Does Anyone Have This? White Noise, or Distorted Sound, Whenever There Is Loud Noise

[Cookie7209]

Hi everyone, I've just come across your site following my hearing therapy appointment yesterday. The therapist said she had never come across anyone suffering as a result of long term ear plug use, and I would love to know if anyone else has had this problem. In brief I wore ear plugs, or to be more specific noise reducing headphones, at night for about 6 years. After a stressful period last year I began to get a white noise, or distorted sound, in one or both ears whenever there was a loud noise. After a recent plane journey I now get this sound whenever I raise my voice too. It seems that my ears have become ultra sensitive to loud noises as a result of blocking out sound during the night. My hearing therapist has provided ideas on how to live with it but I would love to hear from you if you have had this too. How long did it last and what did you do to live with it?

 

[Mad maggot]

I'm not sure she can say that the ear plugs are the cause unless she has done some scans. There's definitely other things that can cause this kind of symptom and although I've read that long term use of ear plugs can cause this it's not usual for a doctor to diagnose this type of thing anecdotally. They need to rule out everything else first. Are you happy with her conclusion? Do you feel it could be something else and the ear plugs are coincidence? If you're happy with her theory then go with it. Perhaps others here have experienced this also. But if you feel unsure you should get them to look further - scans of the ear or bones of the skull.

 

[Cookie7209]

It seems to make sense what the consultant said, and I think that a period of stress last year exacerbated it too. I did use scrunched up bits of tissue as earplugs too at some point over the years and do wonder if small fragments of tissue in the ear could also be a cause. She looked in the ear and didn't see anything though. My hearing is good by the way.

Mad Maggot do you have any thoughts on the cause of my white noise?

 

[PaulBe]

Sounds very like how my situation has unfolded. I rarely use earplugs.