Are people with tinnitus affected by loud noise?

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Some people with tinnitus are bothered by loud noises. *All* people with hyperacusis ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperacusis )
are bothered by loud noises and in many cases it actually causes severe pain. A subset of those get pain from even moderate sounds (conversations, restaurant din, TV etc). Not to be confused with those with acute hearing... those with hyperacusis don't typically have better hearing. Their condition is brought about by noise injury, medication or other source.

I have had severe hyperacusis and tinnitus for the last 12 years. Since getting it I could not work in an office. Not even one that had moderate noise levels. Voices, phones, ventilation doors all caused a great deal of pain. I worked from home in the last 11 year of my career and retired a year ago, an early retirement due to the condition.

The hardest thing is having to miss the family reunions (the loud ones anyways, and that included funerals and weddings) and and the traveling (I haven't left the Ottawa area in the last 12 years).

In many cases it can be treated/managed but most of the time you are stuck with avoiding noisy places/events/people.

How did I get this? I think it was number of factors. When I was young, I went to many concerts but stopped in my early thirties. I didn't even yet have tinnitus at this point but I think this was what started the ball rolling. In my early thirties I developed a mild tinnitus after a dental appointment. Then later in my mid 40's I was starting to use an MP3 player with those ear buds for the first time. Soon after the first week of use my tinnitus became really loud and I had pain from louder noises. After that, a few weeks later a lunch in a loud restaurant put me over the edge so to speak. My sound tolerance collapsed completely.

The problem with auditory issues is that symptoms start appearing when its too late. Not to scare you guys but take care of you ears ...
 
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In blue collar type jobs many workers don't use ear protection and regret it years later.

My ears are very good and can hear a cricket about 1/4 mile away.
 
I also have tinnitus and hearing loss 24/7 365 1/4 days a year. I am 50 and first noticed it at the age of 24. It becomes overbearing sometimes. My hearing loss as with others here is in the high frequencies. On occasion some sounds will cause pain in my ears. One that gets me all the time is a die grinder. But I noticed if I turn my head slightly the noise seems to bypass my ears and the pain goes away. Weird I know. Not sure why my tinnitus began and the ear doc has no explanation. But I have gotten used to it but would literally remove a limb to have silence. I cannot remember a time when life has been silent.

Don
 
Just spent 40 minutes today in the MRI tunnel, set my tinnitus off and haven't been able to hear much beside the scream in my head. Usually it is not so bad so YES it can and will.

Smoky
 
Originally Posted By: Smoky14
Just spent 40 minutes today in the MRI tunnel, set my tinnitus off and haven't been able to hear much beside the scream in my head. Usually it is not so bad so YES it can and will.

Smoky


I believe they can give you ear plugs.
 
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Originally Posted By: Smoky14
Just spent 40 minutes today in the MRI tunnel, set my tinnitus off and haven't been able to hear much beside the scream in my head. Usually it is not so bad so YES it can and will.

Smoky


I believe they can give you ear plugs.

They did, but it still had to be over 110db. Brain and neck scan where you can't escape the noise. Wish I'd brought my own 33bd plugs as their plugs were cheep EAR 23db plugs.
Smoky
 
I have tinnitus quite badly in my left ear. It's basically just a continious racket. I suppose that perhaps it is the result of damage from loud engine noise during the 60s and 70s coupled with shooting. I do find it very difficult to hear at all when I am in an environment with a high level of background noise. I don't think that there is much that one can do about it but I would be pleased to know if anyone has suggestions.
 
I've had it, and hearing loss for many years. I noticed after riding my motorcycle I'd get pain and hearing loss for awhile. Classed as industrial hearing loss here, and am supplied with hearing aids(and batteries) which I seldom use. I had 3 jobs in this week with customers complaing about high pitch noises - ''Can't you hear that ?'' 'Ah, no.' I had to get the apprentice to come and listen to a couple of them.

I wore my hearing aids today.

And no, loud noises don't worry me - but when I'm wearing my hearing aids I get really annoyed with all the beeps and squeaks I don't normally hear.
 
Oh my, yes. We have the occasional fire alarm test at work. This involves loud screeching audible alarms with flashing strobes. I have tinnitus, and one of my coworkers also has a hearing problem. At the announcement "we will be testing the fire alarm" we both grab the orange headphone style hearing protectors to have them at the ready for when they test the alarm system. Without the hearing protection, my tinnitus will be "singing" for a half hour to an hour afterward.
 
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