Anxiety After Unexpected Airbag Deployment

[Ab4477]

Hello,

Unfortunately, I was already dealing with a tinnitus spike for three weeks after attending a wedding, even though I wore earplugs.

Yesterday, after work, I was preparing to leave. I usually wear ear protection for most of the day at work until I leave. As I was outside, about seven meters away, I suddenly heard a loud "bang" that startled me. It turned out that some guys in the shop were deploying an old, faulty airbag. I did not know they were setting it up, or I would have stayed far away.

The airbag was placed inside a tire, which should have helped dampen the sound, and it happened outdoors. There was also a car behind me, which I assume might have helped block some of the noise. Still, I am very worried that this incident may have damaged my hearing or caused my tinnitus to spike.

I looked up how loud airbags can be and started panicking. My anxiety led to a panic attack, and my TMJ flared up, causing pain in my ears and jaw.

When I got home, I was so upset that I cried to my girlfriend, who also has tinnitus. I took a shower and then tried to calm down with a nap.

Am I overreacting in this situation? I struggle with severe anxiety about loud sounds beyond my control, and I do everything I can to avoid exposure.

I would really appreciate any advice.

 

[Ab4477]

After two days, the spike has not settled down, and my anxiety and stress are at an all-time high. This is making my TMJ worse at the moment, and I also feel like my left ear has a sense of fullness and is slightly muffled on and off. I am unsure if this is actually the case.

I did experience some congestion a day or two before this happened, so maybe the fullness and slight muffling are due to that. I have had tinnitus for eight years, generally at a mild to moderate level, but at the moment, it feels more intense, leaning toward the higher end of the scale.

I can hear it over everything, and my sensitivity to water seems worse right now.

Could my extreme anxiety and stress be causing this spike to become so severe?

 

[Maruashen]

Hi,

If you look up how loud airbags can be, you usually find numbers ranging from 160 to 170 dB. That said, you were quite far away, and all those obstacles probably reduced the volume by a significant amount.

I had an increased tinnitus spike four months ago due to fireworks. From personal experience, I can tell you that anxiety and stress greatly increase my tinnitus.

Five weeks after the firework exposure, two glass bottles fell into a large glass bottle in my sink. I measured the sound at around 105 dB. I was freaking out—my tinnitus was sky-high for about a week, but then it settled. I believe anxiety and stress played a major role in that spike.

Try to relax, give your ears a break from loud sounds for a few days, and keep looking ahead.

 

[Ab4477]

Thanks for responding. I will try my best.

I am currently trying not to focus on it as much, or at least trying not to let it bother me or ruin my mood.

Four months—that is incredibly long—but I'm glad it eventually went back down for you.

Unfortunately, I work in a somewhat loud environment at times, but I always wear ear protection during my shifts when needed. This incident happened as I was leaving, and I didn't even realize what it was until after it went off.

At first, I thought, "What was that?" I looked around and figured maybe a car had fallen off a hoist or someone had dropped some metal or a hammer.

I plan on seeing my doctor on Tuesday about the congestion, muffled hearing, and sense of fullness. I don't think it's related to the incident, as I already had some congestion the day before, but you never know. It could also be impacted earwax.