Almost Passed Out at Safeway Store Today Due to Sound of Refrigerator's Compressor

I have never experienced something like this since my onset of severe reactive tinnitus. I was at a Safeway store not long ago and in the middle of the vegetable section against the wall all of a sudden a severe tone went off throughout my brain which lasted for a minute. I thought I was going to pass out, it was so intense. I moved around until it stopped, then went back around to the area that it occurred to see what could have caused this severe immediate trigger. There was nothing unusual in the area. There was your typical cooling & light noise but that's it.

Then I walked just past the vegetable area entering the bakery section. I heard a loud humming sound coming from mid section behind the counter where they refrigerate stuff. The refrigerator was not far from behind the wall where I got hit with that insane loud sound. I asked one of the staff workers in the vegetable area to come by the bakery area where I was standing to get verification that it wasn't my tinnitus just hearing the humming sounds. He confirmed it was the refrigerator compressor making loud humming sound & it was the compressor which was still running. I can then only contribute this insane experience to the compressor being the cause.

When my brain was triggered with this sound I didn't know if it was just something in the vicinity causing it or if this was going to be a permanent new thing. I was getting very panicky as all kinds of crazy thoughts then come into one's mind under such distress. I thought if this lasts for a long while I will need to find a way to end my life. There was no way I could live with that.

Is it any wonder why we with severe reactive tinnitus become phonophobic or agoraphobic? You just never know what may trigger not just a spike but something like this which was a first for me & hopefully never happen again.

 

Not sure, but for me, if I get a spike, I put my ear under a running water faucet and that helps me.

 

Worst thing for me in supermarkets is those big metal trolleys that they wheel down the aisles. I usually duck into a safe corner when I hear those coming.