Can a Hairdryer Cause Tinnitus?

Hi all

I thought I would start a new thread aiming at hopefully getting advice on if my tinnitus could be noise induced or if it's like what my GP and audiologist think that it is from congestion.

So, my tinnitus started last January when I was suffering a bad cold (it came on day 3 of my cold), when I had my cold my tinnitus was the worst I had ever had it, the only way to escape it was going outside.

Then a month later it was gone , once my cold had gone my tinnitus was gone , then four weeks later in Feb 2017 it was back one morning when I woke up, I had not been anywhere noisy like concerts, cinemas etc, I had stayed at home the day before so was really confused why it came back, so I went to my GP who said both ears were full of fluid it took from Feb until April last year to clear it but tinnitus was still there over a month later so as my ears were clear she sent me to an ENT specialist but I'm still waiting to see him/her as I have only just got my appointment for 19th of April? At the beginning from Feb - may last year was when my tinnitus was at its worst I could hear it over the TV, couldn't sleep and could not focus on anything but then sometime in may last year my tinnitus seemed to be getting lower (I'm not sure if it was getting lower or I'd just had enough of letting it ruin my life so just learnt to live with it) I was able to watch TV in peace, I can sleep now even without a masking machine at night, this is how iv been since may last year and my tinnitus is still like this today that I hardly hear it, most days I even forget that I have tinnitus the only time I hear it now is if I'm in a quiet room or if I'm purposely trying to hear it. Luckily I have not had another cold and am dreading having another cold.

My GP doesn't think my tinnitus is noise induced as never been to a club in my life and I've never been to any live events either the only loud place I go is the cinema (before tinnitus) but I only go like once a year as most films I'm happy to wait til DVD release, I also don't work in a noisy environment, I don't listen to music through headphones or earphones and never have, I only listen to music through my iPad and always have it low, the only thing I was exposed to every day was my hairdryer I would dry my hair everyday and it would take an hour so not sure if you can get tinnitus from using a hairdryer everyday but since tinnitus I stopped using a hairdryer.

I have also seen a private audiologist for advice and said he's unsure what's causing my tinnitus that's why I'm seeing a ENT but he said he's never know of anyone getting it from simply using a hairdryer and he feels it's not noise induced as like I say I never have been to live events or clubs etc and don't work in a noisy job. So he feels that it was my cold that caused it as it started when I had a cold and he thinks that because I'm always congested that could be why I still have tinnitus. I have always been congested even as a kid and I tried dozens of different prescriptions from my GP for decongestion and nasal sprays and they do nothing for me, iv never been able to breath through my nose at night either, being congested is normal for me.

My GP has also ruled out my medication as I take an antihistamine as I'm allergic to mold spores but it made no difference to my tinnitus when I came of it, and since being back on them it still makes no difference, I also take lansaprazole as I have acid reflux but again no difference in tinnitus off it and no difference when back on them, and I suffer with very heavy painful period so I'm on the depo shot but again no difference when I came off so we have ruled out medication.

So my question is can you get tinnitus from a hairdryer? It was the only thing considered loud I was around on a daily basis.

And do you think my GP and audiologist could be right that it's not noises induced and could be linked to my long battle since I was a kid with being congested?

 

The more likely cause is the cold, congestion and fluid in your ears. Could a hairdryer cause T? Maybe, but it seems odd to try to blame a possible rare cause when you had conditions well known to cause tinnitus.

 

Thanks Tinker Bell, both my GP and audiologist said it's unlikely the hairdryer and more the cold, my audiologist also said that if I didn't have the cold, congestion issues then maybe but he said hairdryer is very rare cause if at all. He thinks I still have my T because of my congestion issues.

Can I ask do you think that since it's highly likely mine was caused bu a cold do you think going to the cinema would be a good idea or bad idea?

Also I'm currently having a spike and am unsure what's caused it the only tow things that were different were that I has a glass of coke cola last night and I watched iron man 3 with my sister and she had it loud , I didn't think it was loun until I went to bed and my left ear had a new sound in it?

 

Anyone else??? Please.

 

Hey Sarah

I doubt the hairdryer caused it however now you do have T I would take precautions using a hair dryer. I always use earplugs now and take them to the hairdresser too (they are very understanding) it's a pain but hairdryers are loud! I have long hair so it takes me at least 30 min, that's a long time to be exposed to a loud noise right next to your ear.

 

Hi, thank you so much for your advice, I'm definitely starting to think it's my cold that started it, I don't use the hairdryer anymore and I'm very lucky that one of my best friends are a hairdresser and she comes out to me and does my hair at home so we can wait for my hair to dry ( she always does my hair on her day off) .

Can I ask do you think that since it's highly likely mine was caused by a cold do you think going to the cinema would be a good idea or bad idea?

Also I'm currently having a spike and am unsure what's caused it the only tow things that were different were that I had a glass of coke cola last night and I watched iron man 3 with my sister and she had it loud , I didn't think it was loud until I went to bed and my left ear had a new sound in it?

 

A work colleague of mine says his wife has tinnitus and has to plug her ears when drying her long hair
I gave her a lot of info on tinnitus and where to find us on here and the Tinnitus Hub FB group.....love glynis

 

Personally I don't go to the cinema anymore, I tried a few times using earplugs but I just couldn't enjoy it as I was so terrified of a spike. I'd much rather stay home so I can control the volume myself.

With that said, many people with T are completely fine with it. For me it's just not worth the anxiety.

 

Hi

, Thanks , do you think it could just be the cold as well?


Also I'm currently having a spike and am unsure what's caused it the only tow things that were different were that I has a glass of coke cola last night and I watched iron man 3 with my sister and she had it loud , I didn't think it was loun until I went to bed and my left ear had a new sound in it?

 

Also, caffeine always makes mine louder, it's a big trigger for me. The cola may very well be the cause.

 

I'm exactly the same as you , on here I have a few people who have supported me and told me that I should be fine and even my audiologist said I should be fine as long as I take plugs with me but I'm still really worried incase my T did spike permanently, then my mom says I'm just overthinking things and that in her opinion my T is winning and taking over my life and that life is for the living.

 

Coke is a stimulant late at night and watching action films before bed.
The cold weather and a cold can spike tinnitus so when your having a bad day keep relaxing music on around you and try chill out and go for walks in the fresh air etc....... love glynis

 

Year , I tried a small Costa coffee after my T had calmed down months after getting T and the Costa made my T go threw the roof but luckily it only lasted a few days, I forgot cola had caffeine in, but yet I'm fine eating chocolate, salt is another that is a problem for me so I keep my salt intake low, I read spinach is good for T as it's high in magnisum and Redbush tea is apparently good too.

 

Thanks, I'm gonna keep telling myself coke is not caffeine free, I'm watching an action film now ( captain America winter shoulder) but at a normal level and my T has not spiked ...yet , last night my sister had the volume at either 18 or 19 were this film if put at 11 which is the volume I watch normal TV at which me T is fine with. My spike is slowly throughout the day starting to calm down, I went for a walk earlier and it really helped.

Is it true there are certain foods \ drinks that can help T?

 

I Don't restrict anything from my diet if I like it as a bit of what you fancy does you good however for my Menieres I have to cut out salt but that is all....love glynis

 

Before T I use to eat a lot of salty foods but I didn't just cut salt out beacuse of my T my GP also told me my blood pressure was high especially for my age ( I'm only 23yrs) since cutting it out my BP is back to normal and my T dosernt spike cos of salt. Caffeine is the only other thing I noticed annoyed my T even regular T , I have to have either caffeine free or die caf and I'm fine but iv always wondered why I can eat milk chocolate with no issues? Dosernt chocolate have caffeine in?

 

Forgot to say now we know it's highly likely my T is not caused by noise do you agree with my mom and audiologist that I shouldn't let my T stop me from going to see infinity war?

 

Forgot to say now we know it's highly likely my T is not caused by noise do you agree with my mom and audiologist that I shouldn't let my T stop me from going to see infinity war?

Do you know if it's true redbush is good for T?

 

The decibel level of hair dryers is on average 90 dB, so it is not so innocent.

 

I have noise induced T and the hair dryer has never spiked my T and has never given me problems. My hair dryer is not very quiet either.

 

My wife's hair dryer died and she went to the back up she had. It was so shrill and loud that I couldn't be in the bathroom at the same time with her using it. I certainly think that if that thing was pointed directly into the ear canal on a daily basis that it could cause Tinnitus. It certainly spiked mine.

Being somewhat mechanically minded, I compared the old one and the back up unit. The old one was large, had much bigger blades, etc. So I figured the much smaller backup dryer was having to turn up a lot more RPMs to do the same job. It was extremely shrill and loud.

She now has a new larger one again and it doesn't bother me to be in the same room. And even more importantly, I don't worry about her damaging her ears.

You ladies might want to give this some thought. Those small compact hair dryers are brutal on your ears!