What Are Some Quiet Jobs? I Was Thinking of Working as White Water Rafting Guide

Hey all, I'm posting here because I'm still fairly new to tinnitus and could use some input on a decision I have to make soon. Last October I got tinnitus in my left ear and mild noise sensitivity in both ears. This was a result (probably) of going to a music festival and some other loud events all in the period of a week or two. I went to an ENT and tried Prednisone but that didn't do much. I've been slowly habituating to it until a week ago. I had a setback due to a dental cleaning where now there's a slight ringing in my right ear too as well as my left, and the left has increased in volume. Hopefully it isn't permanent.

I've been resting at my folks place and trying to take it easy to give me ears a chance to heal. But this summer I was planning on working as a white water rafting guide. At least that was my plan until I started having these ear problems. I've worked as a guide for the past few years now, and am just now starting to question whether doing it for another summer would be a bad decision or not. I'm stuck between wanting to give my ears a full chance to heal and just waiting it out indefinitely, but at some point I do feel like I want to try to move on with my life. I really want to go back to my old job because I have a good thing going out there with friends and my girlfriend but I just don't know if it's the best decision. The job definitely can be kinda loud, we're loading things on buses everyday and yelling at people while going down a roaring river, but I think I could wear earplugs for the most part, I'm not sure. What do y'all think? Is it a terrible idea to do that?

What are some jobs that don't have a lot of noise day in and day out cause at some point I will have to start making some kind of money.

 

On the one hand, I say it's a great idea because you're outdoors which for me is always good when dealing with tinnitus. On the other hand, it's loud at times which IMHO is not good for tinnitus. The question is whether you can wear earplugs while working as a guide? And is it enough? I will tell you from experience that for many tinnitus improves but for some it does not and actually gets worse. I'm proof of that.

 

Hmm, honestly it’s a tough call. River rafting is not that loud and it depends on how much you damaged your ears. If you have mild sensitivity you should be ok with earplugs in.

When I first got tinnitus in 2016 I spent a whole year laying low, playing video games, and going to the gym with an earplug in my bad ear. The tinnitus was like a 4 or 5 and the sensitivity or hyperacusis was like a 5 maybe. I only had it in one ear. After reading the horror stories here I decided to lay low and let my ears heal, I just graduated high school so I had time and no responsibilities. 9 months in the ringing faded to a hiss and the noise sensitivity got much better, I only felt discomfort to really loud noise, and loud crappy speakers.

This stuff can definitely improve a lot if you’re careful, I mean I got my life back. It was amazing.

Now I’m back here because in life shit happens. This time around my ears were much more damaged, but didn’t feel as bad at first, I didn’t have muffled hearing or any hearing loss. I told myself I’m an adult now, I have to work and live life, I can’t be a hermit again for a year, so I tried to keep doing stuff, thinking earplugs were enough. They weren’t, but only because I got pain hyperacusis. I knew the risks and did not think it could get this bad.

I would give it a try with earplugs and see how your ears feel. If your ears hurt and tinnitus spikes, then I would definitely stop. If your ears are ok, then keep doing it.

 

I'm ignorant about this, how does one develop hyperacusis? Is it something people develop later?

 

@Shelbylynn, for me personally, tinnitus and hyperacusis started together. In time, the hyperacusis subsided a bit but the tinnitus continued.