Originally Posted by
livedarklions
Honest question since I'm lucky enough never to have experienced this--do you think that tinnitus makes sirens more or less harmful to your hearing, or does it have any relevance to it at all?
I'd almost wonder if you weren't at greater risk for noise induced hearing loss because you might be less likely to notice how loud the sound was given the baseline level of internally generated noise you're constantly putting up with.
Sirens are bad for anyone's hearing. The difference is that with certain types of chronic tinnitus, the resulting hearing damage is accompanied by more ringing in the ears.
I am not sure I understand your second point. The ringing is not loud enough to drown out a siren. Its not like I am functionally deaf. Loud still sounds loud. If anything, I am MORE aware of loudness than most people due to my being acutely aware of the damage that it causes. I'm the first one to stick earplugs in on a long drive or when hearing loud music. But I would not even THINK about wearing them when riding a bike. No way.