One Night Out with Earplugs Triggered a Severe Tinnitus Spike After Years of Stability

[Strife_84]

It has been a while since I have been here. About three years, actually. I have had my tinnitus and hyperacusis for about six years now, and honestly, the last couple of years have been good. I found a new passion after quitting music, and I have enjoyed my life more than I did when I had healthy ears. It is strange how a life-altering accident can change a person from the inside. Believe it or not, I have done a tremendous amount of work on myself, my ears, and my life over the past six years.

Of course, I have had some accidental spikes during these years, such as at the dentist, and I have ended up in places that were too loud a few times. But nothing serious happened, and for the most part, I have been able to live a fairly normal life. Naturally, I have avoided loud environments.

Last week, though, my school friends invited me out. I have studied with them for three years and never gone out with them before. I do not get invited out very often, so I thought, "Okay, why not?" They knew about my condition. I have told people about it, so they understood that I would be wearing earplugs the entire night.

I took my earplugs with me—silicone plugs with about 25 decibels of reduction—and kept them in the whole time while we were inside the bar and later the nightclub. This was my first time going out with earplugs, and I thought I was prepared.

My ears felt fine the entire night. I had no issues at all. At one point I briefly removed one earplug to check how loud the noise was and told them, "Holy... it's so loud!" and immediately put it back in.

I finally got home with no issues, but the next day when I woke up, my tinnitus had gone from a 1 or 2 out of 10 to a 7 out of 10. This is a nightmare. I have had spikes before, and they are always mentally very difficult. I ask myself, "Is this permanent? Will it go away? Am I going to survive this?" In the past, all my spikes have gone away in two to four weeks. So maybe this one will too.

But I am so disappointed in myself. I was so happy before this. Why did I put myself through that? I should have known better.

The good news is that I have only slight hyperacusis symptoms, and my hearing is only a little more sensitive. Usually, when I have had spikes in the past, my hearing has been much more reactive.

I just wanted to feel normal, maybe one last time, and spend some quality time with my friends before we go our separate ways after graduation. But now I know that I cannot ever go into any place louder than a restaurant, even with earplugs. No concerts, no clubs, no bars, nothing like that ever again, even with protection.

I am just feeling down. Part of me is angry with myself, and part of me understands. This probably would have happened eventually, since I had always wondered whether I could go out if I used earplugs. Well, now I have my answer.

Now I am afraid I might have caused permanent damage. I was actually in the same club once about six years ago without earplugs. That was a stupid decision. I had forgotten them at home and wanted to please my friends. I got a bad spike then too, but I recovered well. I have not been back there since—until now, with earplugs.

Just wanted to vent a bit. Be careful, everyone. Even with earplugs.

 

[Strife_84]

A little bit better today, but still much worse than usual. It has been a week now since the exposure to loud music. Maybe I should have used my AirPods Max instead of earplugs?

 

[Sparklecat]

I cannot say for certain, obviously. However, I had stabilized with my own tinnitus and then attended a concert with foam earplugs in November of last year. Unfortunately, my ears became significantly worse afterward, and they have been quite unstable since.

Initially, I was getting used to it. Although it was impossible to ignore because it was louder than nearly everything else, it was not constantly consuming my attention. But in the last few days, it spiked even louder. I am not entirely sure why. It might be because of a muscle relaxer I took, or perhaps because I used a car vacuum while wearing earplugs, and maybe that still affected me. Honestly, I have no idea anymore.

Anyway, I am sorry you are dealing with this. In my experience, no amount of ear protection would have prevented my tinnitus from worsening at a concert. Blah. Thanks for the memories, Slowdive!

 

[Strife_84]

I cannot say for certain, obviously. However, I had stabilized with my own tinnitus and then attended a concert with foam earplugs in November of last year. Unfortunately, my ears became significantly worse afterward, and they have been quite unstable since.

Initially, I was getting used to it. Although it was impossible to ignore because it was louder than nearly everything else, it was not constantly consuming my attention. But in the last few days, it spiked even louder. I am not entirely sure why. It might be because of a muscle relaxer I took, or perhaps because I used a car vacuum while wearing earplugs, and maybe that still affected me. Honestly, I have no idea anymore.

Anyway, I am sorry you are dealing with this. In my experience, no amount of ear protection would have prevented my tinnitus from worsening at a concert. Blah. Thanks for the memories, Slowdive!

Thank you for your reply. I'm sorry about your condition too. The worst part of this is that I thought I was well prepared. But I guess it's like having a glove on your hand and hitting it with a hammer. Maybe it hurts, maybe it doesn't.

Today is slightly better—not by much. My ears develop a feeling of fullness whenever I am exposed to sounds. Even using an electric toothbrush makes it worse. If I remember correctly, I have had worse spikes before, but it is still horrible.

I hope your condition improves as well. Thank you for responding!

 

[Strife_84]

I guess I should be slightly worried since I've noticed that I feel a bit nauseous whenever I am in loud places. This has never happened before. But what has happened cannot be changed. All the progress I've made over the years—living basically a tinnitus and hyperacusis-free life—is gone in just a few alcohol-induced hours.

Any tips on how not to be angry at myself?

 

[Strife_84]

This is my journal now.

It has been eight days since the exposure. I feel slightly better than I did a week ago, so that is good. When I compare this to my earlier spikes, it does not feel so bad. In some ways, it feels bad, and in other ways, it doesn't.

I've noticed that my tinnitus is fluctuating a lot. I even experienced a relatively quiet moment after waking up. For some reason, caffeine makes my tinnitus much louder now. This hasn't happened to me in years. I have been able to drink caffeine without any noticeable effects for a couple of years.

I've also noticed some mild nausea. I feel a bit wobbly, almost as if my head has been through a boxing match. There is definitely a sense of pressure inside my head and ears. This is not a completely new sensation for me—I used to experience it many years ago when I was recovering from the first accident that caused my tinnitus.

On a positive note, my hyperacusis has not been affected in any significant way. There might be a bit more sensitivity, but nothing serious. Currently, the feelings of fullness, pressure, and increased tinnitus are what bother me the most.

My ability to do things has also decreased. I am having a hard time concentrating on anything creative, like writing or thinking. I have also noticed that I am feeling depressed. Smiling is harder than usual, and I do not feel as happy as I have felt in recent months. Things were actually going very well in my life before this.

I will update this journal from time to time.

For those wondering, "Should I go to a club with headphones?"

My advice is: Don't.

I thought I would be fine because my tinnitus and hyperacusis were basically non-existent. I was wrong. I hope my post helps someone reconsider going to a club.

A false sense of security—that's your worst enemy.