Should I Go and Watch the Fight Tonight?

Had tinnitus for about 6 weeks now, during that time I've done nothing but go to work and come home in fear of making my tinnitus loud - Although it's still got louder anyway. It's gone from a 1 to a 5 due to a fire alarm at work going off but anyway that's happened now.

Do I go to the pub tonight with all my friends to watch the boxing? It will be very loud and very busy. I'm sick of doing nothing in fear of making my t worse and it still worsening anyway. I feel like I'm not living my life properly but I don't want to do anything that can make it worse. I have 27 db earplugs but I don't know if it will enough....

Only 19.... Could have another 60 years of this ahead of me now. Sigh....

 

Go and have fun.
Keep noise reduction plugs with you.
Love glynis

 

Why take the risk? There is a small chance that by going to that pub today, you will increase the volume at which you will be listening to your tinnitus for the next 60 years. The risk is not worth it. My rule of thumb - if there is any chance that something will make T worse, don't do it.

 

It's too early for you. Stay away from loud sounds for at least 6 months, then go and get some custom plugs for loud events.

 

If you are going to go, make sure to take your ear plugs. Your level is at 1-5 right now, damaging the ears can increase the level of the tinnitus. Yes, you are 19 and its horrible, but its life. You have to protect your ears and try to not increase your tinnitus (if,possible)

Bars, pubs are pretty loud. So, be careful

 

Lol almost anything can make T worse so if that's your rule of thumb you will have a very miserable life.

I don't know how loud the bar will be, but with 27db ear plugs it seems rather safe to me. If it still feels too loud, just leave the place .

 

Doing nothing in 6 months and going to a loud pub to start again.

It's a bit illogical. Get your life back step by step.

You "don't want to do anything that can make it worse" : you're not ready for the loud pub now.

 

Loud noises are more likely to make T worse than other random things.

 

I would go but bring a decibel meter which you can put on your phone. If it feels too loud, leave.

Having T is a definite adjustment. You will very quickly learn what your limits are. Just be careful about pushing the envelope too far.

 

When I first had t I had a wind like howling noise when I hear certain noises but when it's quiet or I plug my ears I didn't hear it which went anyway after a week or two.

After going to a very loud bar on Saturday (with earplugs) the noise seems to of came Back and it's driving my crazy. Unlike my regular t I can't mask it as noises makes it louder and I hear the noise day to day unlike my regular t. The loudest thing in the bar was the shouting and cheering at the boxing. I shouldn't of gone but I thought with earplugs I'd be fine...

 

Are you referring to my post? If so, I didn't propose doing "nothing" for 6 months. By avoiding loud sounds for 6 months I mean no bars, clubs or gigs. I takes time for ears to heal, and 6 weeks are way to early to go to a noisy bar (even with earplugs). I don't believe in over protection, but some activities are just waaay to loud if you are new to T.

 

Newbies with T often come here for advice like: "T for 6 weeks, can I go to a bar/club?" It surprises me that people with experience says it will be okay "just bring earplugs". Sigh...

The ears need to rest, and yeah it sucks. But you can do all those loud things later, with custom made earplugs. Hopefully, this spike will pass. Take care of your ears and take NAC.

 

Six weeks sorry, was referring to the OP post.

 

It depends on the person. For some people it's okay. Certain bars are ok for me to go to if I use plugs. Up until recently, even some clubs were ok for me to go to with earplugs. Everyone has a different tolerance level, and clearly the OP has found his.

 

After avoiding loud noises for the past 2 months, I decided to vacuum my house today. I wore an earplug in my bad ear. I also wore Bose noise-cancelling headphones. After spending only a couple of minutes vacuuming two rooms, I stopped. I am now experiencing a spike. I am definitely feeling worse compared to how I felt yesterday... So the rule of thumb really ought to be - if there is a chance it can make T worse and you can avoid doing it - don't do it.

 

better use peltor x5 earmuffs

 

All I got from this thread was "don't do anything you love ever again"

 

... because you are not going to love what comes next, and that part of it can last a lifetime."

 

O' god my vacuum cleaner is over 90 db, which is loud when you have T and H. I put on earplugs and earmuffs when using it.

I used a sawzall yesterday and I put in earplugs and wore my peltor x5's over them. I'm not sure if that was a good idea because it still spiked my tinnitus. I hate not being able to use power tools almost as much as I hate not being able to go to most restaurants and movies. I'm a DIY person, but this condition prevents me from being able to do a lot of things.

 

I am freaking out... Every time it spikes, you never know whether it will ever get better. I should have asked on this forum, before using that vacuum cleaner. My peltor earmuffs are in the mail, I am so mad at myself for not waiting to get them, before vacuuming...

 

I'm also a power tool guy and I wear muffs, you can wear plugs and muffs for extra protection. I find that I do sometimes spike after running the lawn mower but it's only temporary. Part of habituation for me is to continue to do what I have always done. Even with no tinnitus and normal hearing, wearing protection with the lawn mower is a good idea.

 

To be fair, I've had tinnitus for 16 months now and have gotten numerous spikes. They have all settled down after a few days or a week at most for me, and I don't worry about spikes anymore. Now if it was an obvious severe acoustic trauma like my original one or a loud new tone then I might be freaking out.

 

Whilst i do agree, everyone has different limits. You

Well that depends on the individuals tolerance level. I have never had a problem vacuuming and that is without plugs in for example.

 

As you try to determine your own limit, eventually you will do something that exceeds the limit. You may regret exceeding the limit...

I am already regretting it. I am typing this as I am waiting for Ativan to kick in...

 

Try to determine? I have had this for 4 years and its stayed pretty much the same.

 

Nah... Just be careful in the beginning but don't let anxiety rule. T can spike from low-moderate sounds in the beginning (mine did). Now I can be in a busy restaurant without having a spike. It's a relief. I plan to get back to concerts and clubs, just not right now.

 

False alarm - the spike seems to be over now.

 

Thing is I'm not sure people take the right kind of plugs. For loud bar you absolutly need PROPERLY INSERTED foam ear plugs or custom ones that have 30+ dB reduction. All those reusable ones with NRR of around 10-15 dB are not enough. And of course take NAC and Magnesium.
If the bar doesn't have music playing at more than 75 dB you shoud not have a permanent increase in T with the protection I mentioned above. People cheering shouldn't be a problem either.

 

I also have loads of spikes from moderate sounds and they always pass. I already went to crowded bars and house parties with music at 90 dB with foam ear plugs and the spikes always subside in two days max.

 

I don't think I've ever been to a bar where the music playing was LESS than 75 db. 85-95 db seems to be the norm. As for large groups of people yelling and screaming, that can very easily go over 100 db especially in a confined space.