Should I be doing anything shortly after ear damage?

[deadtomorrow]

I recently went on a chainsaw course but my ear protection was about 30db below the level of the chainsaw noise. I think the ear protection was 90db, while the chainsaw noise was 115db. I was using the chainsaw for a few hours on and off for 4 days in the same week. Since then, I've noticed my tinnitus seems to be worse - I'm noticing it all the time now, where I only noticed it every now and then before.

I think I've damaged my ears this year from loud machinery and as the chainsawing was only recent, a month ago, I'm worried if I should be doing something to protect my ears to try and minimise any damage. I've gone to my GP and they've referred me but I won't get an appointment for months, so I don't have any advice. I'd hate it if I should have been in more silence or something now while the ears might be more vulnerable but didn't know.

Any help would be gratefully received as I'm really worried.

Is there any guidance for trying to block out the ringing mentally too? I think because I'm worried aobut it, I'm focussing on it more, making it worse. But I feel pretty sad that even when I'm outside, I hear ringing all the time instead of the wind and birds and things.

[Happyrosie]

Two issues here I think.Firstly, do you think you have in face suffered an industrial injury? Did the course leader explain about noise and tinnitus?

Please go to the website of the British Tinnitus Association and read what they say about noise - this should clarify things for you I think.

Yes, focussing on the T makes it worse - you’ll read about this on the website I’ve talked about.

It might be a good idea to give their helpline a ring, the people there are knowledgeable and helpful and really know what tinnitus is all about.

[deadtomorrow in reply to Happyrosie]

Thanks Rosie, I think yes I have because I asked if my ear protectors were enough, but it seems they weren't. But I'm not really in the mindset for doing anything legal - I know I could but what's done is done, I'd prefer to concentrate on limiting any damage and also reducing how noticeable it is to me. I know not everyone would feel like that but people make mistakes.

[Happyrosie in reply to deadtomorrow]

I understand. So, have a look at that website and maybe the helpline, and then come back here with some more queries.You have a very supportive group of people on here who understand what a problem T is.

[Hidden]

Hi there deadtomorrow , as happyrosie said, I would give our website a look at - tinnitus.org.uk/noise-and-t....

When we experience loud noises, like chainsaws, we can sometimes shock our auditory system which can cause our tinnitus to spike (temporary increase). Spikes in tinnitus are very common and are typically motivated by changes in our wellbeing or concerns about our health - in this case whether you've damaged your ears. Normally these spikes in tinnitus do reduce with time, but we do recommend that individuals experiencing increase in the tinnitus see their doctor, which I am glad to read you have done.

Its great that you've been provided with a referral, as this appointment will hopefully answer any questions you may have and address any concerns regards hearing loss or damage to your ears. However, I do appreciate that this appointment is quite far away, so in the meantime it may be worth having a look on our website regards the advice offered for hearing loss and the techniques which can help with tinnitus spikes - tinnitus.org.uk/tinnitus-an... and tinnitus.org.uk/what-can-i-...

If you are worried or have any additional questions, your more then welcome to give us a call on 0800 018 0527 and we will be happy to have a chat with you to offer some more information and advice

[TinnitusUKPat Partner]

Hi DT.

I think I would say that any hearing protection is better than none, so the odds of you having done serious damage will have been mitigated by the defenders that you were wearing.

Noise exposure levels and the ear are never quite as clear-cut as we read about on the internet - as well as the decibel level of the device or the situation that we are in, we need to take into consideration the amount of time that we were exposed to a source of noise, whether that exposure was constant or more intermittent (as you note in your original post), the proximity to the source of noise...

There's a fair bit to take into account, and not everyone will have had the same exposure level, for the same period of time, in the same setting.

I can certainly imagine that anyone's existing tinnitus might spike in a noisy setting over a period of days, but the longer that you are away from that course environment, the better the chance is that whatever change has occurred to motivate this increase in your tinnitus - noise exposure, anxiety, stress - should reduce.

This is a one-off situation, which you're not likely to repeat for a while (and you now have some good ideas about hearing protection to take with you to any future course).

[deadtomorrow in reply to TinnitusUKPat]

Thank you, this is reassuring - I hope so with the protection. It's hard to find online how decibels work wth dfferent levels of protecton