50 dB AC Unit Makes My Tinnitus Spike

Could this actually be doing harm to my ears? 50 dB seems so quiet but the sound of my AC unit amplifies my tinnitus, and it remains somewhat louder even after I turn it off. Am I just supposed to tough out the heat? Or maybe this is a good way to desensitize my ears?

 

Reactive tinnitus will do that. It’s not necessarily the loudness but frequency of the sound.

 

But does that mean that the reactive frequencies are harmful?

 

I don’t think it can damage your ears but it certainly can be very uncomfortable to endure.
Do you get any other symptoms like pain or burning?

 

I personally don't buy the whole decibel theory. Even if you look at NOISH and OSHA they have different threshold levels.

Certain noises, usually low-frequency artificial ones, cause me great distress even at very low decibels.

Something intuitively just tells me they cause harm in some way whether it's to hearing or not. Yes I know what the "science" says and I know what OSHA and NIOSH (whom I wouldn't be surprised if they have lobbyists from industry who are reliant on workers being exposed to noise to make money).

I think damage is caused by not just the decibels but also other parameters of the noise whether that would be frequency other even other markers that have yet to be established or are too complex to establish.

I couldn't image you put a mouse next to 40 db low frequency artificial noise all day and they are not going to suffer any problems from it.

 

Another thing to consider is that when a noise is hard to endure, one likely clenches and puts stress on the ear area, that indirectly could also damage in some way whether by activating inflammatory mediators or whatever else.

 

If you can afford it get a mini split wall AC system. The compressor is outside the house.

 

Maybe some minor pain at times, but mostly just my tinnitus reacting.

 

Not really an option in my current situation, but thanks for the recommendation.

 

If I were you I would rest my ears, I wouldn’t try to “desensitise” for the time being.
Give your ears rest, as much as you can, and see if you tolerate aircon noise any better in few weeks time or a month....

It may or may not improve, reactive tinnitus is just another beast to deal with.
I go through periods even my ears can tolerate certain sounds and periods when I have to simply stay away from aggravating them.