75-85 Decibels All Day with Regular Spikes of Up to 95 dB?

What would you do if this were your situation at work? That's how it is for me... it gets loud. The thing is though, is that it's not intermittent, it's all day long so my ears don't get a rest.

For me, personally, it's too loud for my damaged ear and causes spikes/increases... whatever they are.

What would you do in this situation? Wear plugs? Do you think this sound level warrants protection?

 

I would get custom earplugs.

 

What kind of spikes are you getting just before going to sleep for instance?

 

Yeah I'm in the process now of getting them. Unfortunately I don't know if this will solve the problem.... before summer I was having problem wearing earplugs (foam mostly) because of the occlusion effect. I have to project my voice to the kids and it sounds so loud in my head.... I just discovered yesterday that this can actually be harmful....that it can raise the decibel level to the ear by 20 decibels or more!

I'm looking for a solution but feel like I'm coming up short! (i'm trying to get more info on how custom plugs may reduce occlusion effect)

 

During work when i'm around the loudness.
Do you think those decibel numbers I mentioned are too loud to be in w/out protection?

 

Well for me it would be problamatic I think, but everyone is different.
If you feel that your ear doesn't like it I would use protection. Maybe partly, like half a day or something?
I advise premolds with a range of filters, - 9 dB might already cut it.

 

@Zinnia

I used to be a professional musician, playing clubs 5 nights a week for years. When my tinnitus got worse, I had to make a choice. Either keep playing in the band, and further increase my tinnitus and destroy my hearing, or quit the band, and find a new profession. I decided to quit and find a new profession. I have NOT regretted making that decision to this day. I know it's not easy, but what it is what it is.

Having tinnitus, causes us to have to make sacrifices, and life changes, that's it.


Just being honest

Good luck


Louie

Quietatnight

 

Yeah, sorry to hear that but that's great that you don't regret it at all. I imagine you've found other satisfying work.

You're totally right though and i find myself in this position where i'm reevaluating my work situation. The idea of not doing it is scary to me cause i don't have a back-up plan,and other reasons of course. I'm trying to be realistic about all this though, and realize finding different work might have to be the case if my ear can't handle it. Gee, I suppose i'm not accepting this new reality very well though. Guess that takes more time.

I wonder if many people with T have have to leave their jobs. I did a search here and saw some but just wondering how often really this happens if they work in loud environments.

Anyway, thanks for your response.

 

When your custom plugs arrive, you could port them, this reduces the occlusion effect greatly.drill as small a hole as you can from the outside of the plug to the inside. You have to drill at a angle to ensure the hole pops out at the right spot. You want the port on the outside leading to the canal portion that carries sound to your ear. This reduces protection slightly, but at the same time lets your voice escape through the port instead of bouncing back at your ear. Jut a warning though, this can be tricky to do, you risk damaging the plug. If you aren't confident with a drill, maybe find someone that is.

Also, you could wear lower db protection, the more the filter lets in, the more occluded noise it lets out. Maybe try a 9db filter, might be just just enough protection, but also lets your voice escape As well. This would obviously less complicated than the ported route, but for me, the port worked best.

deep fitting moulds help as well, cuts down the chamber area between the ear drum and the plug.

Good luck

 

@Zinnia

In my case I was lucky because I already had my Double EE, and a minor in Computer Science. I new that whatever carrier that I went into that it had to be a quiet one. So I just opened up a Computer sales and service retail store. By doing that, I was able to control how loud my work would be. In a sense I created a new work environment for myself that I could work in, and live with. Later on I opened up 4 more locations. That worked out great for me. I was fortunate that I was young enough to have done that .

I know that you have been teaching a log time, and understand that it may be harder to change to something different. Maybe you could become a tutor, or move up to teach older children, like high school age kids that are not as noisy as younger kids. Either way I wish you good luck of course.


Louie

Quietatnight

 

https://www.amazon.com/slp/portable-microphone-headset-with-speaker/h3eot84sxqmu3dw

 

This makes sense, I can see how this could help if properly done (although admittedly the idea did make me cringe a bit of drilling into a not so cheap thing. I'm not against modifying stuff though.) I have someone who can help if I take that route.

I have an appointment to get the custom plugs and like you mentioned I'm going to get the 9's and higher as well. Maybe between using 9's and having deep impressions that will help reduce occlusion though I feel i'd need the 25's at times throughout the school day (I'm concerned about the eardrum block touching my eardrum though - plan on making a thread about that...)

Thanks. I appreciate your advice.

 

That all sounds like it worked out really well for you. Thanks for the advice. I'm going to try to teach with as many modifications as possible and hope it works out. It's nerve wracking especially because i'm realizing this summer how sensitive my ear really is - have had a lot of spikes and i've been at home most of the time.

 

This is a great idea!! Thank you. I ordered one from amazon and am going to play around with it. Hopefully this and plugs will make teaching work.

 

I would definitely wear earplugs!
Yesterday I came across these:​

The Music Safe Pro Earplugs
​

Link: https://www.alpinehearingprotection.com/earplugs/musicsafe-pro/
This one comes with 3 filters, so if you choose low or medium your protected but not overprotected. There also very comfortable btw.

I myself have medium filters in areas where the volume fluctuates a lot, there great, It took me 5 months to figure out that you can have earplugs with low medium or high protection and not just high or nothing.

I just ordered these yesterday:​

[
Etymotic Music Pro Earplugs
​

Link: https://www.etymotic.com/mp915.html
These are electronic earplugs which let trough normal volumes but when the volume reaches a certain threshold to dangerous levels they automatically kick in to lower the volume to up to 15 decibels. I saw great reviews online and there supposed to last for a very long time so thats also an idea.