Can Dropping a Glass Jar on the Floor Make Hyperacusis or Tinnitus Worse? Best Course of Action?

Hello,

I’ve been lurking since I suffered an acoustic shock mid-November. Since the shock I have had tinnitus (ranging from 3 out of 10, back to 1-2 out of 10, with days of 1 lately), hyperacusis and TTTS, which have been much more troublesome than the tinnitus. This has improved over the past 7 weeks quite a bit. About 20-25 percent I would say. Per my estimates my LDLs have moved from 50 dB to about 75 dB - which helped a lot in daily life and future perspective. I found the right balance for protection vs. exposure (exposure in the house, protection outside the house or when exposure can go above roughly 75 dB). I’ve been very very careful the last weeks as I have been reading about this condition for 100+ hours on here and know how this will stay with me and how I should remain aware of this for the years to come. I have the Peltor earmuffs and earplugs with me all the time.

This morning, however, I exposed myself to a loud noise. I dropped a glass jar on the floor and it broke. I was able to break the fall, but I could not prevent it from smashing to pieces. I am very upset about it. My family - who were there when it happened - told me that it was not louder than normal sounds I’ve been exposed to in the past weeks which were okay for my ears. And to be honest, I did not immediately feel anything in my ears. It did not sound that loud to me either. I did not really flinch from the sound itself, more from the whole ordeal. It’s been more than an hour now and I don’t feel anything as a response in my ears. The thought of having messed up my ears is giving me heavy anxiety and physical symptoms, which makes me doubt whether this is anxiety based or does come from my ears.

I don’t experience fullness, significantly increased hyperacusis or an increase in tinnitus at this moment. Maybe a small increase in hyperacusis which also typically can come from anxiety per my experience. If this has impacted my ears, should I notice it straight away? After my initial incident (which was way louder) I immediately noticed things were not okay.

I took 1200 mg of NAC just now. Is there anything I can or should do to help things further?

Thank you.

P.S.

In addition to above: I'm dealing with loudness hyperacusis, not with pain hyperacusis (very thankful for that, much respect for those who are dealing with noxacusis). Previous minor setbacks were typically related to digital audio, giving me a significant direct loss in tolerance to sound. My tolerance now is still where it was, but am still shaky from the stress of this experience. I’m really hoping this will not set me back.

Google tells me that breaking glass can be 110 dB. It was really nowhere near 110 dB. I estimate it closer to 80-85 dB range as the fall was broken and the glass shattered in small pieces. It did not really bounce, it sounded not harder than dishes clinking.

 

The fact that none of your symptoms worsened from the glass dropping and breaking, but you started worrying about it anyway, enough so that you spent half an hour writing this thread, probably makes your brain acutely aware of your hearing senses and you might start feeling that something is now worse off. The brain is powerful in that way (think placebo and nocebo effect).

I think you are fine and you won't get worse from this. Your family was right.

 

Thanks for your hopeful response.

 

Albeit loud, it is an extremely short acoustic event. I would expect a temporary spike and aggravation of symptoms, but nothing permanent. A large dose of NAC within an hour is always a safe bet in my opinion.

 

How can NAC help hyperacusis after being exposed to a loud sound?

 

It did settle down quite rapidly. Back to baseline now again.

 

What's the best dosage of NAC?

 

Hi @Ninetyy, may I know how do you know your LDL was 50 dB? Did you get it tested by an audiologist or online? And was it equally 50 dB in both ears? I am asking this because I feel like mine are different in both ears.

Thanks,
Fellow Sufferer

 

It's a self-assessment over time, using dB meter towards different sounds and test which ones cause discomfort. Also, my right side seems to be worse.