Did I Just Mess Up My Hearing Further...? Ate at a Semi Loud Restaurant

So, I ate at a restaurant and the noise was semi loud but not horrible I didn't think. I pulled out my iPhone and opened the app that is supposed to be accurate. It stated the place was averaging about 80db. Basically lowest at 78db and highing 84db or so (sometimes 85db).

I didn't put earplugs in because I thought it was borderlining and didn't know if that was overkill. I was there maybe 30-40 minutes. Then we left and I felt like my ears were ringing more.

Now I am scared I hurt my hearing further. I already have hearing loss in both ears. As in, it is measurable on a audiogram given by hearing specialist.

Would the above damage my hearing further? Or am I overworrying about this? I don't know what to do. I am mad that I messed up and didn't ask to eat outside or something else.

I don't know how to handle myself. This is so abnormal and people don't need to think about these things. Did I ruin my hearing further?

Please be honest and don't just say things to make me feel better. I want to know if I did and what to do. Or if I didn't, then please say that.

 

It would definitely not damage your hearing.

It will most likely be a temporary spike. But I would listen to your body if I were you. It seems to me that shocks like this reduce the possibility that one will improve or recover. If it had been more than a year since the onset of your T, I wouldn't worry about it. If it has been less than that, then if I were you, I would stick to quieter places in the hope that protecting my ears like that would increase the chance that I recover.

 

I don't think you damaged your ears further because of that. You're probably feeling a bit more anxious about the restaurant situation which is making you notice your T!

Your ears were probably ringing because it was more noise that you probably have expose them too, but T should settle.

Best advice I can give you is go for walk, listen to the calm nature noises, that usually helps calm my T

T & H ... frustrating and challenging, and it takes time to find that balance that works for you. I'm still trying to figure out my balance!

 

It wasn't recent hearing damage. I had this over a year ago. I lost a hearing in the high frequency ranges that are on an audiologist scale. beyond that scale, not to far down, I can't hear any noise.

I am mainly worried about my hearing more than the tinnitus. I don't want to lose anymore hearing. Although, of course, I would prefer the ringing not to get louder.

But, I truly have no idea what is considered damaging and what isn't in my situation.

 

It is most probably a temporary spike. I have had these after eating in restaurants before. Restaurants can be surprisingly loud (people talking), and I would advice you in the future to just put some plugs in just in case.

Also, db measuring apps on your phone are notoriously unreliable. If you really want to know, then get a good db measuring device from any music store.

 

30 minutes in that decibel range is not going to cause hearing loss. Normally, possible damage would require about eight hours of exposure at that level. I realize our ears are more comprised, but not to the extent that only 30 minutes would cause hearing loss.

Here's a simple chart but there are more out there:
http://dangerousdecibels.org/education/information-center/decibel-exposure-time-guidelines/

If the restaurant is truly that loud all the time, then that is a concern for the staff.

When is the last time you had your hearing tested?

 

I think you are spending too much time worried and focusing on your T worsening and therefore it sounds worse then it actually is. I am guilty of this too. Once you stop caring and stop focusing on it it truly becomes less intrusive to your life. I wear ear plugs at the movies and super loud events or bars but under normal conditions I do not.

Best advise I can give us to stop focusing on it and just live your life it's the only thing that has helped me.

 

I feel it's gotten worse after tonight. I can't handle this anymore. I'm not like many in here who have minor tinnitus. I hear mine all the time and it's been almost two years. I have hearing loss unlike most of you.

I have no idea what to do now. I already have damaged ears (damage means ACTUAL MEASURABLE HESRING LOSS ON AN AUDIOLOGIST SCALE) and feel that my hearing now is slightly worse. The ringing got louder when I woke up today.

 

I called doctor and am getting 40mg prednisone taper. I don't know if that is high enough, but I guess that is what treatment I can get at this point.

 

Actually, many of us here are in exactly same position as you. I hear my T everywhere but the shower. I also know that if I think my T is worse, I will perceive it as so.

 

The fuck are you saying here? Many on this forum have hearing loss on audiogram and loud T.

Go address your anxiety please, you didnt cause more hearing loss..

 

Many, not all. I realize some do. Sorry if that came off wrong. Im just trying to distinguish that this isn't normal T per say and normal hearing as well that is all normal.

 

You are suffering from an anxiety attack ... you have not done anything against your ears. If your tinnutus is reactive it can last for a few days and return to your level. The ear is very sensitive to anxiety

 

How bad are your losses, just curious.

 

You are going to be fine. Ride it out. You didn't damage your ears in the restaurant. T sucks, the anxiety and perception are the dominant factors in most situations like this. I sympathize and know how you feel. It really feels different now and its outrageously hard to think something hasn't gone wrong for the worse. Head up and ride it out, you're going to be fine. We are all here for you. Sleep as best you can, mask as necessary, and try to keep as positive of an attitude as you can. T thrives on depression and negative thoughts. Best wishes through this difficult time, Trebor

 

What do I do? I feel my hearing is worse probably. I hate my life. I didn't put earplugs in when I should have. This isn't abnormal life. I make a single mistake and have to pay for it for the rest of my life.

 

The sonic toothbrush had been in contact with the opening of my ear canal for a fraction of a second. I have been paying for it for over five months now... It is what it is.

There is a chance that you feel this way as a result of a "full ear" sensation. Ear fullness will likely eventually disappear.

 

Well what if it is actual more damage. I can't take this anymore.

 

As already pointed out, it would be very unlikely to further damage your hearing from only 30 minutes exposure to an environment averaging around 80 decibels. Average city traffic is around that level. A dishwasher can be that loud.

If you are truly concerned, make an appointment with an audiologist and have your hearing tested again. Worrying about whether your hearing loss is worse can make your tinnitus worse.

Many TT members have hearing loss. How severe is your loss?

 

That paragraph alone tells me you could truly benefit from CBT, I think.

 

Accept it, learn from it, and move on.

 

Easier said than done, but of course I agree...

 

I also hear mine all the time and have hearing loss. I've had it almost 2 years. I also am a mom to 3 small girls who are constantly shrieking directly into my ears. I'm sure they are damaging my already fragile hearing. I'm taking an ototoxic drug.. I work a full time, high stress job being yelled at by people on the phone and am sleep deprived.

It is what it is. The best thing you can do is to stop focusing on it and try and live you life. Get off sites like this because it basically just causes your tinnitus to be in the forefront of your mind. Seriously. While I love the support I got here initially it is not healthy to be on here all day long because all you are doing is causing your mind to focus on it constantly. It's a never ending cycle and detrimental to your healing. When you stop monitoring your t for changes and start living your life it becomes more tolerable and actually fades into the background.

 

I used decibel 10th on my iPhone 7 to measure the loudness of the place. How accurate is that app with iPhone 7?

I feel like this is far louder than before. Especially in the other war that wasn't as loud.

 

I have the same program and phone. I stopped using Decibel 10 and switched to NIOSH SLM after reading a recommendation on TT. I found Decibel 10 was anywhere from 5 to 10 decibels higher than any other apps. It seemed to consistently score things as louder.

For example, I'm now in my bedroom and a very quiet ceiling fan is running. Decibel 10 says the room average is 49, while NIOSH puts it at 39. Decibel 10 is suggesting that the room is 10 times louder than the other app. The room is incredibly quiet, I truly doubt it's nearly 50 decibels.

 

What is this?

 

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Sonicare-Electric-Rechargeable-Toothbrush/dp/B00QZ67ODE
It vibrates 31000 times per minute = 517 times per second = 517 Hz

 

Is that your T frequency?

 

I don't think so. It fluctuates all of the time. It used to sound like crickets. Then it became a hiss. Then I pressed a loud phone to my bad ear, and it became a high pitch tone that changes frequency many times during the day...

 

So would the decibel 10 be wrong then? It was reading those numbers, but it felt much louder. Do the decibel readers not read correctly certain sounds like base of voices or something? I really feel like my hearing is different now and it bothers me a lot :/.