17-Year-Old, New to Tinnitus, Advice on Working

Hey everyone, I've never written on any forum before, and i really hope this gets read, as i'm really needing some support.

So my story in short (or...as short as I can get it). I'm 17 years old, and I got my tinnitus (and hypercausis) early this year, January 2016. The start of the new year went down in such a huge crash for me. Both ear problems were caused by my ear phones, i would play music pretty loud and for quite some long periods of time, and i had been doing this for months. My ears were kinda giving me warning signs, being 'buzzy' after use and then would die away. But in january it stayed. I am currently under a audiologist at the hospital.

I've not been working/in college since it started, i couldn't do it physically (ears) and emotionally It's been such a tough year. Things have been very difficult and a lot of things have changed - as you can imagine. At first, i kinda let the tinnitus consume me and take control, i changed so much. But i am determined to not let it stop me, i have my whole life ahead of me still and i have so much to be grateful for. I've been trying to keep myself as busy as possible, trying to distract myself from it. I've been very careful too though, with noise, and am always trying to protect them from further damage. I wear ear plugs a lot. I'm using sound therapy alot too (i always have some sort of white noise on when i sleep, every night - tinnitus is louder in the quiet).

Now this is where i'm needing some support. I decided to get a part time job, because i've wanted some money and also because i'm young and haven't done nothing in almost a year - i feel like i'm wasting so much time and oppitunities. Its only in a cafe, but its a huge cafe (like a restaurant) at a garden centre. Very busy and always full. I'm mainly in the kitchen, which can sometimes get quite loud with pots clanging all day and this machine going which steam washes the pots. There is also music that is always playing too in the cafe seating area. I always wear the ear plugs though (this isn't just for protection from further damage from noise, but also they are very sensitive to most noise because of the hypercausis - normal sounds and louder sounds).

Whats worrying me is whether or not i may cause any more damage, making the hypercausis worse or the tinnitus louder. It seems to me, and my audiologist, that with the hypercausis causing me to be sensitive to alot of sounds, its getting to me physiologically. Like i'm worried around most sounds, worried that more damage could be done. I can't always tell what sounds are actually upsetting my ears, are too loud for my ears and if its just my head, saying 'it doesn't sound quiet, it's noise, it's gonna make things worse'.

I can't tell if my ears don't like/are sensitive to certain sounds, or if its just me thinking/assuming it is. I have read that some times you can almost develop like 'sound phobia' amongst all this. Does anyone understand what i mean? I hope this is making sense :/

I'm just kinda at a loss at the minute. I want to go out into the world and do things so bad, but then i feel so
restricted by my ears. I'm trying to look past it and get on with normal things. But then i always stop and think 'is this too much for me and my ears? 'Am i trying to do too much too fast?' Then i think about stopping it all and going back into my bubble and locking away my ears. It's just constantly a fight and i don't know if i'm doing the right thing.

I just need some advice from someone, anyone. Have you been able to work with tinnitus okay? How do you cope with it? Are you constantly worried?

I really hope all this made sense, I'm sorry it was so long. If your at this point thanks so much for reading.
I'm glad i have found this forum.

 

Honestly, whether or not you're causing damage, or just discomfort, and constantly having to wear earplugs to prevent either of those things, I'd just want to find a quiet job no matter what. Stress is another thing that makes the experience of tinnitus worse.

That said people in our age range, without a lot of expertise or experience don't always have a lot of options... sad but hopefully we can all work in libraries or something.

 

I kinda did same thing, however i added gun range + 2 loud movies on top the day i got Tinnitus, so go figure.

Now, i would suggest you put a bit of money on side and get custom molded ear plugs with 26Db + reduction (once are used by musicians) or start off from something like high fidelity earplugs off amazon (they have once with 29Db noise reduction) for about $30. see how that goes. I would recommend not yelling/screaming while wearing any type of earplugs (except musicians) due to occlusion effect and you might worsen your situation.

Other than that - you should be good to go. Just make sure you have your ears clean at all times as well as plugs you use.

 

I totally understand what you are saying.
You do need too be careful around noise. Clubs etc you need protection. It sucks.
You can work with it, I run an it company and thankfully I can control the noise levels there but I also own a cafe and it can be quite loud during busy times but I don't need too be there a lot.
I have an app on my phone "splnfft" it's not 100% but it gives you a good idea of noise. Over 85db and you need some protection ideally but don't shy away from noise. I would listen too heavy metal (slipknot, disturbed, Metallica) at 70db pretty much every day for an hour or more at home or in the office and I'm ok, actually I think it helps. For along time though music sounded broken due too hearing loss and I am not sure if that has recovered or not but music sounds better now and things sound normal again. You have had this longer than me. I am 6 months in.

 

Hi Roseanna,

Welcome to the site!

You are a very strong young woman and you will be fine! Enjoy life, work, enjoy time spent with friends, etc. Regarding your job at the restaurant, how about training to become a waitress instead? You will make more money in tips and not be subject to the noise in the kitchen. Consider speaking with the manager about this if it interests you. When I was your age, I used to work in a restaurant as well so I am familiar with what you wrote.

By the way, have you ever listened to the song "Roseanna" by the band Toto? It is really good... check it out! Best of luck!

 

You'll be ok. I've had tinnitus since I was your age for the same reason you have it. I've worked in busy kitchens and bakeries for the last 16 years and until this year, my tinnitus never got any worse. Years would go by without even thinking about tinnitus. I was well habituated before I turned 20, and I never did much to protect my hearing in my 20's... lots of concerts, basement shows, playing music, just loud nights in general. I only started wearing earplugs a few years ago after reminding myself I should. My tinnitus got worse, but I'm sure it has more to do with my past choices for fun (and a month of taking quite a few ibuprophens everyday day this summer) than it did with my jobs.

 

Yeh i've been told stress can have a big impact, and if your focus on it too much. Yeah that's the thing we have to find work that is quiet, which can be difficult in this very noisy world. But i still want to do something that i'll enjoy really..
Thanks for the reply!

 

Hey! Ahh, that's no good. Oh right, i've not heard that you can get molded ones, or decibel reduction ones?? I've just been using these like sponge type ones, that expand. They block a lot out, but sound can be muffled sometimes :/ I would be willing to pay though, are they alot better than regular ones? Thanks for replying to me.

 

Yeah i sure am careful. At first i was...way too careful though :/ now i'm trying to adjust to noise, but i'm always worrying, thinking 'is it too much'. Although, pretty much most of it is classed as 'normal sound' i guess Thats good then that you are managing to work with it, and your only 6 months in at that! Yeh i have just got that app thanks.

 

Thank you so much. Yeh, that's what i'm aiming for, i really don't want this to stop me. Yeh, i started out on the tables and stuff, but i tried out doing prep in the kitchen and since then stuck with that. But i could definitely go back to the waitressing part. The kitchen isn't like over loud (to me it probably seems that way due to hypercausis) it's mainly pots and the pot washer machine thing, and orders being shouted out. It's just adjusting to it all, and your ears dealing with it all. After my first few shifts, i thought i had made them worse and louder - but i think they were just agitated by it.
Yes i have! My parents used to play it/sing it to embarrass me haha.
Thanks for the reply.

 

Oh the same, so ear phones have caused other people the same problems Wow, you did really well then, habituated quick. I didn't know you could habituate to it that much. You still did all the loud fun stuff too, wow i couldn't imagine doing any of that stuff right now. Thanks for replying Jacob!

 

You'll habituate as well Just don't become careless when you do.