Exposed to Loud Noise While in the Process of Removing Earmuffs

Hi all. I need some help and advice!

I always remove the cups of my earmuffs from my ears very slowly. Now, during this process, there was a loud sound in the staircase and the sound got trapped in the cups which were only one or two inches from my ears, so more or less covering my ears but with an inch of air distance because that is how I remove them, by taking them off horizontally.

The sound coming from the staircase felt much louder than it would have without the earmuffs, because the sound got amplified and trapped in the zone around my ears.

How bad is this? Anyone knows? I also read that ears are more sensitive to sound after they've been protected because they are relaxed and do not expect loud noise like that.

I think I'm going to faint of fear.

Did the earmuffs create an echo that made the sound seem louder?

It was a door that slammed and it seemed extremely loud. I measured it later with hearing protection and I think it was between 86-92 decibels...

I wonder if the earmuffs made the sound louder or if I just freaked out because I was so shocked to hear that loud noise the moment I removed the earmuffs.

 

For the few moments/minutes after your earplugs/muffs are removed, your ears will be more sensitive to noise so everything feels a little louder than it actually is.

 

This sudden noise exposure from a slammed door in the staircase will not cause any damage to your ears.

But, the transition from silence to a loud bang is great. I had that yesterday too from a slammed door in a grocery store. I think my fear caused a spike.

Why did you wear earmuffs?

Don't wear earmuffs too much, as you say, your ears need sound. Wearing earmuffs too much can cause sound sensitivity.

Being phonophobic is not a good thing, always being on high alert for sounds. Stress and fear are more dangerous/toxic then the sound you experienced.

By the way, you will be fine, relax and drink a beer. Tomorrow is a fresh new day.

 

Thanks for your answer! So I experienced the sound louder than it was? But are the ears also more sensitive to loud noise? I mean, is it more easy to get hearing damage and worsened tinnitus if the sound occurs just when you remove the earmuffs?

I have been exposed to this level of noise before without consequences... But I'm afraid that I got hearing damage and louder tinnitus now because of the echoing from the cups being close to the ears with air in between and the fact that the ears could be more easily damaged.

 

I don't believe it is, it's a perceived loudness by the brain, not an actual loudness with increased physical action of outer/middle/inner ear.

It's like saying; if you are in a very dark room for hours and then suddenly go out into bright sunlight, it will damage your eyes.

 

I hope you're right. My tinnitus is much loader and I'm freaking out. I hope it's just fear and not an actual lasting change in my sound.

 

That's right Jupiterman. That's why they (for example) recommend not to take off your earplugs during a concert.

 

I think you're going to be ok.

The earmuffs aren't a negative aspect in the equation. The insides have foam and are made to absorb noise. Also, a slammed door will not cause hearing loss / tinnitus. It's OK that you're being careful but there are other much louder sounds that are the actual danger: motorcycles, power tools, being in an airplane, etc.

Reading this forum I realise everyone has different limits, but you should avoid being afraid indoors of trivial noises like doors. We would all be deaf it they were so bad. Try to focus on other things and you will calm down.

 

Thanks Gabriel. That's reassuring. But how about the ears being more vulnerable the moment you take off the earmuffs? That's what I'm afraid of.

 

Can anyone figure out how much the sound was increased in the cups of the earmuffs? I guess the slamming door was 92 dB. But how much louder did it become due to the earmuffs?

This is so bad.

 

Why is it so bad? Is your tinnitus actually increased as a result? Do you have muffled hearing or measurable hearing loss as a result?

I almost wonder if you are trolling, since obviously this can't have caused you any damage and everyone has told you so here. Just chill dude, stop tripping over something silly like this.

 

Hi there and thank for your answer.

Yes, the tinnitus is louder and I'm also experiencing some sensitivity in my ears. It may be a spike due to anxiety but I can assure that the noise was incredibly loud and I can only explain this by thinking the cups of the earmuffs echoed to the noise in the staircase and made it even louder.

It may seem stupid and I know I'm obsessing over this, but I'm doing my best to calm down.

 

I honestly don't know about that. I guess it would make the sound seem louder after being more noise deprived, but I don't know if it makes you more prone to damage.

You should also consider loudness gets lower with distance, so you probably weren't exposed to 92 dB.

 

It's very much possible for a door slam indoors to be that loud.

It's very much possible for a loud door slam to cause a tinnitus spike.

It's possible that the sound to be more concentrated if the earmuffs are an inch away from the ears.

 

Thanks for your reply.

I actually measured the noise to 92 dB from the point where I was standing when I took the earmuffs off.

Does anyone have any idea about how much louder it could have been due to the earmuffs?

Feels like I'm not going to make it. I mean what are the chances of something like this happening?

 

I think the sounds certainly may have seemed louder because they were previously being protected, and maybe an air gap, although I'm not sure this makes a huge difference in my opinion with regards to noise damage. Fundamentally you cannot increase the loudness of a particular event by air manipulation. You can manipulate the perception of said noise yes, but not the loudness.

I know how it feels in terms of fear, and I can say 100% that fear is at the very least contributing to this spike.

Hang in there and ride this one out. This is likely just a run-of-the-mill spike from a single event (not a prolonged noise like a concert), so this should go down with time and patience. Easy for me to say I know, but try to relax. Distract yourself with TV/movies/video games for now and see how you feel in a couple of days.

Praying for your health,
Sam

 

Door slam is really short exposure. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about.

 

Hi, thanks for your reply. Let's hope you're right!

 

Yeah unless you get a door slammed on a daily basis, I wouldn't be too worried it's permanent.

Please make sure your house is as noise friendly as possible. Expect the unexpected.

 

I can't agree with this statement any more. Going from earplugs to no protection makes your ears hyper sensitive and more prone to damage from instant loud noises since the tensor tympani is not active at all. But 92 dB still shouldn't do any permanent damage and your spike will subside.

Has it gotten better for you @Dunderklumpen? Please tell me it has.