Just Hello — Maybe My Tinnitus Was Caused by Very Loud Computer Fan

[Craig234]

I don't know how long I've had tinnitus, because for years I had the tone and just thought it was normal and ignored it - but if I was guessing, 20 years.

It's not that terrible; I can always hear it if I listen for it, but I often don't notice it if doing something.

It's always one steady high-pitched tone in both ears (but left tonight). It's hard to describe how loud it is, maybe 'medium' fits it; it's loud enough I can't hear some other things over it I'd like to, but no problem with, say, phone chats.

Tonight it's getting a bit louder than usual.

I don't know how I got it, but I have always suspected it was related to sitting next to a very loud computer fan for hours a day for years. Something about it felt connected to the tone.

Right now I'm next to an open case computer fan 1 foot away and a fairly loud wall furnace blower behind me, and the tinnitius is a good amount louder than them.

Unfortunately not expecting anything to help with it.

I did see a hearing doctor; he really should have been retired, but the test confirmed some high hearing loss, and he gave me a sample of something to take I didn't, that I suspected he got an incentive to hand out.

I don't actually notice any hearing loss, though. I might have to play music and the tv louder.

 

[LukeYoung]

Hey mate.
Avid computer builder here.
Most fans run about 40-60db which shouldn't be loud enough to affect you..
If you're really curious, maybe download a db level app and check.

I don't think the fans did damage, maybe you are just having a spike, maybe not.

But I suggest checking the sound levels of your fan first.

 

[Tweedleman]

I agree with Luke, I wouldn't think an ordinary computer fan could cause tinnitus or hearing loss. Perhaps you should get a hearing test somewhere else if the guy didn't seem trustworthy.

 

[Tybs]

Be careful with taking medicine too quickly, there are quite a few around that actually aggravate T after using them. This condition is too complex and has too many possible causes to just "fix" with a drug (at least for now).

The fan is probably not the issue, and I assume there has not been a recent noise trauma in your case. Do you sit behind your desk a lot? Forward neck syndrome is also known to be an origin of T, which can be a result of bad posture behind the pc or extensive cellphone usage. When the neck muscles are under continues pressure, the nerve signals can eventually get picked up by the auditory system and incorrectly get interpreted as sound.

 

[Craig234]

Hey mate.
Avid computer builder here.
Most fans run about 40-60db which shouldn't be loud enough to affect you..
If you're really curious, maybe download a db level app and check.

I don't think the fans did damage, maybe you are just having a spike, maybe not.

But I suggest checking the sound levels of your fan first.

Hi, it was a lot louder than that. I got a decibel meter and forget the reading but am thinking 90db.

It was an issue of having it near my ears hours a day for years. Not sure what you mean by spike.

 

[Craig234]

Be careful with taking medicine too quickly, there are quite a few around that actually aggravate T after using them. This condition is too complex and has too many possible causes to just "fix" with a drug (at least for now).

Ya, I didn't take it.

The fan is probably not the issue, and I assume there has not been a recent noise trauma in your case. Do you sit behind your desk a lot? Forward neck syndrome is also known to be an origin of T, which can be a result of bad posture behind the pc or extensive cellphone usage. When the neck muscles are under continues pressure, the nerve signals can eventually get picked up by the auditory system and incorrectly get interpreted as sound.

I don't think recent is an issue, with over a decade of tinnitus. Ya, have sat hours a day for decades leaning.

 

[Luman]

The average computer fan will not caused permanent damage, but @Michael Leigh has found that computer fans can aggravate existing tinnitus, quite noticeably. A technician. with tinnitus himself, informed Micheal this problem can be virtually eliminated. There are several choices available which are reportedly effective:
1. Move your hard drive tower to a separate room, far enough from the screen to not be heard
2. Replace the computer's hard drive with one that is solid state
3. Replace your computer with a new model that is equipped with a solid state hard drive.

Here is the post: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/a-uk-person-with-recent-tinnitus.36799/#post-470252

 

[Craig234]

Thanks for that post. Thing is, after years of the noise, tinnitus is permanent even in silence. Reducing the noise would help someone who doesn't have it yet.