Spike Triggered by Loud Noises in Underground Garage

[PeteJ]

I'm spiking really badly from it, and I'm not even sure what they did, but it was two really loud thumping noises.

The first one happened when I was inside a friend's car. I had to get out because they parked in a really narrow parking space. I had my earplugs in and was walking away quickly, and then the same sound happened again. I spiked after that second one.

I'm wondering if this is going to be a temporary spike. I honestly can't take this anymore. I already have severe tinnitus, and I was reading some posts about someone complaining of a loud car horn in a garage. There was no follow-up though. Anyway, all our ears are different, but maybe there's some kind of pattern or tendency. I'm not sure of the decibel level, but it seemed pretty loud. I often have my earmuffs with me, but I didn't this time.

I'm not going back into that garage again, and I need to remember my earmuffs. I was carrying them often because of fire alarms in my building. In fact, if I compare this spike to anything, it feels pretty similar to spikes I've had when a fire alarm went off in my apartment. Those are sudden, unexpected, and unplanned, sometimes waking me up in the middle of the night. My spikes from those usually went down, at least as far as I know, but I do believe I've gotten worse from one of them at some point. My tinnitus has definitely gotten much worse since I first developed it.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar in underground garages? The worst thing about them is the enclosed space and how the sounds echo. I'm freaking out. I know people say not to be anxious since it doesn't help, but I can't help it. I'm really anxious and very worried. I hope I can read a reply soon.

 

[Maruashen]

Hi Pete,

To help calm you down, it seems that most of these encounters usually last only a few days to a week or so. We're all in the same boat. It often feels like the reaction to the sound is even worse than any actual damage it might have caused, right?

Sometimes I feel like my reaction to a sound is far worse than the sound itself, especially if it's a sudden noise I didn't anticipate at all.

 

[orenge01]

I'm sorry this happened to you, man. Spikes suck, but they usually get better within a few weeks.

Personally, I'm going through a spike right now because I was doing a brief, uncomfortably loud task without hearing protection. I even had hearing protection in my pocket. I do not want to self-blame, but damn, that was not smart in any way.

Anyway, I hope your spike gets better as soon as possible. It really sucks. It sucks even more that we have to go through this condition being so careful and on our toes with the smallest step, just to avoid another spike. I cannot put into words how tiring that is.

But I wish you all the best, man.