Brief Exposure to House Fire Alarm

A fire started in my kitchen and I managed to put it out.

Then the two fire alarms in our house started. I tried to turn them off for about two minutes in total (didn't know where they were, my dad had set them up recently)

I covered my ears with my left and and right shoulder as I took them down and disabled them with my right hand.

Could this cause damage? It never felt loud at all.

But the worrying makes it impossible to tell if there's actually been change in my T or if it's just be obsessing over it. I was finally habituating too. Yesterday, for the first time since I got T one year ago, it went 30 minutes before I noticed that the music had stopped on my computer. I did not use masking. Only a few weeks ago I would cringe the few seconds of silence between each song.

I hope I haven't ruined this...

I guess I just want someone to say that a few seconds of exposure to a normal in house fire alarm can't do any damage...

 

Your gonna be fine you didnt cause any damage. Most likely your ears would be ringing louder right now if you did. I work in a kitchen and when the ovens go off there real loud kinda like an alarm and its usally only for a brief second so i dont worry bout it not like i can run away from it. You take any anixety meds? If so pop one for the night until you feel better in the morning!!

 

Thanks Grace. My T is very low, I just got very nervous I guess.

No I'm not. People always tell me to stay away, but I think I could benefit from it.

I'm extremely easily very startled. It is so bad now that visual change I know is gonna happen (loading a web page) makes me cringe with anxiety. But emotionally I'm not anxious, it just feels like the nervous system is still in shock after 1 year of T. Maybe summer will help me.

 

Aww Glad your ok. Nothin to worry about. If my T gets loud for a few seconds i freak out about that and almost have a panic attack but my reaction is gettin alil better i guess cause fleeting T is normal i read so i try to not get worked up but i usually just pop one for the anixety when its bad and totally relaxs me

 

@Erlend only time will show whether it got louder or not, however, as Grace said, if its not louder now then thats a good sign. However if you have plans for the weekend to go out to a loud or loudish place (even if with 37 db plugs), I suggest you cancel those just in case and for this weekend in only. This way you will give your ears time to rest You can do some quiet nice things at home as well.
And yes the anxiety iss logic, but I suppose you are pretty young as well and in time it might subside. Btw I read some of your older posts where you ssaid you quit Uni. Do you still go there or work or are you planning to go study smth?

 

I went to a job imterview yesterday and plan to go to university this semester

 

@Erlend a couple weeks ago my friend wanted to take me to see his new house that he just bought. he doesn't know I have t. we were looking around the house and he turned on the fire alarms to show me where they were. I freaked out for the same reason you did. but no need to worry I am fine now and I'm sure you will be too!

 

I think you'll be fine Erlend, fire alarm went off above my head awhile back, no changes to my T.

 

I've googled decibel-levels, the few seconds of exposure without me covering my ears should not have made any damage

It was btw smoke detectors, not fire alarms.. Dno if there's a difference. It was one of those BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP things

 

thats good to hear Its imporant to find things to do, toherwise your life will start circling around tinnitus only. There are so many other things in life to enjoy and see instead of tinnitus. concentrating on other things and finding a meaning might help you get through the hard times. Btw if you want to live abroad EVS is a cheap possibility (also availbable for you although you are not in the EU).

 

You should be fine Erlend! i've had those go off here as well and i'm doing fine, so you have nothing to worry about just relax and let your ears rest a bit, try not to think about it

You could try to get some anxiety pills for times like these, not sure how your doctor are with prescribing those - as mine says that even sleeping pills are out of the question

 

Today I was exposed to a sudden alarm (not bell type but those buzzer that sound like 'chewww chewww').
The number of sound is just two 'chewww' sound but I was startled.
I not sure where is the alarm from but it was an open area with shelter.

It was quite loud but not soft as well as it startled me.

My T was super good low and really pissed if this incident going to spoil everything.
After an hour I not sure if my T has increased or not as I seldom note nowadays.

Feel like burning the whole place to get rid of the alarm.