Fear of Permanent Damage After Ear Irrigation Following Concert-Induced Acoustic Trauma

[vo1tage]

Hi everyone,

I'm really scared right now and have been the whole week. I went to a concert on October 12, and ever since then my left ear has been ringing and has mild hyperacusis. I hear it pretty much all the time. I thought it would get better, but I decided to book an appointment with an ENT just to be safe.

She said I had too much earwax to see anything, so she put drops in and then irrigated my ear with a water machine for about 15 to 20 seconds. This is the part that scares me the most. My ears were already stressed from the acoustic trauma at the concert, and then I had water irrigation only four days later. I've read that this can make things permanent for some people.

Do you think I'm permanently stuck like this because I had water irrigation four days after the concert? I really regret it, and I'm terrified. Can I still heal from this, or did the irrigation make it permanent?

Everything I read online says that after people get water irrigation, they end up permanently damaged... and that's even without having acoustic trauma just a few days before.

 

[alwaysmasking]

No, it doesn't mean it's permanent. No one can truly say whether it will be or not, but there are plenty of stories of people who see improvement with their tinnitus over time. Sometimes the process takes a long while, so be prepared to wait it out. Develop coping strategies as best you can, such as masking if it helps, or therapy to manage your reaction to it.

Take a deep breath, do things you enjoy, and try to relax. You've got this.

 

[Sonia554]

Hi everyone,

I'm really scared right now and have been the whole week. I went to a concert on October 12, and ever since then my left ear has been ringing and has mild hyperacusis. I hear it pretty much all the time. I thought it would get better, but I decided to book an appointment with an ENT just to be safe.

She said I had too much earwax to see anything, so she put drops in and then irrigated my ear with a water machine for about 15 to 20 seconds. This is the part that scares me the most. My ears were already stressed from the acoustic trauma at the concert, and then I had water irrigation only four days later. I've read that this can make things permanent for some people.

Do you think I'm permanently stuck like this because I had water irrigation four days after the concert? I really regret it, and I'm terrified. Can I still heal from this, or did the irrigation make it permanent?

Everything I read online says that after people get water irrigation, they end up permanently damaged... and that's even without having acoustic trauma just a few days before.

I had water irrigation after my acoustic trauma, and it didn't affect me. If it had a negative impact on you, you would know by now, as it would have changed the tinnitus. I wouldn't worry about it. Get plenty of rest and avoid loud noises. Your tinnitus has every chance of resolving completely.

 

[vo1tage]

I had water irrigation after my acoustic trauma, and it didn't affect me. If it had a negative impact on you, you would know by now, as it would have changed the tinnitus. I wouldn't worry about it. Get plenty of rest and avoid loud noises. Your tinnitus has every chance of resolving completely.

That's great to hear, Sonia. I didn't feel like the water irrigation affected me at all either, but after reading the stories here and on Reddit, I got scared.

I'm on day ten since the concert and feel like I'm doing better. The tinnitus seems to have gotten somewhat quieter, and the hyperacusis has improved a lot. I'm not using ear protection much anymore, except in really noisy environments, because I don't want my ears to become overly sensitive.

My house can get pretty loud though, with dogs barking, birds chirping, and my family around. Hopefully that's not causing any more damage.

 

[Sonia554]

That's great to hear, Sonia. I didn't feel like the water irrigation affected me at all either, but after reading the stories here and on Reddit, I got scared.

I'm on day ten since the concert and feel like I'm doing better. The tinnitus seems to have gotten somewhat quieter, and the hyperacusis has improved a lot. I'm not using ear protection much anymore, except in really noisy environments, because I don't want my ears to become overly sensitive.

My house can get pretty loud though, with dogs barking, birds chirping, and my family around. Hopefully that's not causing any more damage.

That's great to hear! I think having a busy household is actually beneficial. It gives your brain many opportunities to learn that sound is not threatening and provides plenty of distractions from the tinnitus. Sometimes I wonder if living alone in a very quiet house has actually slowed my recovery. I think I might do better if I had people around.

Be careful around the dogs, though, especially if you have several. Their barking can reach dangerous decibel levels, particularly when you are still sensitive. I'd love to keep following your progress. It's always encouraging to hear about people improving.

 

[vo1tage]

That's great to hear! I think having a busy household is actually beneficial. It gives your brain many opportunities to learn that sound is not threatening and provides plenty of distractions from the tinnitus. Sometimes I wonder if living alone in a very quiet house has actually slowed my recovery. I think I might do better if I had people around.

Be careful around the dogs, though, especially if you have several. Their barking can reach dangerous decibel levels, particularly when you are still sensitive. I'd love to keep following your progress. It's always encouraging to hear about people improving.

I will try to come back and keep you updated.