Spike Reassurance

Hi guys,

Despondent and anxious and could do with some soothing words.

Attended a wedding recently (as we know these can be noisy). I stayed largely away from the dancefloor and had some earplugs in. You did, however, have to move near to the dancefloor to enter and leave the venue. I did this several times at on one occasion the sound volume reached 107db! Measured using the decibel 10 app on my phone, but could tell it was loud from the vibrating bass!

This spun me into anxiety, which I am sure you can all understand. Since then I have been experiencing different tones - there is now this humming sound present, as though someone is using a hand dryer nearby. There can also be loud rings and a kind of screaming sound. The thing is though, when I enter quiet spaces, these sounds are not really present, or nowhere near as loud as I think they are in louder environments.

Does anyone experience these kind of phantom sounds (my tinnitus is also present, the hissing and morse code ring, but that doesn't seem to bother me much anymore)? Do they go away and does anyone have any advice? I have slipped into the old behaviours of monitoring and listening out for it, but this seems to offer no comfort. I cant seem to stop replaying the exposure over and over and thinking of things that I should have done differently. As we as trying to calm myself by saying I should be alright form that exposure, given the small time exposed and the presence of earplugs, but I still hear and listen out for the sounds!

Kind regards and any help appreciated!

Thanks guys!!!!!

 

Do you think it was a mistake attending that wedding?

 

I think it was a mistake attending, possibly, but definitely a mistake to enter that venue, even to go to a quieter room.

Really panicked and distressed now. Cant help thinking that my life is over. Cant seem to calm down and I am just constantly listening for it. Miserable cycle. I do not know what to do.

 

Keep in mind that temporary spikes often last weeks or months. So wait a month or two before assuming this spike is permanent. In addition - usually T changes a lot between the onset and the time when it becomes chronic and stops changing. So chances are the sounds you are hearing now are not the sounds you will be stuck with. If it doesn't go away, it might fade, eventually.

 

Check out
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/poll-how-long-was-your-longest-spike.22099/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/poll-how-long-do-your-tinnitus-spikes-usually-last.23110/

 

How long were you near loud music? I think it will take some time but it will go away. for me it took 3-4 months and i know it took other people some time as well.

If you can please keep us posted and let us know how you are doing. Bill and I keep telling people to stay away from these types of noises but lot of people don't agree and they feel they will be ok. They can do what ever they want but i feel if it is going to cause torture to some people i feel its our obligation to warn people of these type of loud noises.

All the best and just know that for many people spike does subside.

For me no matter what I will not go to such events. I just hope i don't get stuck in a place where there is loud music.

 

I was exposed to the really, really loud (107db) sound for around 2-3 minutes in total, and spent around an hour in the room next to the dancefloor, which varied in volume from 90-95db. I had some earplugs in, but the bass was loud and you could feel it moving through the floor.

Praying that this spike goes away. The anxiety resulting from it is unbearable and is putting a strain on everything. Just cant concentrate on anything but this. Listening to air raid sirens on youtube to try and clear the mind...nothing like an air raid siren to take the edge off...

 

I'm the same have a christening to attend this Saturday with a party after with music in a small pub right now my T is being the effin monster after being quiet yesterday

 

What do you think? The anxiety of the situation makes it worse? Anticipating it makes it worse?

 

Anxiety will make it worse. As does the anticipation of something bad (which is what I believe you are referring to, the anticipation of the problems that may arise form attending).

You have to protect your hearing, but you also do not want to stop living your life. If you know the people hosting the event, let them know of your concerns. I would think that any decent human being would be glad to try to accommodate such a situation. They may not be able to cancel the music, but I have never been to any such event where there gusts have said "I wish the music was louder", it is usually the opposite, guest complaining that they cannot carry on a conversation over the music, and as I know no one else with tinnitus (that I am ever in the same physical space with), tinnitus is not a factor in those comments. And, if they are unwilling to turn the music down, and you do not feel that your hearing protection (earplugs) will be sufficient, then you may have to skip the event.

I certainly do not advocate closing yourself down and removing yourself from life events, but your first priority should be taking care of yourself. I would hope that anyone who likes you enough to invite you to such an event would be willing to make such a minor accommodation so that you can attend.

There is an old saying "Worrying is like running in place, it gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere". Worrying (or being anxious about something) does not fix the problem, it does not make it go away, it neither causes it to happen or causes it to not happen; it just makes you upset, miserable, and wastes your time.

I know it is far easier for me to say this than it is for you to do it (and trust me, I worry all the time about stuff I know I should not), but try not to worry. It is good that you are aware of the potential risks, but just take the necessary steps to protect yourself and then try to not worry, feel secure in your preparation and try to enjoy the event.

 

So next door was loud because bass was traveling through the walls ?
I think 2-3 mins in the main dance floor Is not bad . I believe from my past experience Your spike will subside

 

Yes, the main dancefloor room was next door to the quieter room where I spent most of the time. In this adjacent room, the noise on my phone app was 90-95db, when drunken idiots were shouting it went up to 103, but you could still feel the bass from the dancefloor next door. I had to walk past the dance room (whose door was open) to get in and out of the venue. This is where I was exposed to the loud noise of 107db! This was for around 2 or 3 mins standing around to get in and out of the main venue. Hoping it subsides. Feel guilty and anxious and depressed about it, as I wore earplugs, but still seem to have this spike!

Thrown me into such a tailspin. What with my own wedding coming up, I could really od with focusing on that rather than this!

 

What earplug were you wearing?

 

Thank you very much for your detailed reply. Regarding the anxiety, I mean as soon as I was exposed to the loud noise, I began thinking negatively about it...'tinnitus will get worse', 'you will not be able to cope with it', 'this is it' kind of thinking. I then began seeing quiet spaces to listen out for it and monitor it and have been stuck hearing it and thinking about it and obsessing over it ever since.

To the pint where I can now hear imagined noises/noises which are not as loud when heard in quiet environments. This has caused additional worry and distress which currently seems inescapable and worries me everytime I hear them.

I think people are generally decent, although not many people understand/do not seem to think that the noise is that loud. For people without tinnitus, it seems as though it has to be monstrously loud before they even think it is abnormal. There were two other guys attending who also had plugs in, but they had foam and wax plugs in and went to the dancefloor relatively frequently.

I literally passed the floor for 2 or 3 minutes,so I am hoping this dies down and it mostly anxiety related.

 

What type of plugs did you have ?

 

I have the er-25s, although these are old, have been worn frequently and possible require replacing.

I have tested them since, using ambient noise and putting them in and out, and they do offer some protection - I just doubt that they offer the 25db that they once did/my hearing is more sensitive than it used to be

 

I think since you were in dance floor for 2-3 mins , it will subside .
Next time use foam plugs .

Just try and relax . Most these type spike subside . I know it's easy for me to say right now and I panick like crazy when I have spike .
I have read many many post on such things and I have had spike after loud music events, and it subsides most of the time .
You were smart enough not to stay on dance floor . Maybe it will take 2-3 months so try to tough it out . I am glad white noise is helping you .

 

Are foam plugs more effective than other types?

So hard to tough it out with it constantly following you around. I hope to either get used to it, or to have it leave. The anxiety as a result of it is awful and becomes its own problem. Thanks for the kind words. I am unsure if I will attend any other events like this again. Just does not seem worthwhile, despite people saying you should live your live. Nothing is worth the sacrificing peace of mind, as this does.

 

Yes LOT more effective . Try hearos 33 dB plugs ( they are blue in color )

 

Thanks for the heads up. I will look into these!

Cheers for the help and advice man. You reckon this spike will subside if I just begin to focus less on it?

 

No problem man ..yes , by focusing less and keeping white noise on so you can be distracted . You will be ok with time..key is give your self time .

 

The Decibel 10 app is consistently 10 to 15 decibels higher than other meters I have checked. If the music stayed at 107 dB for three minutes or more then everyone there would have hearing loss. There's a good possibility it was loud but not to a point that would give everyone there hearing loss.

Anxiety can definetly spike T. I know for me personally, it truly drives my tinnitus louder.

 

Hi, thank you so much for getting in touch and saying that. Hoping it is mostly anxiety, but it seems so odd that anxiety can make you hear odd phantom noises. My hissing and ringing is the same level, but there is this new humming which is really distressing but and taking my attention.

Can you tell me whether you tried the decibel 10 app on iPhone and what you tested it against? Keen to know if it is incorrect.

 

Hand held meter is lot more accurate . iPhone app is just way too off .

 

Off as in states the noise to be of a higher or lower volume, or just off in general?

You take a hand held metre around with you?

 

Phone app shows higher reading .
I stopped going to ALL loud events ( yes I am a boring guy now lol ).

Loudest place I go to would be a loud restaurant with no music .i wear foam plugs .

 

Trust me on this one ..your spike will subside . Give some time .
I have had similar spike in last 6-7 years and they all subsidesd . I have read many many post about people who had noise exposure like you and I carefully watched out and almost all mentiond that spike subsided or T volume because less ( I forget this when I have spike and it's easy for me to lecture you now )

 

I am more boring than you, Sean. The loudest place I go to is a supermarket. Those metal shopping carts are nemeses.

 

I have a similar problem when i drive my car I pick out random tones and wonder if my T has suddenly gotten louder only to discover its still the base line pitch it settled into since about day three (I thought I had it again yesterday at home thinking I was hearing T, it made me feel all creeped out, this new spooky oddly dull pitched, unfamiliar tone until I realised somebody had actually crashed their car up the street and the horn was sounding). Anyway, the problem is not which new sounds (real or phantom) you may or may not "hear", but your monitoring. Your anxiety is making you pick out these tones. Stop monitoring. Go and do something you enjoy, with friends or by your self, treat your self and forget about it. You'll find new sounds where ever you look for them. Stop looking.

 

This makes me feel slightly better!

Not boring at all. I largely sacrifice loud, loud events. These include concerts, most sporting events, night clubs and certain cinemas. Simply not worth the torture and anguish.