Can Hearing Damage Still Occur Weeks After Noise Exposure?

My tinnitus appeared a few days after noise exposure. It has change a little bit since then (higher pitch, sometimes quieter, sometimes louder).

The ENT prescribed prednisone when I saw them about a week after the tinnitus appeared. But I started getting racing thoughts and nausea. When I told them about it they said to stop. The didn't seem too concerned about finishing the steroid (I only took the first 40mg dose).

When I asked if there were any risks with discontinuing the steriod they said that things would just "hopefully" improve. It's like no big deal to them.

What I've read online is scary. It has been about 5 weeks now. I figure the prednisone window has passed. But I still wonder if there is still some latent damage that can continue over time. Should I go find a different ENT for a second opinion?

At this point I'm most concerned with halting any additional nerve degradation.

 

bruh, bro, you should have taken them all. that's really our best hope in early onset. however, I did the steroids really fast and they did nothing. but yeah, we're up shit creek with a turd for a paddle.

 

The hearing damage occurs from the noise exposure. It manifests with ear fullness, T and H in the weeks and months afterwards.

 

Sometimes after being exposed to noise the hearing is adjusting and trying to cope with damage, and you can experience different stuff as distortion, some frequencies enhanced, some other dimmed, some sounds you do not hear at all, etc etc... after like 1,5 months - 2 months you will see how things settle, for good or bad. During that time sometimes one realises that hearing loss has occurred.

So yes, hearing loss can be "delayed" after noise exposure.

 

What really scared me was this article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2812055/

There are so many unknowns in this area.

 

yep,

one thing that gives me hope is that Dr. Robert Jackler, who is over Stanford University's Hellar Lab, where they first discovered hair cells could be regenerated, stated in a presentation that when the hair cell is regrown, the nerves regrow and reconnect to the supporting cell.

 

I wonder if it can occur weeks/months after drug damage? I'm still on one of the medications that i think caused it, and it would be very hard to get off of it.

 

HI @Paul38

The onset of tinnitus can be worrying especially when reading about its symptoms online. There are so many different stories and this can make it difficult to fathom who is right and wrong. Noise induced tinnitus, which is what you have is the most common cause of the condition but try to put your fears aside, because it usually improves with time. My advice is not to see another ENT doctor at the moment but allow things to settle. Please click on the links below and read my articles on tinnitus. Hopefully they will help to allay your fears and concerns.

Try to stop reading about tinnitus online. The information in my articles and advice from other members with "Noise induced" tinnitus is all you need for now.

Take care things will improve.
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/

 

Thanks @Michael Leigh - I will peruse the threads you have linked.

 

Please take your time and read them carefully.
Best of luck
Michael

 

Seriously though, how long ago did they find out hair cells could be regrown?

 

Really.. do not follow Michael's advice. The guy has no clue about ear issues. He's just trying to promote some kind of TRT therapy he intends to sell.

 

yikes.. well he didn't appear to be selling anything in those posts he linked.

 

He will try to sell you TRT.

 

I read the article you linked. It is interesting, and I am now re-reading it.

How are you doing with your hearing? Did it improve?

 

@Paul38 How are you doing these days? How is the tinnitus?