Travel Tips

"The first thing I do after getting on a plane is to find two pillows; I recommend you do the same. Place one pillow in the small of your back and the other on your lap under your book or magazine. If you think that pillows will not be supplied, take along a sweater or compressible jacket to support your lower back. If possible, get up and walk around briefly every hour to prevent your back from becoming stiff and fatigued."

"In addition to the need for sufficient headroom, good support for the lower back is essential when you are driving. A firm, wedge-shaped back rest, or combination back and seat support, can usually be purchased where car accessories are sold. Most wedge-shaped back supports come with instructions to put the thinner edge on top. I advise my patients to do the reverse. Placing the thicker edge on top keeps your entire torso more vertical."

From the book "Back Trouble" by Deborah Caplan P.T. Based on the Alexander Technique

An interesting comment from TinnGuy at: http://members.tripod.com/~TinnGuy/

"I began to think I was going to have to take much more personal responsibility for finding solutions to my problems and quit relying on the otolaryngologist who rarely gave me any substantive or scientific information to help me deal with my symptoms.
As an example, I observed that driving my car at city traffic speeds did not impact the intensity of my tinnitus. But driving at highway speeds made the tinnitus unbearable. I wore ear muff noise protection devices to avoid the impact on my tinnitus. I also made the observation that the road surface texture made a big difference on the overall effect driving had on the tinnitus.
Newly constructed concrete highway surfaces were the very worst because of the wavy longitudinal striations put in the surface. I guess this is done to help prevent hydroplaning. The best road surface texture was newly laid blacktop.
Then I discovered that a small amount of under inflation of tire pressure made the road noise worse because of the contact of that portion of the tire which essentially has no tread pattern with the road surface. Also a small amount of over inflation reduced the amount of road noise because only that portion of the tire with a distinct tread pattern makes contact with the road. Of course under inflation or over inflation produces abnormal tire wear and is not advisable.
I discussed this with my friendly tire dealer and he told me that the tire manufacturer and the tread pattern are both very important and advised me to replace my tires with either Dunlop or Pirelli tires instead of the Goodyear tires I had. He didn't have any Pirelli tires in stock and they cost more than the Dunlop tires so I bought new Dunlop tires. What a difference that made. I no longer had to wear ear muffs anymore.
I have since learned that Consumer Reports publishes a comparison test report of tires and the amount of road noise they make. I have not seen that report but assume one exists somewhere. As I got more and more analytical about the sources of sound about me, I was better able to protect myself from ending the day with raging tinnitus. But surely, I thought, there must be a more definitive method of dealing with hyperacusis and tinnitus."

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