plugs, scattered in our two garages, the cars, work truck, jacket pockets

.
The tinnitus is always there, but is much worse for several days if I'm not careful about loud noise. Like most guys I've been exposed to a lot of loud noise - 30+ years in construction, motorcycles, rock concerts, etc.

 

[Mr Nice]

Coworkers are very immature to pound hammers on steel just to annoy you.

 

[Smokescreen]

Loud sharp noises like clapping even startle me and cause discomfort for me. I wear 28dB ear muffs when doing any kind of motorized tool work.

Unfortunately my tinnitus has blessed/cursed me with super sensitive hearing at times. I can walk into a room and hear the slightest buzz or rattle or creak when others have to go right up to it to hear it.

 

[Srt20]

Im 42 and have had severe tinnitus for 20 years and 5 months. 24-7. Never ever stops. I also lost a bunch of hearing as well. I was completely deaf for a week.
Loud sudden noise startles me pretty bad. If I know its coming its not a big deal. But I have 2 young boys and boys tend to be loud at times. Or if my wife is putting away dishes somewhat carelessly. Most of my hearing loss is in the higher pitches, so when I hear a higher pitch that I can actually hear, it comes on suddenly and startles me.

It sucks but you get used to it.

I have to have white noise at night to be able to fall asleep. I have found that using ear plugs when going to bed help a lot. I fall asleep to the sound of my own breathing.

 

[Schmoe]

53 and have ringing in both ears as well. All those years touring and playing drums. As I got into my early 20's, I started wearing those foam expandable type ear plugs while I was playing. I though it was always funny that when the music shut down at 0200, I'd take the ear plugs out and everybody in the band is yelling at each other so that they could hear each other. I knew right then and there that I started using ear plugs way too late. Sure enough, hearing test showed my higher frequencies are about gone. The ringing...it's really noticeable when things are really really quite, but I guess I've been lucky. I've haven't had any actual pain from it, just annoying.

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted By: Schmoe
53 and have ringing in both ears as well. All those years touring and playing drums. As I got into my early 20's, I started wearing those foam expandable type ear plugs while I was playing. I though it was always funny that when the music shut down at 0200, I'd take the ear plugs out and everybody in the band is yelling at each other so that they could hear each other. I knew right then and there that I started using ear plugs way too late. Sure enough, hearing test showed my higher frequencies are about gone. The ringing...it's really noticeable when things are really really quite, but I guess I've been lucky. I've haven't had any actual pain from it, just annoying.
I thought they had ear plugs that blocked outside noise and allowed them to hear themselves

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted By: SLO_Town
I'm a 64 year old male who is in superb physical conditioning. I've always taken good care of myself, with one exception. In my youth I attended countless rock concerts in San Francisco (Winterland and Fillmore West). And, as a car guy, I've owned decades worth of loud automobiles.

I wised up in my mid-40s and treated my hearing with much more respect. Unfortunately, the damage had been done. I have severe, constant, 24 hours a day tinnitus.

This is no exaggeration - BY FAR the loudest sound I hear even when driving at HIGHWAY SPEEDS is the ringing in my ears! As I type this message over morning coffee the ringing in my ears is almost deafening. My ears don't ring, they scream. I've seen audiologists over the years and nothing can be done. The damage is permanent.

I've been told that some people with severe tinnitus can suffer torturous psychological effects because of the incessant ringing. Thankfully that's not become an issue for me, although I see the possibility. This scares the heck out of me!

OP, like you, even with this overpowering ringing noise I am sensitive to loud banging noises.

I strongly urge you younger folks to protect your hearing. Even if my tinnitus does not worsen, it's something I must live with constantly. I fear it will worsen to the point I will become functionally deaf.

Scott


I listen to commercial mowers all day long, there is no way I would be able to hear at the end of the day without ear plugs. They stay in all the time. Even at idle the engines are loud enough to hurt my ears.

 

[Sam_Julier]

I'm 61 and have a mild case of it from years of travel and working in a printing plant and paper mills. I'm extremely sensitive to sharp, high pitched noise.