Detrimental Effects of Road Trips on Tinnitus and Hyperacusis?

Let’s talk about long drives.

For context: I have tinnitus and hyperacusis and potentially ETD (Eustachian Tube Dysfunction).

Ever since I got tinnitus and hyperacusis, I’ve been very careful to protect my ears from anything that might make things worse. One of the measures I’ve taken is to no longer fly on air planes for the time being.

However, my job recently required me to travel to Arizona. From where I live, it’s an 800 mile round trip. Additionally, I had to drive around 200 miles within Phoenix. In sum, I drove about 1000 miles in a span of 3 days. Most roads were in buttery smooth condition, a few were in not so much.

I took as many breaks as I could every few hundred miles and wore my ear plugs for the majority of the time (about 800 miles).

I carried my trusty Decibel Meter and besides the occasional road imperfection causing 82ish decibel spikes, the majority of the drive stayed between 67 dB and 74 dB.

My questions are the following:

· Am I better off riding the train or taking an airplane?

· Am I over protecting here? Under protecting perhaps?

· Should I avoid drives of this sort?

· Can drives like this cause any permanent damage?

· Can constant changes in barometric pressure caused by long drives through mountains areas cause more damage?


The reasons why I ask are because in the near future, I might have to take additional trips of this sort and second, my right ear is feeling full/clogged (potential from a separate sound exposure during the stay in my hotel; **read below**), so I want to rule out long road trips as a cause of tinnitus and hyperacusis spikes/damage.

**During my stay, while I was walking through the Hotel lobby, someone was playing with a giant wooden version of connect four. As I walked by, they pulled the bottom release and the wooden chips crashed onto the wooden table creating a sound at 97 dB to 102 dB. I was wearing my 22 NRR Ear Muffs.**

 

Hi @Jaysterk.

Because I haven't had tinnitus very long - April 2020, I feel I can't give much advice. However, since developing tinnitus, I've done a fair few road trips in my very noisy transit van.

The last trip was from the near the bottom of England, right to the very top of Scotland, so a round journey of 1,354 miles.

I went up mountains, and down mountains, and up some more mountains.

The impact on my tinnitus, ETD, and very, mild hyperacusis - absolutely nothing. Of course I was worried that it would have an impact, but it didn't.

And this is in the UK where our roads are infamous for being absolute shite.

I do always wear protection in the car/van - ear plugs and sometimes depending on the quality of the road, earmuffs as well.

I also have to travel a fair bit for work. Obviously not far, far like yourself - this is England after all, not the US, we are tiny in comparison.

Anyway, like I said, that's my experience of travelling long distances and through mountain ranges.

Sorry it's not more helpful.

Steph

 

If driving inflicts irreversible damage on our hearing we would have a big mess on our hands.

Meaning truck drivers, Uber drivers, sales reps... they would be over-represented in tinnitus stats.

 

Understood. I guess I meant in terms of people that already have tinnitus and hyperacusis. I have pretty bad hyperacusis in one ear.

Driving for hundreds of miles, although in a quiet car, one can still hear constant non stop road noise, wind hitting the Windshield and of course wheel thumps as they go over road imperfections.

I am not refuting your argument, I am just asking the questions. Nevertheless, you make a good point.

 

I've had tinnitus for about 5 months now - driving with earplugs/muffs still gives me a MAJOR spike later in the day following the drive. It's probably about 70 decibels in the car. If I had to choose between flying for 2 hrs or driving for 7-8, I would have to think very carefully, because duration of exposure is an important factor.

Sorry I can't be more prescriptive, but I hope you find a means of travel that is sustainable for you!

 

Probably depends if you are experiencing any spikes or discomfort from long drives. If this is the case you should try to avoid that.
I am pretty sure that I messed up my ears (gave me hyperacusis and worse tinnitus) from long car drives in 2019 after more than 10 years of mild tinnitus.

 

Driving with earmuffs / plugs gives me huge spikes too. Driving without doesn't (no joke).

 

Huh, maybe somehow the extra protection traps sound? I'll have to try it without.

 

I think the key here is that you have been taking breaks, which are probably good ideas and might help mitigate issues you would have with the constant noise of the drive. As duration of exposure is a key piece to the puzzle, stunting that whenever you get the chance should be enough to keep you safe. It will certainly depend on the state of your ears and how intense your hyperacusis may be, however.

 

I should correct. Wearing ONLY ONE earplug makes the tinnitus much louder in the earplugged ear.

 

OK well this leads me to the following question. Every evening, I watch TV, play videos games, cook and converse for about 5 to 6 hours with my girlfriend, sometimes more. I've measured these activities and they are about 70 dB, sometimes 80 dB.

These levels are just as high if not higher than long drives. The durations are just about the same.

So can I potentially be expecting damage from this as well by those standards?

 

Muffs definitely makes driving worse. It does seem like they trap the sound.

Assuming they are moderate strength plugs, you should be in a 50 to 60ish decibel environment while driving with them on. I don't see how this can still cause spikes.

 

HI @Jaysterk.

There is no doubt you are experiencing significant discomfort with tinnitus and hyperacusis. In order for your symptoms to improve, try and seek treatment with an ENT doctor for your ETD as this is their area of expertise. Hopefully treatment will help improve the tinnitus. If possible see an Audiologist that specialises in tinnitus and hyperacusis treatment and management.

Overusing earplugs, avoiding some (not all) everyday sounds and using a decibel meter often causes more harm than good, as this instils and reinforces negative thinking. Please click on the link below and read my post: Hyperacusis, As I see it.

All the best
Michael

Hyperacusis, As I See It

 

Frequency is a factor here. Speaking with someone doesn't spike me but loud low frequency noise like tires on the road does. I think we all have frequency specific sensitivity unique to ourselves based on the nature of our damage.

 

This discussion validates the notion that everyone who has tinnitus/hyperacusis has their own "fingerprint" of this scourge. In short, tinnitus/hyperacusis can be different for everybody. We need to cautiously experiment with different types of behaviour to gain tolerance to go on living as normal a life as we can. I say cautiously because what works for one individual, may actually be harmful for another. Yes, it would be great to read someone's success story and then apply that method to ourselves expecting the same results, but with this stuff it simply doesn't work that way. The causes of tinnitus and hyperacusis have too much to do with the brain and as we all know, the brain is a pretty complex organ.

So... experiment. Take the time to find your own "fingerprint" and don't get too discouraged if what works for one, may not work for you. Keep trying, and learning as you go. It may take some time, but eventually there is a good chance (with the proper attitude) that many of us will find that recipe of behaviours that fits our own personal tinnitus fingerprint that allows us to be released from incessant anxiety, and discover that place where we might finally have enough hope to tell ourselves...

"Yes, I CAN live with this and be positive and productive."

 

I think the quietness of the hearing protection makes you perceive the tinnitus more and therefore you're much more attuned to it once you remove the hearing protection as well.