Muffs and Loud Work

Hello, im a 17-year old boy, i've had tinnitus since i was 16. It started at my school when a pressured-air hose "exploded" next to my ear, a loud high tone squeal that this made, is what i think caused my tinnitus. I got quite used to it and at somepoint i didn't even notice it. Then the last school weeks started and we had to go to work for a few weeks before summer. Now i worked at a very loud place, where i had to wear muffs pretty much all the time, but sometimes i had people come talk to me, so i naturally had to take my muffs off to hear them, and i swear, as soon as i took my muffs off, something real loud happened right next to me. This happened everytime, and everytime i flinched. So i started worrying if my Tinnitus got worse there and after the job-period ended, i still wasn't sure if it worsened my Tinnitus. Even though i wore muffs, the noise was still loud. And now that it's summer, i had to get a summerjob. And my summerjob is in a even louder place. I basically drill huge holes into walls with big drills and a huge vacuum, these are all REALLY loud. I wear muffs, and dont really have to take them off as much as i had to in the other job. But im still super worried if it can make my tinnitus worse even though i wear quality muffs? The worst part is, im not sure what to do, if it does make my tinnitus worse? Do i have to quit my job?? Then i wouldn't have any money for the summer

All help is appreciated.
I'm going to download a desibel app to my phone and post the dB from my work.

 

Double up on protection for now. Wearing earplugs and earmuffs over top of them. If it's still loud look for another job, it's not like you are set in a career at this point. The job is just temporary, but your hearing is for life.

 

Find another job ASAP
Muffs only protect up to a certain degree
It's like wearing a seatbelt in a car accident

 

Thanks for the help, but if i quit this job, i wouldn't be able to get any other job. Every job is taken by now :S

 

Aw man..was so difficult to get this job aswell, guess i need to quit..so it really can worsen my T??

 

Not worth the risk

Yes it may worsen things If you have pre-existing damage

 

Better be safe than sorry. Worse T will cost you more money in the long term.

 

Yes - a job can be short but T is for life

 

You're 17 years old. There are many other job opportunities that are a lot less quiet. Enjoy your youth, work at a job you can tolerate and have fun.

 

Yep, just quit. I know money can be a problem, but it can't be your priority right now.

 

If you wont quit which you should then wear earplugs and earmuffs over top of them

 

Yes, for instance 3M 1100 earplugs + 3M/Peltor X5A or Optime III earmuffs.

 

Quit. Nothing is worth getting T. With the prolonged hours, I am not sure how much protection will ear defenders and plugs be.

 

By all means give us the db reading but it seems like it is loud and even doubling up protection by ear plugs and muffs isn't enough. Bone conduction still happens around 35 to 40db down. I worked in 3 days of 70db with earplugs and my ears rang more after plus ear pain was increased. I quit and you should too. Being in poverty now is better than damaging your hearing further. It's not worth working in. Look for a quiet job next summer. Do without the money