Could the Occlusion Effect from Earplugs and Earmuffs Be Damaging My Hearing?

[arca]

Hi everyone,

I've been dealing with hyperacusis and tinnitus, so whenever I go outside, I wear both earplugs and earmuffs to protect my hearing. Recently, I've started to worry about whether the occlusion effect could actually be harming my hearing further.

After wearing hearing protection for a while, I notice that my hearing feels "tired" (I'm not sure how else to describe it). It's as though my ears are strained even though I've been trying to avoid noise. Has anyone else experienced this? Could this be related to the occlusion effect?

I came across an article called "Natural Hearing Protection: Hands?" by Lawrence Yule, which includes a graph that shows some interesting—and concerning—data. The graph suggests that:

• Sound levels while covering the ears are sometimes higher than the reference levels.
• At frequencies under 40 Hz, sound levels exceed 100 dB when using fingers to block the ears, which seems dangerously high.

If this data is accurate, it makes me wonder:

• Could hearing protection that causes the occlusion effect (like earplugs + earmuffs) damage hearing at lower frequencies?
• Is this something I should be worried about when wearing my setup outdoors?

I've attached a screenshot of the graph and included a link to the article for context. I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts or experiences on this!

Link to the article: https://lawrenceyule.com/2015/11/19/natural-hearing-protection-hands/

Thanks in advance for any insights you can share!

Screenshot of the graph:

 

[Bruhhhh]

Bump.

 

[Possum]

I'm experiencing the exact same issue as you, and people have called me insane! I developed tinnitus in December 2024 after a strange series of events.

I used to work in a factory and always wore earplugs and earmuffs together. But one day, I wore only earmuffs, and my tinnitus seemed to start after that. I would have thought earmuffs alone were enough since they protect against gunshot sounds, but they ended up not protecting me.

I read an article that said wearing earmuffs can artificially increase auditory gain in the brain—essentially making your hearing system more sensitive. While you're wearing earmuffs, your brain amplifies all sounds because it thinks it's in a quiet environment when it's actually not.

A Breakthrough in Understanding Tinnitus: The Entire Hearing System Studied

People who live with tinnitus perceive sounds that have no genuine external source. Tinnitus manifests itself as buzzing, ringing, hissing, pulsating or other auditory sensations. It may affect one or both ears. The causes of tinnitus are numerous, but it often results from damage to the hearing app

www.irsst.qc.ca

 

[Pseudonymmed]

I know this is an old thread, but this is really interesting to me because of something that happened to me. I went to a venue a few times over the past year. I wore 33 dB NRR foam earplugs every time. I also checked the approximate sound levels on my phone. I should have been well protected. I stayed near the back, away from the speakers.

I had no issues the first few times I did this. But the last time, six weeks ago, I woke up the next day with my tinnitus being worse—and it has not improved since.

I started wondering what could have made such a big difference, since the volume seemed similar each time and I stayed for about the same amount of time. The only difference is that this time I went closer to the speakers, just briefly, to look at my friend's art piece that was on display nearby. Because it felt noticeably louder (I usually stay far away from the speakers), I instinctively pressed my fingers against my earplugs. I was only there for a short moment before I quickly moved away, so I wondered how that could have possibly caused such a significant change.

Now I am thinking this may be what worsened my tinnitus. Maybe pressing my fingers into the earplugs caused an occlusion effect, making the bass impact me more? Do you think that is possible?

I really wish I had not done that. It feels like such a foolish mistake in hindsight.

 

[Strife_84]

I know this is an old thread, but this is really interesting to me because of something that happened to me. I went to a venue a few times over the past year. I wore 33 dB NRR foam earplugs every time. I also checked the approximate sound levels on my phone. I should have been well protected. I stayed near the back, away from the speakers.

I had no issues the first few times I did this. But the last time, six weeks ago, I woke up the next day with my tinnitus being worse—and it has not improved since.

I started wondering what could have made such a big difference, since the volume seemed similar each time and I stayed for about the same amount of time. The only difference is that this time I went closer to the speakers, just briefly, to look at my friend's art piece that was on display nearby. Because it felt noticeably louder (I usually stay far away from the speakers), I instinctively pressed my fingers against my earplugs. I was only there for a short moment before I quickly moved away, so I wondered how that could have possibly caused such a significant change.

Now I am thinking this may be what worsened my tinnitus. Maybe pressing my fingers into the earplugs caused an occlusion effect, making the bass impact me more? Do you think that is possible?

I really wish I had not done that. It feels like such a foolish mistake in hindsight.

This is not entirely related, but I was recently at a club wearing earplugs, and now I am having the worst spike in six years since I developed tinnitus and hyperacusis. Ironic.

I was at that same club a few years ago without earplugs. I had a spike then too, but it wasn't nearly this bad. So now I keep wondering—would it have been better if I had just left the earplugs at home?

Of course, the smartest choice would have been to stay home altogether, but I really thought I would be safe with earplugs and everything.

Now I'm starting to question whether the earplugs somehow made it worse.