Poll: What Sounds Do You Protect From?

Please vote in this poll. You can tick more than one and are welcome to leave a message explaining your choices.

love glynis

 

At least where I live in the city, most of these sounds are already over 80dB.

 

I haven’t used a lawnmower or power tools since I’ve had T and not sure I ever will again.

 

I listed restaurants and cinemas because I usually wear earplugs to the cinema. Depending on how loud the movie is. Went to see Love, Simon the other day which wasn't that loud so I forgot to use my earplugs. Luckily no harm was done!
I usually don't protect at restaurants but I guess that is because I don't usually go to busy restaurants. Even before T a busy restaurant was too noisy for me

 

Regarding some of the quieter sounds in this poll:

 

Hi @Bill Bauer,
The poll is about finding out results from the questions and no right or wrong answer as we all differ and anyone having trouble with softer sounds and everyday sounds could have Hyperacusis.

@Markku could you add crying, screaming children and also sounds below 80 dB to the poll...if possible...love glynis

 

Bump!

 

I have been avoiding protection. So far I only wear protection while vacuuming. I don't currently ride the train, but if I had to, I would have to wear protection. In general, instead of wearing protection, I avoid going any place that I don't absolutely have to go. I can't deal with putting things inside my ears, so I have ear muffs and I would feel embarrassed to wear them when I'm around other people. So I would rather skip the restaurants, movies, and concerts than feel embarrassed.

 

@SugarMagnolia ,
Don't feel embarrassed ,if others have a problem with you wearing them thats there problem.
Wear them with pride and enjoy yourself .
love glynis x

mine are clear rubber and flat in your ear.
love glynis

 

@SugarMagnolia - I feel your pain. I rock ugly Peltor muffs on the subway everyday and every once in awhile notice somebody checking out what I've got on. Truthfully though, most people are wrapped up in their phone or newspaper that any odd stares are few and far between. I stay focused on my newspaper to distract myself from feeling uncomfortable or embarrassed.

 

There are two places where I still have to protect (using ear muffs) when I am there -- the market and the Laundromat. They are still both simply too loud for me to deal with at the moment. I do have the muffs with me when I'm out, but try not to overprotect. The sound sensitivity can vary from day-to-day; this past week, with the Fourth of July celebrations in the states, I protected more because of the fireworks, crowds, loud parades, etc. (I did not attend any of those events but there were more people, cars, motorcycles, etc. in the streets than usual, and during the fireworks I wound up using the earmuffs in the house because I live quite near where they were being shot off.) The last two times I used a vacuum cleaner I also used muffs. I'm really trying not to overdo it, though, but if my body sense is telling me to protect around something then I do it, even if it's for less than a minute. It's tough to know sometimes when it's necessary and when it isn't. This is the learning curve, I guess!

Mystery Reader

 

If a hover is a vacuum, which is really weird I voted yes to that. I'll never use a vacuum in my life again without hearing protection and I don't think I'll let my kids do that either.

I don't go to restaurants but if I did I would wear plugs and leave if the music was too loud. I wouldn't leave after 1/2 hr or an hr I'd leave right away. I went to one restaurant and left within 5 minutes of the music starting even with plugs on.

I live on a main road and I wear 32 db ear plugs whenever I'm in the front half of my yard close to the road.

My wife works from home with her iphone on speaker and really loud. I wear muffs when I walk into the room with that racket going. That noise bothered me before t as well.

I haven't gone to a movie since t, 4 months, and I miss them. I don't see myself going to a movie anytime soon.

I was at a park the other day eating lunch and a group of 6-7 yr old kids walked by. I put my ear muffs on before they got to me just in case. Once I knew the group dynamic I took them off.

I haven't used a lawn mower since t and I miss it. If someone is mowing my lawn I wear muffs when walking outside the house. I've used an electric drill briefly a few times with plugs and muffs. I have an impact drill but don't want to use it because of the impact feature.

The first month or two I would wear plugs for the check out at the grocery store. I've been doing ok with that as of late.

Ear muffs go on for low flying planes too.

 

@housemzk

I don't know your situation but you should consider putting, "I'm available." in big letters on the side of your ear muffs. It might start some good conversations if you're looking for one.

I drive with ear muffs on and get an occasional stare as well. Sometimes I forget I have the muffs on and can't figure out why someone is staring at me.

 

Loud music could be interpreted as abit vague for some people , what do you consider loud ?

 

For the most part I try not to protect my ears unless I know it's damaging. So lawn mower, chainsaw and so on.

 

I selected a few of the choices, but I am also very vigilant about protecting my ears from loud ambulance, police and fire sirens. I carry earplugs all the time. I wouldn't go to the movies, or a loud concert, even with plugs.

 

For the most part, I don’t use ear protectors like ear muffs to reduce external sounds. I have hearing aids with a masker built in. Some sounds like airplanes or vacuum machines actually are soothing to me; I suppose because they are similar to sounds built into my masker.

Sudden unexpected noises that I don’t anticipate startle me such as a horn honking or someone putting away dishes as they clang together but those are hard to protect against.

I voted for children screaming. That will actually cause me physical pain. I think it’s because the frequency is to close to the frequency of my tinnitus. My audiologist thinks the new hearing aids with the notch therapy will help that. In the meantime, I either kill the amplification and increase the masker volume or simply leave the room.

 

There are some ridiculously quiet electric mowers out there! I measured my neighbors out mowing and it was <60 db

 

The sounds that really get to me are high-pitched sounds. I am so scared of those high pitched tones that blast you when you open a door. I was dealing with my T quite well until one of those doors blasted me and I got all these TTTS symptoms. Now high-pitched sounds that didn't bother me before have become intolerable.

 

Friggin motorcycles

 

The poll is looking great..
keep it going a few more days...
love glynis

 

I think sounds above 80dBA need to have a time value associated and it depends how much above 80 we’re talking. For example, I don’t wear earplugs when I’m in London, because the noise is fleeting and I’m only on the street for maybe 30 minutes at a time. However, if I was in a place where it was continuously at 80dBA or above (like a factory, or a party, etc) and I was going to be there a while then I will put my plugs in without question.

If the noise is well above 80dB and fleeting like a passing ambulance or something I cover my ears.

Noise is damaging as more time is spent in it, when it’s borderline - like 81dBA for example - it takes a lot of time to become a major issue.

In real terms, I rarely protect on a day to day basis. I put my muffs on when mowing the lawn or using power tools and I plug up at parties and events. I no longer sweat the small stuff and to say I have improved is an understatement. No more spikes everytime somebody drops something or a door slams, etc.

 

I am trying to do the same Ed. I really think it is the way to go and that would definitely improve my wellbeing. I really have some efforts to do though. I am very often on the lookout when I walk in the streets, I often think "what if this car honks? what if that biker revs up his engine? what if this balloon pops?", that is true that wearing earplugs can provide peace of mind in that regard.
I want to avoid it though, I need more confidence in my ability to withstand noises such as a honk or a motorbike passing. I still "sweat the small stuff" as you say and would like to change my behaviour and state of mind. I was not so worried before... Not sure why I changed with the years. It is a huge source of stress in my life, more than the tinnitus itself.

 

I still get that to some degree, but it’s no longer incapacitating me. I don’t think I’ll ever be completely normal again around noise. However, a while back it was crippling me; all the anxiety over what sounds I needed to avoid, etc. I realised that a big part of my problem was me and my newly remodelled thought processes towards sound. A lot of stuff was causing me problems, because I had been conditioned to believe that it should, which was triggering a real physiological response.

Noise can be bad for our ears but so can an overactive nervous system. We all have to find the line at which our environment becomes legitimately dangerous (and fairly high risk), and then take appropriate action.

It’s hard.

 

I’ll take a look at some cheers man.

 

Can I have two ticks for screaming children?

 

The poll is going really well .
I expected roughly the same results and can see most people whom did the poll did not tick to wear plugs all the time indoors or outdoors so clearly judeging well for themselves what sounds they feel better around.

Some people feel they need to protect their ears around sounds lower than 80db and that could because they have Hyperacusis or ther ears are telling them by pain or spikes they need protect their ears at a lower db and that is fine but remember ears need sound so becareful not make them extra sensitive and yourselves are the best at judging that.

love glynis

 

Snap. My daughter’s scream is off the charts when she goes for it now and I look after her all morning and afternoon. Hooray for me

I love her too much to care though

 

@Ed209.
Got my 11month old grandson all this week and next as his childminder is on holiday so hubby has him while I do my tittle job.
I have him tomorrow as want take the older one the cinema.
Baby can't talk yet but can squeal loud.
I break up from work next Friday and have 6-7 weeks off and will be looking after my two little grandsons as well as walking next doors dogs whom bark when see me..
joys of life and tinnitus doesn't stand a chance to have time tune in to it..
Will be going away for a week also.
love glynis

 

I hate vacuuming now even with ear muffs.. last time I got a multi-day spike, so I use a broom at my house a lot more. I also am not a big fan of hair clippers since they get right next to your ears... I've learned to cut my hair just with scissors, takes forever though!

Cars and especially motorcycles are so ridiculously loud.. have to keep protection with me whenever I'm near a street. Low flying airplanes are also pretty bad, as well as trains. My grocery store is near an airport and a train station, plus I ride my bike there so I'm exposed to all the passing cars.. definitely have to protect my ears! I usually wear muffs in the grocery store too.. in general it's not too loud there but some of the machines buzzing and humming can be annoying, and when people get on the PA it's all bad.

I used to have to avoid all music even at very low levels, thankfully now I can handle it at moderate levels even without protection. You never realize how much music is out there until you're afraid of it. Still can't handle it much louder than 50-60db though. I don't like being anyplace with large speakers, weather that is a music hall or a movie theater.

Barking dogs was something not on the list which will make me protect with a quickness, especially yappy high pitched ones.

Really any kind of prolong sounds above 60-70db and I'm probably going to be at least wishing I had my muffs. Maybe I rely on them too much but I've slowly been weaning myself from them at least