Super Loud Car Engine Revved Nearby, Covered My Ears with My Fingers — Could That Be Enough to Cause Damage?

[katekat]

Hi!

I hope it's okay for me to ask this here.

I think I developed tinnitus about eight months ago. At first I thought it was just electric sounds in my room, but after I went to the hearing doctor and got tested, I heard it crystal clear in the soundproof room. I was actually diagnosed with hyperacusis, and the doctors said I had some of the best hearing they had ever seen. But the tinnitus is straining my mental health noticeably, especially when it comes to sleep.

I cannot tell if it has gotten worse or if I am just more aware of it now. I can hear it over white noise while I sleep, and I notice it unless there is a lot of background noise. It is a very high-pitched ring.

I have become extremely aware of my ears and hearing as a result. It is certainly bordering on a phobia. I live in a loud city and usually wear earplugs when I go out. However, I lost my earplugs today and went out, and a car revved its engine loudly right next to me. It was extremely loud. After a second I covered my ears with my fingers, but I am not sure that helped.

I cannot tell if it is just paranoia, but my ears feel full and a bit strange now, and I am really noticing my tinnitus. It could just be me psyching myself out, but I am worried that I worsened the tinnitus or damaged my ears by being so close to the engine.

Someone please tell me I am being ridiculous!

 

[Sydnears]

Hi!

I hope it's okay for me to ask this here.

I think I developed tinnitus about eight months ago. At first I thought it was just electric sounds in my room, but after I went to the hearing doctor and got tested, I heard it crystal clear in the soundproof room. I was actually diagnosed with hyperacusis, and the doctors said I had some of the best hearing they had ever seen. But the tinnitus is straining my mental health noticeably, especially when it comes to sleep.

I cannot tell if it has gotten worse or if I am just more aware of it now. I can hear it over white noise while I sleep, and I notice it unless there is a lot of background noise. It is a very high-pitched ring.

I have become extremely aware of my ears and hearing as a result. It is certainly bordering on a phobia. I live in a loud city and usually wear earplugs when I go out. However, I lost my earplugs today and went out, and a car revved its engine loudly right next to me. It was extremely loud. After a second I covered my ears with my fingers, but I am not sure that helped.

I cannot tell if it is just paranoia, but my ears feel full and a bit strange now, and I am really noticing my tinnitus. It could just be me psyching myself out, but I am worried that I worsened the tinnitus or damaged my ears by being so close to the engine.

Someone please tell me I am being ridiculous!

You are probably overthinking this.

Go for a run, call a friend, or cook and enjoy a good healthy meal. You will be fine.

 

[Cirq]

Hi @katekat,

I only just now realized I had been experiencing hyperacusis, though it was never formally diagnosed. After a year with tinnitus, sounds that normally would not bother me were suddenly making life unbearable.

At first, I thought the electric sounds I was hearing were coming from my home. But when I went outside, I realized they were not. My hearing itself has not changed over the past three years, even with loud tinnitus, which was concerning at the time.

For some reason, after three years, things improved. Noise no longer bothers me, except for bass and vibration. I keep my Crusher Evo headphones handy. People around us don't know what we are going through. We don't have a big "T" on our chest. Maybe we should.

Sleep is difficult for most tinnitus sufferers, especially early on. I had taken Melatonin for years before tinnitus, but it didn't help once it started.

The best sleeping pill for me was Ambien, which is not available over-the-counter. It put me to sleep when I desperately needed it. During the first two weeks, I felt like I didn't sleep at all. I was a zombie, desperate for just a couple of hours of rest.

 

[katekat]

You are probably overthinking this.

Go for a run, call a friend, or cook and enjoy a good healthy meal. You will be fine.

Thanks, this made me feel better.

It's crazy how much worse it gets when I'm anxious. It goes from, "Oh yeah, that's there," to, "Oh my God, I'm going crazy!" Do you notice that with yours?

 

[Sydnears]

Thanks, this made me feel better.

It's crazy how much worse it gets when I'm anxious. It goes from, "Oh yeah, that's there," to, "Oh my God, I'm going crazy!" Do you notice that with yours?

Regularly. I swear it was louder last night after I ate two pieces of banana bread. The brain is unbelievable!

 

[katekat]

Regularly. I swear it was louder last night after I ate two pieces of banana bread. The brain is unbelievable!

I have had OCD on and off since I was a kid, and this sometimes feels just like that. Some nights I get caught up in an obsession with "monitoring" how loud it is, making sure it has not gotten worse. The more I obsess, the louder it feels, and then I obsess even more.

If I tell myself it will go away and that it is okay, and I focus on other things, I can go days without being bothered by it. It is so reassuring to realize my brain has so much control.

 

[Muggumbo]

We are all going to be exposed to loud sounds from time to time; it is simply the world we live in. Just try to minimize your exposure and protect your ears when it happens. I always keep earplugs in a small container on my keychain in case I need them.

If you do not notice any major change in your tinnitus within a day or two after the exposure, you will most likely be fine. I have had loud cars go by me, and I just try to cover my ears and move away from the noise. So far, I have not noticed any change after these exposures.