Ear Pressure and Pain After a Restroom Hand Dryer and Child Screaming

[kingsfan]

Hello,

I've been on Tinnitus Talk for several years, but this is my first time venturing into this section of the website.

I have had sound sensitivity since a few weeks after my tinnitus started in 2020. I began wearing earplugs after an audiology exam made my tinnitus worse. Since around November 2020, I have worn them whenever I go outside. I also use them while cooking and doing chores.

For the past two years, I have been wearing them in the bathroom and while showering because my parents' living room is directly above, and there is always the risk of stomping, slamming, or other loud sudden sounds. Because of that, the faucet now sounds loud to me without earplugs.

I have not watched TV in about six months for similar reasons. I think watching TV was helping to keep my mild sound sensitivity from getting worse. Now I mostly sit in silence with just an air purifier running.

About three weeks ago, I was in a public restroom and forgot to check for hand dryers. Someone used one for about four seconds while I was inside. My Apple Watch recorded 94 dBA. Since then, I have had the symptoms below.

Yesterday, while standing in line at Aldi, a child had a temper tantrum a few checkout aisles away from me. I pulled up the NIOSH app on my phone just as the child let out a horrific scream that measured 84 dBA on the app. My body was between the phone and the child so it may have been louder. Since coming home from that incident, my ears have had intense pressure that is painful and has an almost burning sensation.

Here are some quick bullet points since the pressure is making it hard to think clearly.

• I was wearing solid custom molded earplugs during both incidents.
• My ears feel tight with a dull pain like strong pressure. It feels as if my tensor tympani muscles are either squeezing, fatigued, or like something is pressing against my eardrum. It is similar to when earplugs create a tight seal and a vacuum starts building inside the ear canal. Sometimes this makes me feel dizzy and I also feel pressure in my sinuses, especially in my forehead and eyes.
• I am experiencing some TTTS but not as badly as with past ear traumas. Typing on my keyboard slightly triggers it and brings back that pressure sensation.
• I do not feel any discomfort when my earplugs are in. Earlier I wore them while making coffee and no sounds felt uncomfortable. In fact, after removing them, my ear felt better for a few minutes with no pressure or pain, but the symptoms returned when I started typing this.
• Occasionally when the pressure subsides, my ear feels slightly itchy.
• I do not have any muffled hearing.
• My tinnitus has been worse since the hand dryer exposure but has not changed further after the child screaming. It has just remained at the same terrible level.

What can I do? Am I entering the realm of noxacusis? Can I reverse any of these symptoms? Should I have rushed to get Prednisone?

 

[Scruffiey]

There are no definitive answers with this kind of thing, but my inclination is that since even a faucet now sounds loud to you when it did not before, and there have not been any major events that would push your hearing into the noxacusis realm, you may have simply increased your sound sensitivity by stressing and overprotecting. You also have not mentioned any pain, which further suggests this is more about heightened sensitivity rather than true noxacusis.

Those two events were not damagingly loud. You were wearing earplugs, and while a hand dryer or a child's scream is unpleasant, it is not the same as having a hammer strike right by your ear. However, they seem to have triggered your ear's protective mechanism because your brain now perceives those sounds as too loud. On top of that, there is likely some stress tension around your face and jaw, which could be pressing on your ear and causing that dull ache. That is understandable, given your anxiety about these events.

I do not think Prednisone is appropriate. You said yourself that you do not have muffled hearing, and besides, it would likely be difficult to get prescribed. From what I have read, its effectiveness seems like a toss up. Sometimes it helps, but it can also make things worse unless there has been a severe event.

I have mentioned this before, but trying a bit of cotton wool in your ears for mild protection, perhaps while getting back into watching TV, might provide a sense of security and comfort as you work on desensitization.

There is likely a significant mental component to all of this, probably even for people with extreme noxacusis. Unfortunately for them, their underlying pathology keeps retriggering the condition, making it incredibly difficult to break out of that cycle. But it does not sound like you are experiencing the razor sharp pain or burning sensation in the ear canal that they describe.

Not long ago, I was in the same place, afraid of developing noxacusis. But I found that using sensible protection, like earmuffs in the kitchen or while cleaning, earplugs when out and about, and otherwise gradually reducing protection when there was no real risk of damaging noise, has worked well for me. So far, so good, and things have been improving.

If you start experiencing instant or lingering pain from sound, definitely stop and reassess. But do not forget that earplugs and earmuffs themselves can sometimes cause lingering discomfort, so it is important to differentiate. Based on what you have described, it does not sound like you are dealing with that kind of pain.

 

[kingsfan]

I'm still trying to figure out exactly what I'm experiencing. Lately, I've had a few days of relief from the feeling of fullness and even some relief from the spike in tinnitus, but it seems to be easily triggered. My tolerance also seems to be even lower than it was before.

A couple of examples:

• I watched a few TikTok videos of drummers playing their drum kits with the volume on my iPhone turned up just two clicks, probably around 40 to 42 dBA. The snare hits and cymbal crashes were extremely uncomfortable. Afterward, my ears felt pressured again, along with an aching sensation that resembled an earache.
  
  
• A couple of days ago, I went out to run some errands and then went for a hike. Afterward, my tinnitus was elevated to an extreme level, and I couldn't tolerate music on my car stereo even while wearing earplugs. I've never had an issue with low-volume music in the car while using earplugs. I think what set it off was music playing in one of the stores. It measured no louder than 65 dBA, and I was wearing my highest-rated earplugs, but the high frequencies felt overwhelmingly loud and somewhat painful. The only other potentially loud exposures that day were a door chime when entering and exiting a store, and the car wash. Neither exceeded 70 dBA, and I had both earplugs and earmuffs on during those times.

Now, just crinkling a candy bar wrapper sets off TTTS in both ears and causes aching pain in my right ear and jaw. I wonder if it's my tensor tympani muscle causing the pain.

 

[Scruffiey]

It really sounds like a bit of heightened hyperacusis, which does affect your sound tolerance. Also, the tensor muscle combined with stress could be causing some pain and discomfort.

Short, sudden noise is always harder to handle with hyperacusis, so that explains why the drums felt uncomfortable. Your brain was probably tensing in anticipation of loud sound as well.

This is very similar to how my tinnitus was during the first six months. The improvement was slow and non-linear, but it did gradually get better.

I think the best you can do is try to find the right balance between protection and desensitisation, and give it plenty of time. However, based on your initial post, it sounds to me like you may be overprotecting at home.

 

[ECP]

Now, just crinkling a candy bar wrapper sets off TTTS in both ears and causes aching pain in my right ear and jaw. I wonder if it's my tensor tympani muscle causing the pain.

I'm so sorry you're going through this. I remember when you had a similar incident with a restroom hand dryer and a car wash kiosk last year.

It does sound like your tensor tympani might be involved, but possibly also your trigeminal nerve if you're feeling something in your jaw.

I'm not sure there's anything you could be doing differently right now. It might be that you were overprotecting, but we all know that setbacks can happen even when we haven't been. For now, it may be helpful to focus on self-care activities that calm the nervous system and see if that helps your brain reestablish a more normal baseline for sound tolerance, without needing to overthink how much protection to use.

I'm also going through a setback at the moment, so I'm trying different ways to help my brain reset, since everything around me is triggering and I can't seem to find the right balance between overprotecting and underprotecting. Right now, I'm focusing on meridian stretches that release tension in the shoulders, neck, and jaw. I find them deeply relaxing, to the point where I start yawning constantly. My hope is that by releasing these muscles in a quiet or nearly silent room, it will indirectly benefit both the ears and the brain—if not immediately, then hopefully within a few days.

I really hope you find some relief soon.

 

[Joeseph Stope]

My sympathies. You are not alone out there.

My habit, though I am not suggesting it is better than yours, is to use earplug-style hearing protection, like the 3M Peltor type (from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing). It does an acceptable job of protecting against high-frequency noises.

The low frequencies, however, such as when a group of Harley Davidsons roars by, are not as well blocked.

I feel torn between trying to stay somewhat accustomed to daily noise and living the quiet life of a mouse.

We really need research to help guide us in shaping our lives.

Should we be trying to adjust and get by in everyday environments, or should we be seeking a life of pastoral tranquility, far from the chaos of crowds?

 

[haha ear go eeee]

I'm sorry, but this sounds exactly like the symptoms I had when I first developed noxacusis. How much do you know about it?

 

[kingsfan]

Lately, I've been trying not to worry about my tinnitus or its intensity. I've also been working on reducing my excessive use of earplugs, with the hope of eventually living without them in daily life and using them only in specific high-risk situations. I'm still wearing them when I go out, but I've been trying not to stress about every loud sound.

Things were actually going pretty well, and my tinnitus distress seemed manageable—until yesterday, when I stopped at the vet to pick up my cat's kidney medication. I usually wear solid earplugs in parking lots because of unpredictable noise. However, it was only a few steps from my car to the front door, and I knew I'd need to hear clearly once inside, so I opted for my filtered earplugs instead.

As I approached the door, a short-haul big rig drove past on the main road a few hundred yards away. As usual with those drivers, he hit the gas aggressively right as he got near me, producing an excruciating engine roar. It shook my entire body. I tried to shrug it off, but today I'm dealing with TTTS in both ears, and they ache again.

I'm taking a trip to California in five days, and it's frustrating to be dealing with ear trouble again, especially knowing I'll soon be in loud airports and near jet engines.

I'm having trouble concentrating enough to write this properly, so I hope it makes sense.

 

[kingsfan]

I had a bout of TTTS in my left ear today, which is unusual for me, while typing on my keyboard. I also experienced some minor ear pain in the same ear afterward. I am wondering if the pain is coming from my Tensor Tympani muscle spasming. I have had TTTS in my right ear for almost five years now without any pain, though.

It is difficult for me to determine whether I am experiencing physiological effects brought on by paranoia or if I am legitimately starting to progress into pain hyperacusis. I had a good run for about a month or so since the events first noted in this thread, during which I had no pain or pressure sensations in my ears.

This past week, I had been doing some things in the kitchen without earplugs and even found myself doing activities around the house without realizing I was not wearing earplugs. That was a huge improvement for me.

 

[haha ear go eeee]

I also experienced some minor ear pain in the same ear afterward.

Can you explain more about the pain? How often do you feel it? Do you think it is triggered by sound? Is it sharp, aching, burning, or something else? Are you noticing any other symptoms along with it?

 

[kingsfan]

Can you explain more about the pain? How often do you feel it? Do you think it is triggered by sound? Is it sharp, aching, burning, or something else? Are you noticing any other symptoms along with it?

It's an ache that feels like it's coming from my middle ear. I notice it after certain sounds. It isn't sharp—it feels more like the sensation of a fatigued muscle. That's why I think it might have something to do with my tensor tympani muscle clenching or spasming. I never feel it while wearing earplugs, only after I take them out.

EDIT: Well, I just dropped something on the floor without wearing hearing protection, and now I am feeling a sharp, burning pain in my ear. I'm completely confused.

 

[haha ear go eeee]

It's an ache that feels like it's coming from my middle ear. I notice it after certain sounds. It isn't sharp—it feels more like the sensation of a fatigued muscle.

This feels exactly like my noxacusis and how it started developing in the first place. That fatigue feeling from sound is very distinct in people with this condition. I'm so sorry, that's probably not what you want to hear.

Do you have a job currently? Do you live in a quiet area? And how much do you know about noxacusis?

 

[kingsfan]

This feels exactly like my noxacusis and how it started developing in the first place. That fatigue feeling from sound is very distinct in people with this condition. I'm so sorry, that's probably not what you want to hear.

Do you have a job currently? Do you live in a quiet area? And how much do you know about noxacusis?

It just doesn't make sense because it's so erratic. My daughter's graduation ceremony caused a huge spike, but I didn't have any of the other symptoms afterward. Yet, if I drop something lightly on the floor, they begin. Honestly, I feel like a hypochondriac. I can't even tell what is real anymore.

 

[Strife_84]

I know that feeling. I have a kind of pain that feels like a sharp knife inside my middle ear. Or like a laser. Or something very, very sharp. There is also a feeling of pressure, as if something is pushing against my eardrum from inside the middle ear.

I developed this condition after being in a club, even though I was wearing earplugs.

I have also experienced feelings of nausea and balance issues. I am not sure if I should see a doctor, since they usually cannot do much to help.

 

[kingsfan]

I know that feeling. I have a kind of pain that feels like a sharp knife inside my middle ear. Or like a laser. Or something very, very sharp. There is also a feeling of pressure, as if something is pushing against my eardrum from inside the middle ear.

I developed this condition after being in a club, even though I was wearing earplugs.

I have also experienced feelings of nausea and balance issues. I am not sure if I should see a doctor, since they usually cannot do much to help.

Yeah, my ears have just been aching for the past few days. I'm still having trouble figuring out whether it's from sound or not. They seem to hurt after certain sounds, even ones that don't seem too loud, but then I also get pain just from moving my head a certain way. It shifts from the right ear to the left, but never both at the same time. Everything just feels completely messed up. Even typing on my keyboard causes my tensor tympani to tense up, and I feel pressure in my ears afterward. That used to happen once in a while, but now it feels constant.

During my trip to LA nearly two weeks ago, I wore earplugs the entire time. I was out a lot, and my hotel room was right by the highway and extremely noisy. I wonder if wearing earplugs non-stop for almost six straight days messed things up, or if it was just the noise exposure itself.

I'm really hoping this all settles down. Right now I'm pretty terrified by the whole experience, especially after hearing about people who can only speak a few sentences a day. I also have a cat that meows loudly and constantly.

 

[kingsfan]

Well, my ears have officially been burning all day, and it has been getting worse quickly. It came on suddenly, and I have no idea how to manage it. It feels like menthol inside my ears. They are fluttering in response to every little sound now.

I guess this is all delayed from exactly two weeks ago, when I attended the graduation ceremony.

The right ear is burning more than the left. My tinnitus has always been worse in the left, but I have had TTTS in the right for almost five years now.

 

[Strife_84]

Yeah, my ears have just been aching for the past few days. I'm still having trouble figuring out whether it's from sound or not. They seem to hurt after certain sounds, even ones that don't seem too loud, but then I also get pain just from moving my head a certain way. It shifts from the right ear to the left, but never both at the same time. Everything just feels completely messed up. Even typing on my keyboard causes my tensor tympani to tense up, and I feel pressure in my ears afterward. That used to happen once in a while, but now it feels constant.

During my trip to LA nearly two weeks ago, I wore earplugs the entire time. I was out a lot, and my hotel room was right by the highway and extremely noisy. I wonder if wearing earplugs non-stop for almost six straight days messed things up, or if it was just the noise exposure itself.

I'm really hoping this all settles down. Right now I'm pretty terrified by the whole experience, especially after hearing about people who can only speak a few sentences a day. I also have a cat that meows loudly and constantly.

I also had a bad experience using earplugs. I actually made my condition worse by being in a club while wearing them.

I had been in that same club years ago without earplugs, and I did not end up with this severe condition afterward. I did get a bad spike then, and of course, I should not have gone there in the first place—even without earplugs. But I believe the occlusion effect from the earplugs may have caused more harm than going without them.

To be clear, I am not saying you should go into loud places without protection. Absolutely use protection. But I personally had a very negative experience with earplugs.

It just feels strange that I went to the same place both with and without earplugs, and my condition was worse after wearing them.

From now on, I only use earmuffs when I need to protect my hearing.

I hope your condition improves. It is too high a price to pay.

 

[maik16]

Well, my ears have officially been burning all day, and it has been getting worse quickly. It came on suddenly, and I have no idea how to manage it. It feels like menthol inside my ears. They are fluttering in response to every little sound now.

I guess this is all delayed from exactly two weeks ago, when I attended the graduation ceremony.

The right ear is burning more than the left. My tinnitus has always been worse in the left, but I have had TTTS in the right for almost five years now.

It looks like noxacusis. From now on, you need a lot of silence.

 

[kingsfan]

It looks like noxacusis. From now on, you need a lot of silence.

I have been staying in a quiet environment with only a fan running, since it is 90 degrees outside. The room is around 32 dBA. My ears—mainly the right one—just burn unrelentingly all day long.

That silence ends today anyway, as my family is coming back from camping. Living in silence is not a reality for me.

 

[kingsfan]

This is so frustrating. I have no idea how I'm supposed to make this better. My ear burns even when I sit in silence with earplugs and earmuffs on, and it burns even worse if I take them off and still remain in silence.

Am I just supposed to let it burn and hope it eventually gets better? It would make more sense if it only burned when I was exposed to sounds above a certain threshold, but instead, it just burns relentlessly, even without any stimuli.

 

[Scruffiey]

This is so frustrating. I have no idea how I'm supposed to make this better. My ear burns even when I sit in silence with earplugs and earmuffs on, and it burns even worse if I take them off and still remain in silence.

Am I just supposed to let it burn and hope it eventually gets better? It would make more sense if it only burned when I was exposed to sounds above a certain threshold, but instead, it just burns relentlessly, even without any stimuli.

Yes, I remember that from the beginning of my journey.

I have healed somewhat for now, but I would never want to go through that again. I do not envy you. It took about eight months for me to reach a more normal state.

Seriously, try using cotton wool and a very quiet TV with subtitles. Obviously, wear earmuffs and earplugs for anything louder than that. That is what got me through that period.

I think I started noticing small periods of improvement after about two to three months, but the process was slow, stressful, and exhausting.

You probably do not want to hear this, but I found that my air purifier (essentially a fan) made things worse. I have no idea why, especially since it was set to a quiet mode, but something about the constant pitch seemed to aggravate my symptoms.

The fact that this kind of risk is not widely discussed in society as a potential consequence of hearing damage is incredibly negligent.