Acoustic Trauma and Permanent Tinnitus

Hello,

I am new to this forum and have been going through it everyday for 4 days now. Last Saturday I went out to a DJ show with a couple of friend. I attend concerts every once a month at most, usually in small venues without speakers etc. This was one my my very few club experiences. Apparently we were next to the speaker the whole time and I did not notice it at all. After about two and a half hours of exposure we all went out and I was shocked my the amount of ringing and numbness in my ears. It was there and just as loud the next morning and finally started calming my the afternoon. All my friends said their ringing was gone, but looks like mine is sticking around without any improvement since then.

I did visit an ENT that Monday who confirmed mild hearing loss and put me on steroids (predisolone 2 5mg tablets with every meal for a week) but it hasn't really been helping. The only difference I feel is the changes in the pressure in my ear. It pops from time to time and feels super congested sometimes.
It has been an emotional roller coaster knowing that many of you here live with this permanently. I am 21 and a student, with a major that does require me to use power tools a couple times a month. I travel relatively often and have been using earphones (never too loud) during the plane rides as well as quite often daily. If I had known that this condition existed and was so easily induced I would have been really careful and I just can't stop blaming myself for my ignorance.

I guess I just wanted to ask everybody out there how they cope and put my worried out there. Will it be possible for me to keep doing well in school and concentrate on my work? Should I continue my meds even though the pressure changes are uncomfortable and the ringing is showing no improvement? And is this here to stay, and how do I know if it is? Is there anything that I might be doing at this point that is harming it or anything I can do to make it better?

The hardest part has been to keep a positive attitude about it. It was just one childish night that might stick with me forever and I don't know how I can forgive myself for that.

 

dont use headphones anymore, especially ear buds.
you have at least 1.5 years for it to go away on its own so there is still hope
keep taking the steroids since you only have one shot
As for coping, habituation will be like a miracle when you realize it. What that means is your brain will change on its own over the next few months and eventually you will not care one bit about the ringing. Trust me on this. Right now its stressful and that is a normal reaction. But honestly, its like a god send when habitation kicks in and you will not stress out over it one single bit. its like the wind blowing against your skin. you know its there but it doesnt mean anything.

I would also avoid power tools. Because it can get worse and you dont want that. so you need to prevent further damage. If you absolutely must use power tools and you feel the risk is worth it. then wait at least a year to give your hearing a chance to recover because it is possible for the T to go away. And after then, you should still use ear plugs and ear muffs during those times because once you get T once, you are more vulnerable to further damage than you were before getting T. I had T in 2008 and it was minor, went away mostly. but I didn't know it could get worse and started using ear buds again and now I cant leave my house. So never stop taking care of your hearing from now on. I wish I knew this. k?

Ive gotten to know ear plugs and ear muffs well. so if you do use power tools, Id suggest getting Hearos Xtreme Protection Original formula ear plugs and for ear muffs, the 3M Peltor X5A