Movie Theaters?!

My tinnitus and hyperacusis has gotten better week after week, even if exposed myself to normal or even loud sounds. And now I went to movies, and no harm was done as I thought there would not be. I had my earplugs in my pocket, all the time. And I will keep them with me when next time go to movies, which is not anytime soon. I usually go to movies abort 4 times a year.

I don't need reminder and movies are the loudest places I go. I don't do nightclubs and concerts. Even before I got tinnitus it's been 2 years since I last went to nightclub.

I have a reminder with me, 24/7 as even I write this, I can hear my tinnitus. Trust me, I won't forget ever what gave me this.

And I don't intend to make this worse. That's why I am still keeping myself away from music and I don't wear headphones.

 

I’m not convinced going to a movie counts as insane behaviour ...

 

All it takes to get a ticket to get to listen to tinnitus for years is a loud noise lasting a fraction of a second. Speaking from personal experience here.

You Are playing with fire. The message below got posted here a couple of days ago, but we get many stories like that here:

Wow. Are you sure you want to do that? They weigh 1 gram, and that's a gram that you will have to carry with you during your entire trip to the movies.

It doesn't, since there is Some (albeit miniscule) upside to it. Not wearing earplugs in a movie theater is different.

 

Even if your ears are fine after the movie, we know nothing about Tinnitus and how it works. It went fine, that's good, but you could've slowed your healing or it potentially getting better. This is all just rambling and thoughts though, scary ones, but still.

 

I won a fight against a mental block.

I am pretty sure my tinnitus and hyperacusis is physical. I admit I overworked my ears... Tomorrow I have appointment with audiologist.

 

@Bill Bauer

I will use earplugs when I think I need to use them.

I don't understand your negative behavior towards me.

I am myself, happy, as I found out I don't need to use earplugs. I won my fear.

 

@Strife_84 good for you

 

Good. I will shut up now, and let the (loud future) tinnitus do the talking.

My behavior is akin to telling a smoker to stop smoking (did you know that something like two thirds of smokers never get any problems that were caused by smoking?), or to tell someone who is speeding with no seat belt to slow down and buckle up. I don't think it classifies as a negative behavior.

 

Why not at least wear ear plugs?

 

@Strife_84 I suggest you stay at home with tin foil on your head

*joking*

 

If you don't see a difference, there is a chance that you will get to Learn the difference, the Hard way.

 

@Bill Bauer how very passive aggressive of you.

There’s also a chance I could get hit by a bus or struck by lightning tomorrow. You’re right I’ll stay indoors

I believe in trying to live life as much as we can. With ear plugs obviously when they’re needed

 

Because I didn't need them.

 

I don't think this is the right analogy. Something like 1% of the people die in car crashes, but most of the victims spend decades on highways before anything happens to them. Here, we are condensing all of the danger into a several of hours (when one is attending some events where one is exposed to loud noises). So a better analogy is running across a somewhat busy highway. Most people can judge distances well and will make it, but some won't.

No need - just don't run across a highway.

A necessary condition for that is the absence of debilitating tinnitus.

 

I think we will agree to disagree

 

If you went to the movies without earplugs, you DO NOT have hyperacusis

 

Certain sounds still feel bad to my ear, but not as much as before.

I am only sensitive to certain frequencies,but not as much as I used to be.

 

From what I read true hyperacusis affects 1-100000 people. 40% of people with T have some form of “sound sensitivity”.

This was off hyperacusis.net. I’m guessing this is what I have because I can do most things but like you strife certain noises don’t feel great

 

That's not hyperacusis.

 

A person with real hyperacusis cannot leave home without hearing protection, usually double protection (earplugs and earmuffs), and even with double protection cannot be around certain noises, which will go like a knife on butter due to bone conduction of sound.

And the cost of being exposed to noise can be more hyperacusis, really bad tinnitus, hearing los, of a combination of those.

So, really, a person with real hyperacusis CANNOT go to a movie theatre.

 

I guess that’s the difficulty when it hasn’t been medically defined.

There almost needs to be a separate condition for people like myself where I am sensitive to sound but not to that extent

 

What is the matter with you people?

"you don't have REAL hyperacusis!"

Who cares? Why do you care so much?

I had some sort of hyperacusis and I still do. When I got tinnitus, certain sounds were badly distorted and I couldn't even hear certain sounds.

Now the situation is improved. Which is good.

This is supposed to be a support forum, but people fight about other people's conditions. I really don't understand some of you people. AT ALL.

I am happy I was able to spend a normal day outside since getting tinnitus. I went outside, had fun, watched a movie in theater. Would I do it every day? No. I need to rest my ears now. Will I use earplugs next time I go to movie? Maybe.

I am still unable to do music, or at least I don't feel comfortable making music yet because with music you spend time with frequencies that feel bad for my ears (over 8 kHz).

 

It mostly depends of the severity of hyperacusis. With mild hyperacusis it's just fine to watch movies at theaters. With severe hyperacusis it's impossible to do that.

I'm speaking from my own experience. When I had mild hyperacusis I could watch movies even without earplugs when there was some scenes where people talk. But as soon as some part of the movie had shooting with guns, bombs, crashing and other loud scenes I wore my earplugs. Now with severe hyperacusis it's impossible to go there... The difference between mild and severe hyperacusis is HUGE!

 

And we are happy for you!

But then dont say "I have hyperacusis" because you dont.

I care because I do have hyperacusis and know for sure what it is like, and how painful it can be.

Other people DO have real hyperacusis and they shouldnt be misled to think they can go to a movie theater at all, let alone without earplugs, because those people, the ones with real hyperacusis, will be in pain for sure, and maybe lose hearing, or get nasty pressure for a month, or get a huge tinnitus spike.

 

The thing is... Why would anything happen to you now compared to when you didn't have tinnitus/hyperacusis. This is something I have been wondering for a while. I know it can happen, but my question is... Why?

I used to absolutely love going to the movies, looking forward to it for weeks. I used to go to IMAX which is even louder than regular cinema. And of course I never had any problem with my hearing. Since I've had tinnitus (16 months) I've only gone twice. The first time I tried without earplugs and it was too loud (I think) so I left and came back a second time with earplugs. It was a little worse after but it seemed to be because the earplugs I was wearing pushed earwax blocking part of my ear. After the ENT cleared it (at an appointment weeks later) the tinnitus went back to normal.

But what exactly would cause even more trouble when the sounds levels are pretty much exactly the same and didn't cause any noticeable damage before?

 

Once one gets tinnitus, one's ears are often compromised. This happens for other ailments too. After you injure your shoulder, it becomes easier to injure your shoulder again. Same goes for the knees, and apparently (based on the countless reports posted on this forum) ears.

 

Lots of people who have mild tinnitus will refuse advice and mock people who warn others. I think you argued too long with those two posters. I noticed it is two who have been aggressive towards others before.

Some people want to go to movies, clubs and loud events and nothing you say will stop them. If their tinnitus isn't bad, they might wear earplugs and maybe they will be okay. I don't think movie theaters are worth any risk. Newer movies aren't even that good.

 

When I first came down with hyperacusis, I thought the same thing. I wondered why people on this forum were often giving such strong opinions. Why can't we just be happy for one another?

Then my hyperacusis became severe (in large part because I didn't take it seriously) and I understood. Severe hyperacusis is being uncomfortable rustling around in your own bed sheets. It's being unable to tolerate a light ceiling fan. It's struggling mightily to go grocery shopping even with maximum protection. It's suicidal thoughts. It's having your career and entire life altered (I graduated with my Ph.D. literally a week before I got this, ready to start my career as a professor). It's being woken up in the middle of a quiet night because a car drove by going 5 miles per hour. It's having to change your keyboard out for one that is less loud. It's going months (for some people, years) without leaving your home. It's making an effort not to laugh because the sound of your own voice gives you a headache. No, we are not all the same. And by the way, I'm not even saying I'm the worst. There are people who would hear my story and think it's super minor. When I come across someone with a lot of pent up frustration on this forum, I totally get it.

But much more importantly, I've noticed that people with minor hyperacusis often give awful advice. Like telling people to "tough it out" and it's "mind over matter," acting like they overcame it because they were tougher than others. I used to listen to these people. I didn't use any hearing protection or take any precautions. Like you, I thought that things like going grocery shopping with earmuffs was "no way to live." When I did this, I lost my life completely. Every time I take too big of a risk, it's back to the dark days. For people with severe hyperacusis, they literally cannot function normally. It's not a choice or lack of mental toughness or something.

Do we want to live this way? Of course not, but we are making the most of a bad situation. What's better, taking limited risks, but being relatively comfortable and at least enjoying TV shows, walks in nature, reading books, etc. or crying in your bed wishing you were dead? Staying financially stable or pushing through a dumb movie and risk losing your job?

People without severe hyperacusis will never understand these dilemmas. This is why people are so passionate. Not only do we want to be heard, we don't want new people to the forums to make their problems worse.

 

I understand. You explained that very well, thank you.