4th of July Is the Scariest Day of the Year — My Story

Hello all of Tinnitus Talk,

I wanted to finally register and stop lurking since this is the place I've been coming to for support for the last couple of months just reading (and re-reading multiple times) lots of very knowledgeable posts.

Anyway - my story below:

4th of July, 2022 - Visited my parents with the intention to have some grub and set off a few fireworks in the evening. Unfortunately things went downhill first time out there. I grabbed a firework and tried lighting it via the fuse of course, didn't light, tried a different lighter (Zippo) and, unfortunately, the flame brushed against I assume the bottom where it looks to have been leaking powder unbeknownst to me. So in that moment, it blew up basically in my face about 3 feet from my left ear that took the brunt of it.

Right then and there, I could feel a weird, almost burning-like sensation in my left ear. I immediately ran back and covered it but the damage had been done. I knew right away this would be the biggest regret of my life.

I visited the ENT a couple of days later and did an audiogram test after they had taken a lot of earwax out of my ear. I was in the normal ranges (5-15 dB) for all the frequencies, but I knew something wasn't right. I went to another ENT about a month later and re-did the audiogram, I scored better even (0-10 dB), but again, I know my left ear like the back of one's hand and it just wasn't right (comparing my hearing in both ears, one at a time). That's how I came to the conclusion I have hidden hearing loss. I'm interested in OTO-413 because of this.

My experiences include:

1. Light tinnitus in the beginning. It partially subsided but I know it still exists when I close up my ears hard. Just the fact it exists scares me knowing it was caused by the trauma. If I would sleep, I would not sleep on my side to cover my ear since I couldn't stand the ringing. I say it is probably 50% of what it was at the beginning. I want to say recommendations for supplements on this website was a big factor since I went hog-wild buying anything and everything related to hearing loss/tinnitus improvement.

2. Diplacusis (mainly from the massive swelling in my middle or inner ear - this has gone down a lot).

3. Dull pain (still there lesser to an extent).

4. Distortion and tininess of sound (probably has to do with the swelling again).
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I'm not the type to actually register for message boards (mainly a lurker), but felt I needed to step out and possibly add insight into the Research News section of the boards that intrigue me the most. I also find the Tinnitus Talk community really down to earth and chill and real about their issues.

I'll be completely honest and say that I have insane amounts of respect for those who deal with the higher levels of tinnitus. I don't know how I would be able to persevere if that had happened to me. I've been OCD with my earplugs for the last month in hopes that the healing process continues. Just having hearing loss broke me, having raging tinnitus would do God knows what to me.

 

Please stay away from all drugs and live as cleanly as possible for the rest of your life. It's not worth the risk of making your tinnitus worse. Even OTC meds can make tinnitus worse.

Best wishes.

 

Welcome, @CW Dragon - so much about your story resonates for me: the recency of your onset, the fact that it was caused by a firecracker, the lurking and taking in all the good support from this community before finally jumping in to post!

Since our onsets were just a couple of weeks apart, I'll be curious to see how things shift for you over time. A couple of reflections:

1. The distortion and tinniness has been a factor for me as well. You mentioned being OCD about earplugs - I was too in the first month or so (like 24/7), and then I started reading that not using earplugs 24/7 to re-habituate to sound was an option, and that has helped me resume a lot of (quiet) normal life. I'm still very cautious about protecting in noise.

2. You mentioned buying tons of supplements, and I'm curious if you've found any that are making a clear difference. I was on the road for about the first two months after my onset, and have only recently begun to dabble with NAC based on lots of recommendations from this community, and I'm not far enough in to be able to say if it's helping (I've also done things like Magnesium, Ginkgo biloba and Curcumin, but haven't really seen them move the needle).

3. I relate to not wanting to sleep on your left ear (same ear as me due to the ringing, and have found the fan-based sound machine from Yogasleep to be helpful. At first, having background noise was too grating, but after a couple of months I could bear it and now like it.

I'm glad you took the plunge and shared your story - feels not only like we're walking on the same road, but right near each other on that road. I look forward to your updates and wish you healing!

 

Hi 10Kcd, I did stop with the earplugs. I only wear them when I know I will be around loud noises. I really want to say that when I take them off it opens up my ear canals and making the hearing better. That was really the reason. I was so obsessed with that that I looked into surgery for making ear canals larger to drown out the noise (ear meatoplasty or something like that).

For the supplements, I'd have to say NAC really helped me recover my higher frequency hearing so I'd definitely recommend, plus with the FDA nearly banning it, that raised my eyebrows a bit. I've started taking antibiotics for my ear since it was swollen and making dull pain - this really helped. NAC study that helped my decision:

N-Acetylcysteine Combined With Dexamethasone Treatment Improves Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Attenuates Hair Cell Death Caused by ROS Stress

For my ringing, it went into a hissing mode for a few minutes after taking a shower. And at times, there were golden moments were it basically COMPLETELY disappeared when I was focusing on a task.

I started sleeping on my back more since either side sleeping had drawbacks. Obviously the left ear for the ringing, but I hear better with my right ear so I like the lushness of sound. I got a fan going and my bed is between two windows so I can hear the outside ambience at night from both sides.

I'm praying its gets better for the both of us.

 

Me too, @CW Dragon - and it made my day to see your post and these updates!

Thanks for explaining the dynamic with your earplugs. It sounds like unplugging was also giving your ears an opportunity to hear a lot of noise that was helpful in drowning out your tinnitus.

I appreciate the link you posted with the NAC and Dexamethasone study. I've read about intratympanic injections using Dexamethasone, and wish I'd gone that rabbithole way sooner so that I could've advocated for that. I even feel late to the game in terms of just having started the NAC, but it does feel like it's making a difference, so I'm going to keep at it for a bit. I'm taking 500 mg daily - I'm curious what your dosage is, if you're willing to share.

I've been trying out some other supplements, like Astaxanthin and Nicotinamide Riboside, but am also a little scared to overdo it.

And lastly, I just ordered a low-level laser therapy device and started using it with the hope that it can stimulate some inner ear tissue or hair cell regeneration before it gets too late - maybe it already is...

Hoping for continued healing for you, and always happy to hear any updates you've got!

 

I take 1200 mg NAC, two of the 600 mg pills everyday. I'm looking into the LLLT and HBOT treatments but might be too late for the latter unfortunately. I do notice a nice effect when I take hot water baths everyday now with Epsom salt and baking soda.

I saw a thread featuring the different types of Magnesium and investigated more into the various types of Magnesium. I'm probably going to start taking Magnesium Glycinate since it helps neurotransmitters/affects a calming mood in addition to the L-Threonate. And then phase out my stash of Epsom salt and try Magnesium Chloride since it is more readily absorbed in baths.

 

I've just started with the LLLT and am documenting my first 10 days of treatment at the end of this thread. If you're looking into it, I'd also encourage you to read through all 12 pages of comments - lots of great content, discussion and information there.

And thanks for your updates on NAC dosage and for sharing the Magnesium information you've gleaned.

 

I have had tinnitus for a month now. How soon do you think one should get HBOT and LLLT?

 

Could you please share the link of the LLLT device that you ordered? I’ve heard it’s an effective treatment for repairing tissues and nerves. I want to try every possible option to silence the sound in my ears.

 

Hi @Scarface Tony - here's the general info page and then here's the ordering page with links to purchase the various models. The website is pretty clunky but you'll figure it all out from the above two links. FYI - the specific model I ordered is the emLas-520BCB though that might not be the model (or even the type of device) for you.

I've experienced some notable improvements in just a few days, though I'm careful to mention that this may be coincidence or a placebo effect. I recommend you do thorough research, and I particularly recommend reading all 12 pages of this thread for some great information, discussion and firsthand words of wisdom from people who have used various LLLT devices. I decided on the device linked above after reading through the tread and considering all that many contributors had written about the various options out there. Something totally different might spark your interest, so please take all that I've written about my LLLT journey as just one more perspective.

Since, like me, your acoustic trauma was relatively recent, there may a decent likelihood that any treatment you try will yield positive results, though the flipside of this reality is that our ears are still in the early stages of healing and might be more reactive to tinkering. My advice is to be careful and go slowly with any new treatment.

Whatever next steps you take, I hope they contribute to you finding silence!

 

Update: I recently was prescribed the following for my anxiety and tinnitus:

Lexapro, Xanax, Prednisone, and Propecia (I noticed myself losing hair... wonder why).

I'm hoping the first two help with the tinnitus and reducing it. I will promise to report back any results in the coming few months, maybe an update on the effects, or switch over to another. I know my GP said that Valium is another one that patients come in for helping with tinnitus.

I'm gonna wait a little longer on your results with the LLLT @10Kcd since my money has gotten a little tighter lately. I hope I'm not gonna regret this since we're both still in the early months of our recoveries (2 years I've heard is a popular timeline for noise-induced hearing loss/tinnitus). I do follow you though so please keep posting updates.

 

Hey @CW Dragon - nice to see an update from you! I hear you about the price tag for the LLLT. I was going to post an update this weekend, but perhaps I'll get it together this evening or tomorrow.

Regarding your uncertainty, the only thing I hope for you is that you don't stress out wondering whether or not you should do it - I'm not sure if I'll ever know whether it helps me out or not, and either way, my hope is that the natural healing process will lead to some relief over time for both of us!

Thanks for the info on your meds. FWIW, the way I've used benzos like Xanax is for panic attacks only, and I've used my antidepressant (Mirtazapine) for general stability. I'm personally cautious with the benzos because they can become addictive, though they are the best for quick action when I'm in a dark spiral of despair (getting pretty rare at this point, gratefully).

I've also read lots here about how Prednisone is good in the acute phase of an acoustic trauma, but that it can also do more harm than good way after the fact. I'm not a GP, and more specifically, I'm not your GP, so take this simply as my two unsolicited cents. I can't speak at all to the hair loss med.

BTW, are you still taking NAC?

Anyway, take good care, and always glad to hear your updates!

 

Hey there man, so much to say from my side but just didn't have it in me to post. I've been absorbing the sadness about OTO-413... so haven't felt like posting much.

Start with the easy thing: NAC, I'm still doing 1200 mg per day. Looking back on it with regards to FDA dietary supplement restriction and banning sales of it especially when COVID-19 was at its peak in the news (then came Ukraine, now the November elections - whatever the hot topic is), I should have started taking it then, and I plan on keeping it in my mainstay of supplements. I really think it helped me recover somewhat higher frequency hearing.

Another goal is to cut down on cuts by eating foods/drinking liquids that contain them. D3 I can get from sunlight - the best version, a water-soluble form for bloodstream transport, Vitamin D3 sulfate, whereas supplements are the fat-soluble unsulfated form requiring LDL for transport.) Problem is winter is coming, so access to sunlight will be inhibited.

Current listing and plans for them below:

• Thorne ResveraCel - gone, NAD+ from milk and spinach
• Fish Oil - keep (eat Chia/Flax seeds to keep Omega 3 and Omega 6 ratio levels in balance)
• Iron - keep, I have anemia
• Astaxanthin - gone, nature's super anti-inflammatory (some inflammation is good though)
• Ashwagandha - unsure, I drink Pukka turmeric/ginger tea
• Zinc - gone, eat mixed raw nuts
• Kelp - gone, I have Lugol's iodine drops (two a day)
• Boron - gone, I have borax
• CoQ10 - gone, I eat pistachios and other nuts
• L-Theanine - gone, I drink green tea
• NAC - keep at all costs
• ALA - gone, spinach
• Vitamin C - gone, eat pineapple and strawberries (only fruits I like)
• Qualia MIND - gone, too expensive. Only took it for the ALCAR and Gingko.
• D3 - keep, but for the winter only as noted above
• Ceylon Cinnamon - keep, but for my blood pressure
• L-Threonate Magnesium - keep

So really, I'm only keeping fish oil, iron, NAC, D3, L-Threonate Mag, cinnamon, and my Rx scripts.

I take the Xanax when I'm having panics, when the tinnitus spikes (I don't hear it now thankfully) - it gets bad at night when my middle ear swells up and the dull pain with it. It lowers it slightly which I love, but benzo addiction and subsequent withdrawal scares me to death. I know I'm going to have to withdraw in a couple of years so that compounds my anxiety.

I almost feel like that stupid small firecracker did TBI to me. Any loud noises trigger PTSD and subsequent panic attacks - heaving breathing, heart racing. Cars honking make me gasp, lawnmowers come on Monday so I go to the office on Mondays now.

I'll be honest and say in June, I was in Florida and nearly drowned from high tides while swimming in the Atlantic ocean, I saw a white light and everything until a last gasp of adrenaline kicked in. Same thing happened when the firecracker blew up, another white light like my life flashed before my eyes. I just haven't been the same since and I don't know if it will ever return, my original sanity. But you know, time heals. Baby steps.

 

Thanks for the detailed update, @CW Dragon

I'll start where you left off - I do believe that time heals, even though it's way easier for me to believe that about everyone else but myself. So, I'll keep on believing it for you!

As to your sadness about OTO-413, that's not something I've been following, though Google tells me that they recently released a study overview that did not demonstrate clinically meaningful results, so I assume that's what you're talking about.

I loved reading your detailed assessment of your supplements vs natural ways of getting what they offer - it's brilliant! Thank you for sharing all of that info. It will help me with my own process of weeding out what I know is too heavy (and costly) a rotation of supplements I've been working through. I appreciate your attention to what does and doesn't work, and your thoughtfulness about how to leverage nature in this regard.

I also support your theory that a TBI might be at play. Having had a very similar firecracker experience, I will say that I have wondered several times about whether I now suffer from a TBI myself. I haven't seen a neurologist, and am not terribly excited about going down that path, but have been a little curious about whether that would be a useful thing to do.

Finally, thank you for sharing the "white light, life flashed before my eyes" experiences. At a minimum, I would classify these experiences as trauma, and ones that likely turned up the volume on your limbic and/or autonomic nervous systems. The one thing (aside from weekly therapy) that I've done to address my own trauma related to my firecracker experience is going through the Safe & Sound Protocol. It's pretty pricey, but I was lucky enough to know someone who got me a free pass, and I will say that it seemed to have a small, positive, and temporary impact on my sound sensitivity. A lot of people have also recommended EMDR, which I haven't tried but have on my to-do list (at some point I'll try one of the EMDR YouTube videos).

I guess that's all for now. Thanks again for sharing, and wishing you more silence and healing, my friend!

 

Thanks 10Kcd, apparently a single exposure to an impulse noise can produce brain injury based on a few Googled studies. Not sure, but definitely I have to schedule an MRI, I just have to. My family is pushing me to do so.

Will look into this more, and I'll reply to your quote with my diet advice. I am trying to incorporate more foods/liquids instead of supplements. I actually noticed my supplement/Rx storage cabinet was overfilling and that my fridge was a little barren. Felt like a drug addict. Will reply more in-depth when I got more energy.

 

I definitely support your desire to determine whether a TBI is at play, @CW Dragon - the one thing I would advise is that you seek input from members here, and also medical specialists, who know about MRIs and their impact on tinnitus and hyperacusis. I've not had one personally, but understand they can be very loud, and you'll find more than one thread on this forum detailing horror stories about auditory issues exacerbated by MRIs.

I'm not saying don't get one, just please get as much info as you can about how to do so in a way that is safe for your auditory system.

And yeah, I hear you about the supplement shelf (and bare fridge) looking like a drug addict's pad, haha. Again, I so appreciate your turning toward nature for some of those same benefits.

Always happy to hear from you, and never feel any pressure to reply - I hear you're low on energy and do not want my posts to you to be a part of that drain. Be well!

 

I love replying to you though, we are going through this same BS in life at the same time. Your posts are long and encouraging as are the updates on LLLT. But it's crazy though the little things I find out that negatively impact what happened. I need to stop stewing on this crap and go back to my original life. But I just can't yet. It's been three and a half months. I feel I'll recover my old self by two years. Please tinnitus, just go away somewhat. I ask forgiveness from my body every day but it is angry at me and this is what I get, psychological torture.

Blood type susceptibility (mine is O-). Whammy!



Ear affected: Double Whammy - I was praying and hoping when I went back to your thread and hoping it was the right ear (please be the right ear, please be the right ear)...:



What more will I find... I'm trying to take these studies with a grain of salt but I just can't. I need to find positive vibes. And more sleep at night.

 

Likewise, @CW Dragon - I appreciate accompanying you as a fellow traveler on this crazy path!

I'm also O negative and am not sure I buy any correlation between my blood type and my susceptibility to hearing loss. And, at least in my case, I'm not surprised that my left ear was affected, as I was standing at an angle such that the firecracker blast was lined up with my left side (and my right ear was shielded by my head).

All of this is to say that I'm concerned that you may be going down unproductive rabbitholes of research. My recommendation would be, for every research article you read, find and read one success stories of someone who's experienced acoustic trauma and returned to feeling somewhat normal.

Something I read on this board a couple weeks ago was a one-year update post from someone who had experienced a very similar type of acoustic trauma, and who said that, while the first few months was a lot of up-and-down hell, their symptoms had reduced to nearly nothing a year on. Reading this gave me tremendous hope, and I've been keeping it like a little ray of sunshine to peek through my cloudy days.

I'm sending you positive vibes and hoping for better sleep for you, my friend. Even though one day to the next may not bring you any discernible relief, I'm holding the vision that months from now, we'll both be able to see how much we've healed.

 

Thanks @10Kcd - Success stories are a good reason to keep hope ups and visiting this site. There was this one guy, @Tom 2020, whom I read his story and his ears returned to 85% normal, so it gives me hope that whenever the ENT says, hearing loss is permanent - I don't necessarily buy that. I feel we have one set of hair cells but they actually recover very slowly, provided damage is not immense. As long as you use your most important sense, vision, to protect the second most important sense, hearing, that goes a long way to recovery.

It's been four months for us, only 17% of the two years needed per @Tom 2020. We'll make it both to that time. By then, either FX-322 or OTO-413 should be wrapping up their Phase 3's and getting released onto the market shortly after (crossing my fingers for a 2025-26 release). I'll definitely be part of the Phase 4 post-release studies.

Of course benzos have helped me get through these dark times, I need to get off them since withdrawal will be brutal, but I made it through my personal hell of July and August, so I can deal with anything. Just can't have a random setback like another firecracker or airbag deploy, maybe next 4th of July, I'll visit Spain since I've never been there, and I heard the paella is delicious.

 

Bonfire night for Guy Fawkes was a worry last night in a way November 5th previously has never been for me.

 

OTO-413 failed Phase 2.

 

Yeah, I should have just said FX-322, I mixed them up.

 

Just be careful of the firecrackers during fiestas, @CW Dragon

Thanks for sharing the wise words of @Tom 2020 and yes, we'll both make it to that two year mark! I'm glad you're hanging in there, even though I know it's tough.

My tinnitus has settled into a pretty steady, low-mid "eeeee," which I suppose represents success in one sense, since it doesn't seem as reactive as it was, though I'm getting less of the quiet times.

Anyway, always great to hear from you, and wishing you peace and quiet!

 

Same here. It was awful! Neighbours let off some loud, like bloody industrial ones for about 30 seconds and it was loud even being inside away from it all. Everyone I was with never batted an eyelid and went out to watch their own ones.

I miss being able to roll up to a firework show and watch the sights.

 

@10K & @CW Dragon, it has been great reading your posts. Lots of great suggestions.

You describe NAC, what is this?

Have you guys tried out Clonazepan, has it helped? I am due to start my experiment taking 0.5 mg tonight before bed. Great to hear your views.

How are you guys both doing?

 

I hate how casual everyone is about tinnitus in general. It's as if society doesn't know this crap exists in general, because boy if they did, I promise you events like this would be canceled. Like why not pour billions into tinnitus/hearing loss research so we can do things like this...