headaches set off by noise

[Kathleen_Mc]

I am wondering if anyone else has this issue. My headaches greatly increase when exposed to excessive noise. The major problem is my work envirnoment. I go to wrok fine and by 9 am, depending on who my co-workers are, I have a major headache that greatly improves once leaving work....the cause of the noise is "yaky" loud co-workers who sit and chat all day in the nursing station which is where I need to be to do documentation. I'm just wondering if anyone else has this problem. You would think with my being half deaf I could tolerate a lot of noise more than someone with two working ears but I find it's just the opposite. I went to my boss to complain yesterday.....after all we accomidate people with health issues such as back injuries, allergies etc (not lifting for the back folks, can't wear perfume and can't eat peanuts at work) so in my view there shouldn't be excessive noise either to accomidate me.
Thought?
Kathleen

[Omaschwannoma]

Hi Kathleen,

Curious as to whether you find excessive noise elswhere besides work.  I found the HomeDepot, grocery store loudspeaker systems, music in some mall stores, my convertible with top up, traffic on wet roads as I'm walking, some restaurants, my workplace (the gym) to be very noisy.  I bought earplug to combat the (what I percieve as loud) noise and it works great to keep me more focused, more calm, better balance as wind really sends me off stumbling.   I did find a decrease in headaches as my shoulders were no longer attached to my earlobes (muscle induced headache).  BUT, I just recently paid a visit to my ENT for problems with my good ear.  I was feeling alot of fullness and it was leaking.  He found wax was impacted due to the type of earplug (swimmers).  His recommendation was custom fitted, musicians type plug.  Also he recommended another hearing test for documentation as he wants to keep "eye" on my good ear.  Unfortunately, my ear is still full and constantly ringing and his dx for this is "sympathetic response" to the surgery.  So apparently nothing can be done?  The audiologists upon testing had mentioned I might be experiencing hyperacusis and did not recommend my being fitted for the custom plug, as the wearing of an earplug will increase my problem with noise.  Instead it was recommended I undergo TRT therapy (Tinnitus Retraining Therapy) at a whopping cost of $4500.00!!!!!  I politely said I would think about this and "Could I still have my plug?" 

So, long story short, in the meantime I'm taking my earplug out in some of these environments now and I can tolerate them much better, but I wonder what it would be like hours on end?  I do think (my opinion) the initial wearing of my plug one year after surgery has helped; now to see if I can be in more noisy enviornments for longer periods of time is another thing.  I'm heading back to audiologists soon to pick up my plug and give them my final answer on TRT, also I'll be asking more questions regarding doing nothing. 

[jerseygirl]

Kathleen,

I can absolutely relate because I have the same thing going on. I found out that my headaches in loud environments are related to tension, so if I cannot remove myself from the situation, a quick neck massage and/or half an aspirin help a lot. Another source of headaches is when people talk very softly on my deaf side and I strain to hear. This is frequently the case when women in my town gossip and I try to stay abreast of the news. You can't win being single sided deaf - headaches galore!

                                                          Eve

[tony]

Sadley you are absolutely right
- SSD means your brain has to concentrate more to make sense
of the noise - this takes more effort -so  more fatigue
and sadley headaches or maybe even louder tinnitus noises
are almost a cert
Maybe investigate a quieter room to work ?
so you only have to concentrate on the ONE job in hand ?
or maybe try a hearing aide in the good side - but switched off
(I guess full ear defenders might look a bit anti-social ?)
I find all these overwork issues can be managed
so long as you know the cause and the remedy
Best Regards
Tony

[Kathleen_Mc]

I had thought of wearing a plug in my good ear or my cross aids and keeping them turned off but the problem with that is if I'm in the office and a patient is calling for help I might not hear.....can't count on my peers to respond either 'cause they are too busy "catting" to bother themselves with nursing.
My boss suggested I remove myself for charting so I can concentrate but there comes the problem that if my patient's need me there's no gaurentee that my peers will help them or come to get me.
The day after this post I went to work and spoke to my peers during report and explained the situation and asked that they keep is down and respect my disability (used that work 'cause they have to). That day was a little quieter but we'll see if it lasts.
Thanks everyone
Kathleen

[kippy6]

Kathleen,

---I never had a problem with headaches until starting a month or so ago... I'd have an occasional headache before that, but now I have one every day. Didn't used to be that way. I don't understand why it's happening now. I know exactly what you mean by your topic "headaches set off by noise."

---Before and after my surgery, I was in contact with a really nice AN person who helped me out and gave me some great recommendations. One of the things he recommended was that I get a Musician's Ear piece from my ENT's audiologist. This is an ear piece for your HEARING EAR, but it blocks out unwanted loud sounds/noise. It is wonderful!! And for what it does, it's really not that expensive -- it's under $100...maybe around $75... don't remember, sorry. Anyway, the audiologist pours a mold in your ear, and send it off so that it will custom fit your ear canal. I received my ear piece in my mailbox in about 1 week.

You can buy filters to place inside of the ear piece. I purchased two filters. One filter is for loud noise, like concerts (in my case football games w/excited fans, or even church b/c sometimes the music gets kind of loud.). The other filter blocks out some noise, but still allows you to have a conversation with someone. I've used it some since I got it, but I'm using it much more often now. And sometimes at home, if I feel a headache coming on, I just put that in, and it does help some.

[mema]

Kathleen,                                                                                                                                                                               

Your the first post I read that explains the musicians earplug.  I have chronic headaches and like others noises especially where the ceilings are high like church, home depot , department stores etc. I  Have problems.  I tried regular ear plugs and actually got an earache from them.  I went to a football game after my radiaition and ended up putting tissues in my ears and sat holding my hands to my ears the whole time.  Figured I'd never go to another football game.   Maybe I should look into musician earplugs.  (I thought they were something you bought at a music store).  Not something that was fitted for you.                                                               


                                                                                        mema

[mema]

Kippy,                                                                                                                                                                                   

Meant that last post for you!                                                                                                                                                     




                                        mema