Tinnitus for most people is quite temperamental in nature. Its like it has its own personality. One of the scenarios that made my Tinnitus spike was the act of driving, particularly long-distance driving. Below, we shall learn more about why Tinnitus is aggravated by drives in your car and what you can do about it.
Why does driving or car traveling cause Tinnitus or ringing in the ears?
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First of all, please know that the reasons given below are all just plausible theories. There have been no scientific studies conducted on why driving causes or spikes Tinnitus or ringing in the ears. The information below is to just give you a way to try to decipher the cause-effect relationship between driving a vehicle and Tinnitus.
Loud noises while driving
Driving, especially on highways, is a noisy affair! On highways, you often exceed speeds of 75 MPH, resulting in noise levels that consistently reach over 75 decibels. Drive with the windows down or in an old car without a lot of sound proofing and you are easily exposing yourself to noise levels well over 80 decibels. As you might already know, prolonged exposure to noises over 80 decibels are definitely harmful to your ears, especially if you already have Tinnitus.
What can you do?
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Wear high fidelity ear plugs. These are also called musician’s ear plugs. Unlike foam ear plugs that just block out sounds, these ear plugs normalize sounds to manageable decibel levels. Besides keeping noise volume to safe levels that don’t spike your Tinnitus, these ear plugs also help you continue to listen to traffic sounds, ensuring uncompromised driving safety. You can learn more about high fidelity ear plugs in our Tinnitus ear plugs buying guide.
Many people who experience Tinnitus spikes after driving actually use noise canceling headphones while driving. This is not at all recommended as it severely compromises driving safety. You want to be able to listen to what’s happening around you, when you are doing 80 mph!
Changes in Elevation
You don’t always have to be 30,000 feet up in an airplane to feel your ears pop. Barometric or air pressure changes can affect ear pressure even on a long road trip. This is especially true when you are going up or down mountains or steep inclines. There’s actually a medical term for ear discomfort you feel when driving in the mountains. It’s called ear barotrauma.
So, if your road trips take you up and down mountains, you now know what caused your Tinnitus spike.
What can you do?
Yawning often is one of the easiest ways to equalize air pressure and your ear pressure. Fake yawning works just as well as the real thing. You can also try chewing on and swallowing small snacks to do what yawning does. You can also do what is called the Valsalva maneuver while driving. To do this maneuver, simply close your mouth and pinch your nose shut using your thumb and forefinger. Then, gently, attempt to blow through your nose as if your nostrils were open. This will help your eustachian tube equalize the pressure in your ears. You should not use force as excessive force can damage your ear drums. Whether its yawning, chewing, swallowing or the Valsalva maneuver, you must do it when your ears start to feel full or muffled on a drive.
Vibrations Affecting Hearing through Bone Conduction
Even the smoothest of drives comes with its share of vibrations. Mechanical vibrations resulting out of your vehicle rolling on the road can pass up into your ear, conducted by your bones. An animal study showed that constant vibrations definitely affected the inner hair cells found in rabbit ears, damaging them. As you might already know, your inner ear contains thousands of hair-like structures called cilia. Cilia can be damaged by vibrations conducted through the bones.
What can you do?
There’s not much you can do if you experience the usual level of vibrations you feel in an average car. However, if your vehicle’s vibrations are excessive, you can take a look at your tires. Get them rotated, aligned and also changed out if they are too old. Good tires can definitely reduce noise and also make your car drive much smoother, with less vibrations.
