Ambulance Siren Caused a Tinnitus Spike — Am I Screwed Now?

I live in an apartment in city downtown. It was annoying before I got tinnitus.

I will cut to the chase. I couldn't sleep and sitting on the couch last night. An ambulance went by with the siren on. I didn't have much time for reaction. I covered my ears as fast as I could.

I am really worried now from this. I had a really bad spike after and the buzzing is bad now. I am on the fifth floor but the street is just outside.

Am I screwed? I am afraid that I am and planning my last days. This is a constant problem and I couldn't figure out a way to move. I am not working so dependent on social services/ei (temp.).

I ruined my life and I can't function anymore. Can't focus or think.

 

You are not screwed. It is highly unlikely such volume will cause any further damage as its duration is short and you live above ground. Sound loses its energy over distance.

Relax. And try not to be scared of sounds. More you become scared, your brains will learn that and it will make your life worse. You brain will rewire itself in a way that every sound becomes a threat.

 

No

I think CBT may be quite helpful to you.

 

CBT takes lots of willpower as the results don't happen overnight... I did some CBT and psychotherapy for my depression, it did help me a lot. But slowly. But I say CBT or therapy is much better choice than anti-depression medicines.

 

Find me anyone on here would rate their t as 9/10 - there are at least one or two threads about rating their t for reference - who will say they tried CBT and that it helped them immensely.

 

I'm one of them.

 

Where's your post? How often was it 9/10?

 

I don't know that I have a post specifically about that in the thread you're looking at.
You're using the past as if my T had changed, but my T hasn't changed since onset. It's pretty constant and consistent 24x7.

 

You rate it as 9/10 even now? Is it very loud? I can't imagine anyone getting used to this (mine is constantly loud, often spiking).

I also have ear pain and tmj-like issues.

Having to constantly use ear plugs (in which the t is perceptively amplified) and with the risk of loud sounds and noise nearby/outside my building is draining and psychological/physical torture.

 

The rating is pretty subjective isn't it? No matter how loud we think it is, we can always "imagine" it being 5o% louder or 50% softer. I can hear mine everywhere, all the time, including under the shower (although that's one of the best maskers out there), and also when an F-22 Raptor comes out of nowhere for a flyby with its afterburners on (it surprised everyone at the air-show).
I suspect hearing T mixed in the F-22's afterburner is due to my T being high pitch and the afterburner being low rumble, so the spectral distribution doesn't intersect that much, in spite of being a loud rumble.

It is draining indeed, but perhaps you could reconsider your constant use of ear plugs. Have your doctors recommended to put them in 24x7? If some loud noise occurs (let's say an ambulance makes its way towards you), you can always plug your ears with your fingers.

 

I think my muffs are causing some issues. Are the ear plugs, too?

I can't handle this, people!

I can't even protect myself without causing problems.

If muffs and/or plugs caused tmj and my jaw issues, can I do anything about it? Will they heal? My ear pain returned. I cannot take all this.

I don't see too many complications with others except for muffs causing jaw issues with others.

I just want to know if I can avoid anything that contributes to ear pain.

I don't know how to avoid loud noise outside so can you realize why I want to off myself? I can't distract myself when they are all happening at the same time.

My life is ruined.

 

I have TMJ issues long before Tinnitus, but yes, the muffs aggravate my TMJ and yes TMJ issus can be handled with either a molded mouth guard from your dentist, a splint from your dentist, or surgery. Just massage your jaw bone every night and afterwards from using the muffs. The pain will subside....

 

I think my moulded mouth guard sucks. It looks like it's too thin if you know what I mean?
I didn't have tmj before this.

I will try the massaging. Thanks for that idea. I hope it helps.

 

No, I've been in my car and ambulance pass right next to my car, it's probably anxiety, or if it's a spike, it'll subside

 

PeteJ I think you should really see someone for therapy. They can help you cope.

 

My tinnitus is very loud most of the time.

They will help me cope with that? I would say between 8 and 9. I don't know how to function with it like that.

Why is it so bad while others' aren't?

Are my inner ears that bad? My auditory brain? My brain in general? I don't know if I have hyperacusis, too, but I try to protect myself with ear plugs. You know what happens when you do that, right? It is even more pronounced. No one has any answers.

The physical pain is when the ears hurt and if there is any noise induced pain and the psychological pain or torture is everything else including the noise, the noise when you wear plugs, noise outside and how you can no longer be normal.

What can therapy do with that? Most therapists don't have tinnitus or if they do, it's probably not going to be as severe. I don't know what the percentage of therapists with tinnitus is but I suspect there are none near me.

 

Btw, I want to thank everyone who replied in this thread. I know you are only trying to help.

I wish it could improve on its own.

It's exhausting trying to do 'the right thing', take the right thing etc. :-(

 

How loud is your tinnitus without ear plugs? Can you hear it over the TV (without ear plugs)? Can you hear it while in the shower (without ear plugs)? Can you hear it while driving (without ear plugs)?

Yes CBT can help you cope and deal with tinnitus. It isn't going to make the tinnitus quieter but it will help you take the emotional response out of it.

 

@PeteJ please answer the above.

 

It's loud without plugs, too.

I wear plugs when driving.

Emotional response? C'mon. I am afraid of having to hear it at this volume and pitch all the time. Even the radio is not a distraction.

 

Do you wear earplugs in your car?

 

You didn’t answer my question about be other scenarios. Can you hear it with the TV on? Can you hear it in the shower?

If you are constantly wearing plugs, You will obviously always hear it. It has been proven that over protection makes tinnitus and hyperacusis worse.

 

Let me know if there is anything else I can answer.

I think my t is too loud and intrusive to concentrate on CBT etc.

 

I'm afraid you do not understand how CBT works. Please do yourself a favor and learn more about it. You seem like someone who could really benefit from it.

You are able to go on an online forum and post messages. You can do CBT.

 

I tried CBT. Posting and following CBT are different things.

Have you read some of my more negative posts?

 

I tried it once. I have a friend who is a counselor who gave me CBT notes.

I can try again but I really want you to know how intrusive it is and there is no way to show it. It makes me feel frustrated and hopeless.

 

When should I not wear plugs? It seems when I let my guard down so to speak, I am exposed to a loud sound. It might be random but it is like I have bad luck. That might sound silly but one of the last incidents seemed to change/worsen my t.

I can hear it with the TV on.

 

What did CBT teach you?

I know how intrusive it can be. I have intrusive T. You don't need to convince me that intrusive T exists. I've lived with it for years. It doesn't make CBT any less useful for dealing with your irrational thoughts, though.

 

Can you hear it in the shower?