Discreet Ear Defenders?

Hi, does anyone have a pair of discreet ear defenders to recommend?

If possible, ones that could be confused with headphones.

I know I should not care about what other people think when they see me with "strange stuff" on my head but I can't help
Thanks

 

My I ask where you intend to wear your ear defenders? If external sound is loud enough it can still reach your inner ear by bone conduction. This is when sound passes through the skull and also through the mastoid bone behind the ear. One still has to be careful of loud sounds even when wearing ear protection. If ear protection is not used correctly, by this I mean worn too frequently, it is possible to make your ears and auditory system hypersensitive to sound. This can make tinnitus and hyperacusis more intrusive.

Michael

 

Hi Michael,
Thank you for your reply.
I plan to wear them in a 12 hours long flight and in the noisy streets of Tokyo during my stay there next month.
I usually wear earplugs during those situations but I think ear defenders may be more comfortable and more practical.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-Honeywell-1010928-Dielectric/dp/B002VEC3J4

These are quite small and discrete imo and still provide good protection.

Or even smaller: https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-Lo...rd_wg=081An&psc=1&refRID=WT62F6G5GHTVH61B2WZ8

 

Yea especially when being in Tokio. The bass like sound when walking with plugs really annoys me.

 

Thanks a lot Rubenslash

Has anyone tried those ones https://www.thomann.de/fr/extreme_i...E0F6kipXyWJi3XBmZe5I403CnDqn5Q6yoxBoCOmzw_wcB ?

The quality ratings are not very good...

 

Hey Michael. I'm really confused with this. I mean lately whenever i go out to the traffic i use muffs+plugs. I also work as a dance instructor so i have to play music through speakers in the dance studio. I used to wear musician ear plugs, but know i also combine those with muffs. I want to resume my piano playing and i use muffs. In general my ears are plug-free only when there is loud-music and traffic free environment. However i am not sure anymore what's right to do. I mean how loud is loud? It's like being on that edge where one step front or one step back is a possible free fall towards smash. Worst tinnitus or hyperacousis? Wear plugs or not year plugs? I'm fed up!

@Julien87 I look super weird wearing those muffs in class. But to tell you the truth i don't care anymore. I mean i'm stuck with this @#$%^f...kin stupid tinnitus and i have to worry about myself. I can't lift the extra burden of worrying about what the others may be thinking. I might end up joking about it. "Sorry guys but i communicate with aliens. Can't miss information during work".

 

Btw i purchased this:
https://www.alpinehearingprotection.com/earplugs/muffy-music/

 

Thank you vermillion, they look nice and quite discreet. I think I will go with one pair of these

 

Does the noise in the class is really a trouble for you or is it just a "preventive measure"? Because if that's the latter, I am not sure this is the best thing to do

 

@vermillion Please read my post below titled: Hyperacusis, As I see it. I hope that you find it helpful. If you haven't read my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View, please click on the link at the bottom of the page.
All the best
Michael

Hyperacusis, As I See It.

Some members have asked for my opinion on hyperacusis as they are finding it increasingly difficult to live with. They want to know if there is a way of treating this condition so that their life can become a little easier? Or whether it can be completely cured? For a few it has become so distressing they have decided to only leave their homes when it’s absolutely necessary. This is because of the fear of making the symptoms worse, by subjecting their ears to the hustle and bustle of everyday road traffic noise and other environmental sounds that we are all familiar with.

Reading some of the posts in this forum, one can easily see that certain people daren’t leave their homes without first checking they have their earmuffs and an assortment of earplugs in various degrees of attenuation, in readiness for any potential environment that they happen to find themselves in. The cinema, nightclub, restaurant, or on public transport. If money is no object aspiring to custom made moulded earplugs for some is the way to go. It can bring the added assurance they will be getting the best hearing protection. Whether this is true or not doesn’t really matter because it’s what the person believes and this helps to give them that peace of mind which is something many of us strive for at one time or another.

The above may seem a little extreme until I tell you one member provoked a lot of discussion here, when he mentioned having the air bag in a car that he had just purchased disabled in case it was deployed in an accident. I suppose the thought of 170 decibels raining down on his auditory system and the possibility of his tinnitus and hyperacusis shooting through the roof was too much too bear and is more important than a potential life saving device. As strange as this might seem, others have discussed doing the same thing elsewhere on the Internet.

I am not an expert in this field but do have the experience of living with very severe hyperacusis that was brought on with the onset of my tinnitus twenty years ago due to loud noise exposure. It was so severe; conversation with someone at times caused immense pain. However, it was completely cured in two years with TRT and having counselling with a hearing therapist. I wore white noise generators for 10hrs a day and used a sound machine throughout the night until morning for sound enrichment. My tinnitus had reduced to a very low level.

Some people believe hyperacusis cannot be cured and if treatment such as TRT works then it merely suppresses the condition. In the event of future loud noise exposure it will return and the condition will be worse than before. I believe it's up to the individual to take care of their hearing and not subject themselves to loud noise exposure. However, accidents do happen as in my case. I have previously explained in this forum that my tinnitus increased to very severe levels in 2008 due to noise exposure so won’t go over it again. To my surprise the hyperacusis did not return and has remained the same till this day, completely silent.

This summer I went onto the Brighton Pier and into the arcade. The place was a hive of activity and many people were using the slot machines. Music was playing and mixed with loud laughter so everyone seemed to be having a good time. I had my sound level meter and also a sound App on my mobile phone. Just in case things got too uncomfortable I had my noise reducing earplugs with me that reduce sound levels by 18 decibels. This was a test and not something I normally do or recommend anyone else to try.

The sound level in that place remained constant at just over 100 decibels. My ears didn’t feel uncomfortable and I felt no pain. I stayed at the venue for 30 minutes and then left.

The next morning my tinnitus was silent and I experienced no symptoms of hyperacusis. I do not believe that it is a good idea for someone with tinnitus or hyperacusis (or both) to wear earplugs or noise-reducing earplugs with filters too often, because it’s possible for the auditory system to become hypersensitive. In some cases it could make matters worse and cause a condition called phonophobia. This is literally having a fear of sound.

I used to counsel someone that had phonophobia like symptoms although she wasn’t diagnosed. This person had hypercausis that gradually got worse and at every opportunity she kept away from sound. This got so bad going out the front door because of the noise was a problem. Her ears couldn’t tolerate the sound of the microwave, dishwasher or the washing machine. She even complained of the sound of rain falling on her conservatory roof that was made of glass. Fortunately she has improved.

There is much discussion on this in the medical field from experts saying that the overuse of hearing protection isn’t good and therefore discouraged as it will lower loudness threshold and I completely agree with this. I think if one isn’t careful they can become paranoid over sound making their hyperacusis and tinnitus worse and I don’t think it’s healthy.

I believe the answer is to seek proper treatment. If TRT is unavailable then start using a sound machine by the bedside at night for sound enrichment. This usually helps to desensitise the auditory system. Try going out for long walks and getting used to everyday sounds instead of keeping away from them by staying at home. I don’t normally recommend anyone to use white noise generators unless they are under the care of a hearing therapist. However, if your tinnitus is under control and you have habituated but experience hyperacusis, that some call: Reactive tinnitus. Then white noise generators could be the way to go. Two should be used to keep the auditory system in balance and set the volume level low, preferably below the tinnitus. This will help to desensitise the auditory system and treat the hypercusis.

Hearing protection is important and does have its place. If I am going to venues where I believe noise level could become loud then I have my earplugs with me. Night clubs, parties etc. I would always use them at the cinema although I haven’t been to one in years. Reading some of the posts on this forum people say those places can be very loud.

When I use my petrol lawn mower or electric power tools for those DIY jobs around the home, I always use my ear defenders. I want to live life and enjoy it. Not to be living in fear of hearing a fire truck or ambulance siren coming towards me and I have to panic and quickly insert earplugs or reach for earmuffs to protect my hearing. I just think this is overkill.

Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

 

@Michael Leigh
Those articles makes a lot of sense, but i'm still confused since i don't seem to get how loud is loud. Fortunately i don't suffer from H. However my T worsens little by little. Can't be sure if it's from noise exposure but i began to be afraid of noise. For example i don't feel safe with traffic noise, especially motorcycles. Using the bus and the subway. Riding my motorbike. It seems that more restrictions are being added day by day. My T though isn't improving.

 

@vermillion

As I've mentioned I my articles, if there is no underlying medical condition that is responsible for making your tinnitus worse, including stress, the usual cause is "loud sounds" If you listen to music through headphones even at low volume, it is something that I don't advise for someone that has noise induced tinnitus. It is true some people with NIT are not affected by headphone use but I think it's not worth the risk.

In your case I believe your concerns about noise levels making your tinnitus worse is causing anxiety which can affect a person. Therefore, I think you should seek the help of a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist that is trained in Tinnitus management. Through counselling (talk therapy) it will help to lower your anxiety and lesson your perception of the tinnitus. It is for this reason I wrote some positivity documents in my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View, and advise you to read them often. However, I think you really need the Help of Hearing Therapist.

Hope this helps
Michael

 

Thanx Michael,
Unfortunately there is no such thing in my country. It's ridiculous. As for my cause. I will never know. Now that you mentioned stress, can it really give you permanent worsening?

 

@vermillion
Stress is the main thing that affects tinnitus. Tinnitus is generated in the part of the brain called the Limbic system. The Limbic system controls our emotions: love, hate, fear etc and these all involve STRESS. Stress feeds tinnitus and tinnitus feeds stress. The more stressed we become the louder and more intrusive the tinnitus is. The louder the tinnitus becomes the more stressed we are. It can become a vicious circle.

This is the reason counselling (talk therapy) is so important when some people have loud intrusive tinnitus. Many Hearing Therapists/Audiologists, that counsel tinnitus patients also have tinnitus. They understand how debilitating tinnitus can be and are able to empathize with what a patient is going through. Through counselling a Tinnitus Therapist is able to "take away and demystify" the negative thinking that a patient has about their tinnitus, and thus this lowers their stress and the perception of the tinnitus over time.
Michael

 

Use ear plugs?

 

Get low profile ear muffs/defenders. Black or brown ones.

Many times I've been asked if they are headphones and I'm listening to music.