Earplugs: Safe or Double-Edged Sword?

I may have posted this question a while back..I don't remember, but I think it is an important and valuable question concerning the safety of earplugs and ear protection.

I have resorted to foam earplugs for the last 2 month (custom earplugs didn't fit), but I am still terrified of them. Putting them in and keeping them in isn't so bad unless I open up my Eustachian tubes (swallow). But when pulling them out, they can send very loud (>=85 db) vibrations right at my eardrum for a few seconds. It is terrifying, just like being next to a loudspeaker, and there is no other way to pull them out.

I've had this problem happen a lot recently, likely because my ear canals have greatly changed shape over the past month or so. Every time I remove earplugs, I don't feel like I hear as well after their use, and do get T spikes. I'll get migraines from traffic noises, rustling leaves, etc, so I don't have much of a choice not to use them.

Are these sounds potentially damaging, given that they are so close to the ear canal? And could earplugs be considered unsafe in this regard? I know a lot of people with earplugs deal with these experiences 24/7 and do not have long-lasting problems (including me in the early days), but I am really concerned.

 

My wonderful ears?


About a year ago I was trying to control an inmate that was not quite in control of his thoughts etc. The other Deputy and I wrestled him to the ground. I had his legs and the other Deputy had his head . He kicked me off twice and each time I hit my head and hurt my back..

The Tinnitus did not start for a few days but it has changed my life for ever. My back was very sore that night and I could not follow my thinking if I had two or more at a time. I would forget both. I had gone back to work previously and during the shift I got really dizzy, could not talk right and my ears were full of noises-both ears.

Two other Deputies had to help me down from the "Control" room as I had a hard time walking and talking. They took me to the back of the building, helping me to walk and asked me to save my strength as they could not understand what I was saying.

They had called for an ambulance but one of my SGT's thought they were taking too much time so he put me in the back of his squad car and hit his siren. The hospital had a gurney waiting for me and rushed us in.

They kept giving me multiple tests and kept me awake by asking questions. I could not follow them and only talked like a dentist had shot my mouth full of numbing solution. The Hospital kept me there for long into the evening but could not find anything specific , I think.

My Wonderful Man came in as soon as he could and later they let him take me home. I could not communicate very well but tried to tell them about the pain I had in my neck and back. Then I started my new life. I have had Tinnitus since this fight but wait..that is not all! I always had a good relationship with the inmates so this incident surprised me, the staff and the other inmates.

The inmates always told me if any other inmate gave me "shit" they would "take him out". I always told them I could not allow that and they said when he got out they could find him. Sooo my Doctor would not let me go back to work until I recover.

Year later same old same old same old. If I get two thoughts, two questions or two people talking with me I forget one or both and I get angry. I never got angry at inmates or staff or anyone for all the years I worked there but I do now. I have a very hard time going to sleep and sometimes I stay awake for several days.

My low back hurts so bad it shoots sideways and up the spine. The middle back of my head hurt and now after all this time it snaps pops and pinches. I can hear it when it pops, it sounds like the bones are crushing and it hurts like @^%$^@$!.

Human resources called me soon after and asked me to clean out my locker because they had working staff that needed it. I can not drive as I having even loss the memory of how to drive a stick shift and besides I decided I would be too dangerous to the others on the road. When a friend drove me in the Resource lady walked with me to the locker room.

She then told me that she had put me in retirement. This had not been discussed and I still could not function my brain right. When I got back in my sweeties car I told about it. He stated I needed an Attorney.......................

OK now the gist....Just a min. I have to read this to remember. Ok! I had this Tinnitus creep into my ears/brain after the fight. I have loud buzzing/ringing noises in my left ear and I have had continual noises in my right ears but they have changed from time to time. Started out with ringing, then to a wonderful Western band that had a great baritone singing while the other played multiple instruments and back up.

Yeah...I thought this was my first step into insanity. Went to a Nero. and Doctor , both stated this happens, I was not going crazy. Except I feel this is a first step to that place. Bummer my ear lost the band so now I just have terrible noises in both ears.

I DO WEAR EARPLUGS NOW. Because I get angry....really punch somebody in the face angry when I had more than one input given to me. IE: Two people ask a question, I try to play my computer games with sound on, that I use to, I am asked to do a task that I have to learn something new or even something I have forgotten, look out for loud talking noise etc. because that really angers me.

It has been over a year, the back and the head have not stopped holding back from finding a job. I had to get a Lawyer because I can not understand all these forms, to do's, and or control myself. Attorney got me reinstated with some income so I can pay some of my bills, including my house payment, medical and what ever!

It has taken me 2 hours to write this as I have to keep reading to find out what I was going/trying to say.

So here I try to go to sleep again with live wire sounds in one ear, the center of my head sounds like a wind storm and my other ear is a higher pitch full blown hurricane.....

YES I ware earplugs 24 hours a day as my sweetie snores and I don't want to hurt him. A lot of nights I can not sleep and crawl out of bed to read or be on the internet for something.

This is not the retirement that I dreamed of. All of you I share your pain all of it!