Earmuffs, Earplugs or Filter Earplugs — Can Wearing Them Make Tinnitus Worse?

I have had tinnitus for 11 months, no more hyperacusis. I used get bothered by dishes and loud conversations. It doesn't bother me that much anymore, but I don’t try to get in conversation for long and don’t hang around the kitchen too long.

But I noticed when I am wearing my earmuffs, earplugs or filter earplugs, I feel my tinnitus gets louder. I hear my tinnitus more. Can this make my tinnitus get bad again. I work around loud noise about 80 dB so I have to protect my ears.

I know that you can get hyperacusis from overprotecting, seem I am ok with hyperacusis, but can it make your tinnitus get worse?

 

Are you sure it is actually louder? Couldn't it be easier to hear without any sounds in your environment masking it?

 

Correct. Yes not louder but easier to hear . Like you said no outside sound to mask it. I just I feel better since I do protect my ears at work and restaurant that are loud. I am getting used to this , but I don’t want it to get worse. It getting better as time goes by. Like you say is correct, but I want to know if that can harm you @Bill Bauer .

 

I don't see how you could possibly be harmed...

 

@Rajin I have wondered the same thing...I don't know definitively but feel it cannot be that bad of an influence on your ears. In my case I would rather take whatever slight (if I may say so) damage wearing earplugs a lot gives me than the presumably worse damage that exposure to loud sounds or uncomfortable noise levels gives me.

...And I do wear earplugs quite a stinkin' bit.

 

Hi @Rajin ! I'm guessing that it's due to the fact that you lower all other sounds around you, and therefore your tinnitus appears louder (or easier to hear). I really don't think this can cause any kind of harm, just make sure to keep your earplugs clean and change them from time to time.

 

You're not alone or imagining it. When I wear these things, especially for more than a few seconds, my tinnitus is louder even after I stop wearing them. These spikes have never been permanent but they do happen to me.

Although I have had good experiences with filtered ear plugs. I'd use them more if they didn't upset my facial pain.