Do Sudden Loud Noises Always Lead to Hearing Loss and/or Worse Tinnitus?

I was exposed to a horrific noise today. While getting my nails done the nail tech about 4 feet from me dropped a small metal tray on a slate floor. The noise was awful. So loud the owner came over with a broom thinking something had smashed into 1 million pieces. I have not heard anything this loud in quite a while. I was not able to cover my ears because my arms were under plastic plexi glass used to separate the nail tech from the patron due to COVID-19. I actually knocked the plastic shield off the table trying to get my arms out to cover my ears but it was too late. I would have to say that exposure was about 2 to 4 seconds.

I’m so protective of my ears but I don’t want to wear earplugs all the time because that will lead to hyperacusis. But you just can’t avoid all possible loud noises. If I’m out and about in a motorcycle or an ambulance or firetruck is coming. I can hear at the distance and cover my ears. But I could not have anticipated this.

I am usually pretty levelheaded when something like this happens but I’m totally freaking out right now. I mean this was well over 100 dB. Who would think that such a small little metal tray falling on a sleep floor would create such an obnoxiously loud noise. It would figure that it happened with me just 4 feet away. This is on top of a couple of other exposures I’ve had like the other day when I picked up a napkin off of a plate and a plate fell off my table and landed on a hardwood floor. Or when my remote fell off the side of the chair and landed on a plate my kids left on the floor. Both loud crashes. It’s just so unfair because these things that you just can’t control. Little accidents.


I suppose there is nothing I can do. Anyone have similar experiences they have come away from unscathed?

 

If you were 4 feet away that’s about a 15 dB drop of sound from the noise exposure. So if it was a 100 dB you’re probably only getting 85-90 dB. I think you should be good. Just try to be positive. You might get a spike but nothing that won’t resolve.

 

Not all loud exposures lead to worsening or hearing loss. If you don't have ear fullness, spike, I would not worry about it much. You can load up on Magnesium/NAC, but until there is something to worry about, don't worry about it.

I absolutely understand where you are coming from though. Horrible to live with this uncertainty. My mom once dropped a metal bowl on the floor tile right next to me. I went into panic mode, it was that loud. I don't know about hearing loss, but my tinnitus did not get worse permanently. And all the little accidents, smashing doors, screaming kids, loud bikes, cars... We only can protect as well as we can and hope for the best.

 

Thanks. Boy it didn’t sound like it was 85 to 90 dB. It felt like 130 dB. It was a crash in epic proportion. And all it was was a tiny metal tray that fell off of a nail station maybe 2 1/2 feet to the ground. Probably worse because it hit dead on a slate floor.

 

Thank you.

 

Hi there, @Forever hopeful! Did you get a spike? Did it resolve? I hope so!

 

Not after that event, no.

I don’t go to the nail salon anymore because that same girl carries around her stupid metal tray and she puts it on the edge of the table waiting for another drop on the concrete floor. I want to go out and buy her a plastic one.

 

I don't think any sudden noise besides impulse noises (140 dB+) lead to instant hearing loss and tinnitus, at least for a normal undamaged ear. For us special people, it's sadly lower though.

There's a formula for sound pressure for reduction over distance of decibels. Of course it depends on factors like how the plexiglass barrier was situated and how the metal tray hit the floor, maybe the lady who dropped it was partially in the way and absorbed some of the sound. But anyway, say it was 110 dB at 1 foot away and you were four feet away:

20 log (R2 / R1) = 20 log ( 4ft / 1ft) = ~12 so 110 - 12 = 98 decibels

You should be ok though if your tinnitus didn't increase. Still a very scary & demoralizing experience since you have hyperacusis.

 

No matter how loud that metal tray was, I guarantee it wasn’t as loud as a music concert for more than its impact, if at all. Remember people go to 100s of concerts for hours at a time. Things sound louder in quiet environments when they may only be 90 dB. A 90-100 dB hit shouldn’t cause any damage in nearly all cases.

Like everyone has said, even with our low resistance, you shouldn’t worry unless something actually happens or changes. That’s simply anxiety talking otherwise.