Firecrackers, Fireworks & Tinnitus

Yesterday eve, I walked through town and at a distance of say 25+ meters a firecracker went of, a loud one!
I had the idea it spiked my T. Now the day after I have the idea my T i slightly more present.

Did this event cause any damage? Do I need to take any steps?

Thanks for help

 

@Robb It is unlikely to have caused any damage though may have given you a short term spike. It should settle within a couple of days.

 

@Markku
@attheedgeofscience


@Marcini so you not recommend i take any kind of things like cortisone or?

 

I would not suggest you take anything. There is nothing out there that can truly help, not least of all cortisone. Try to avoid any uncomfortably loud noise in the future and use earplugs when necessary. Your current spike should settle down shortly but i wouldn't worry about it.

 

Ok thanks, I will give it time, buthope I do not miss out on something

 

It is new year and people go nuts,

I live in an appartment building in the city and I was smoking near the window with the window open when at a distance of about 50 meter a VERY loud firecracker went off, the day before new years eve for christ sake.

I had a small panick attack and now the next day my T is louder.

Should I worry that this did permament damage and should I take steps like corticosteroids ?

Thanks,
Bart

 

@Robb

I hate new years with T, I had the same thing happen to me, my ears do not seem to like it very much.

 

No way it could cause any damage. Psychological spike? Happy new year

 

@Carlo @Bart
I love you guys! Thanks for your anseer happy 2015

 

I had very loud firecracker went off 6 feet away from me ..T spikes for couple or months .
Were you wearing ear plugs ?

 

Yesterday with new year i did have a good day, not T at all. 2 hours before 12 o clock i putt my earplugs in. Didn't gou out all day long but around 2 o o clock my son whas at the frontdoor. I opent it en boooomm there whas a loud firecracker goint off. A illigal one, sound like a garnet. I did have my plugs in but the sound whas real loud. Should i be worried because the say say dont only come from ears but also boneconstruction?

 

No earplugs but the distance was ok. It causes until now a tiny spike i believe..

 

Medicine is not a perfect science and the effect of noise exposure in a given situation is difficult to predict.

For a healthy human ear, exposure to a loud fire cracker in a non-enclosed space (ie. walking down the street) at +25 meters should have close to 0% chance of causing damage, I would guess. But... for a non-healthy ear, who can say...? I still think the risk is minimal, even so.

What I do know, however, is that I have encouraged the use of earplugs many times in my posts (and as recommended by Dr. Wilden). Just recently, there was another member on this board who - like you - also complained of a spike after being exposed to a fire-cracker. Incidently, this specific member was someone whom I had specifically replied to earlier on about the use of earplugs for everyday noise. If the person had taken my advice back then, he/she would not be having a difficult time right now. But, it seems that there are a number of people on this board who are more concerned with discussing the teories of hyperacusis, accuracy of decibel meters, and pros & cons of earplugs instead of just plain simply using them! What's the point of having a decibel meter showing noise exposure to you when the damage has already been done? I am not sure I understand that logic.

I was myself exposed to a military grade fire-cracker about 3 weeks ago. It went off about 10 meters away from me in a small parking lot outside my house. It was one of those powerful ones where you could feel the pressure wave. However as I am someone who "plugs in" everytime I leave my house (even for a quick 5 minute walk "around the corner"), I had pretty much nothing to worry about. My split second reaction was "damn it"... but then I recalled that I had taken the extra precaution I always do, which is to let the foam earplugs expand while keeping them pressed in when inserted. And so with full 33db protection, there is not too much that can can go wrong.

And the above situation is actually the 2nd time it has happened to me. I had a similar incident back in the Summer while crossing a park nearby where I live. But again with earplugs in, there is pretty much nothing to worry about ie. military grade fire-cracker = about 140db - 30 db NRR = 110 db (brief exposure) in an open space at 10 m or so. No big deal...

 

I can't imagine being here with my T and not being half deaf afterwards:

This is what new year in Berlin looks like

Berlin New Year 2013 Kreuzberg

 

Damn those firecrackers.. Thanks for help. I am thinking should i consider using any type of medicine?

My t has become a bit more intense, i doubt it's a psychological effect only as because i was habituating so well

 

@attheedgeofscience can i send you a pm? I want to ask you something.

 

I couldn't agree with you more. I use plugs no matter where I go!!
It sucks !!but I strongly believe we have no choice and plugs are must . I am sure we will have some treatments down the road but till not I use plugs no matter where I go .

 

Which kind of ear plugs do u guys use?

 

Firecrackers yes, but I was so paranoid with my new t that I was shrinking away from Christmas crackers people were opening at the table this xmas, I was thinking, damn that was a loud one but I doubt they have the dbs to cause proplems

 

@Robb how's going? Hope it lowered

 

I think it is probably simular to times before I had perminant tinnitus . Loud music gave me temporary tinnitus. It will settle and go back to normal

 

Thx @Carlo yes it settled down. God damn ears! Happy new year my friend!
Lets keep up to date what is coming; if mutebutton device works I will buy it

 

Sounds good. A great 2015 to you! Yes, keep up to date

 

The spike lowered from that first incident. But if the devil plays with it yesterday in an enclosed space say about a 25 meter distance same guys detonate in subway a firecracker, my T is spiking.

So I think the increase is not only pshycological but also again the speculation of permanent damage arises.

@attheedgeofscience I just read about this article of Dr. Wilden:

http://www.dr-wilden.de/pdf/dgo_en.pdf

Which implies for me to use earplugs more.

 

@Carlo @attheedgeofscience

what is this for life, its terribly annoying living like this needing to be so careful of not getting suicidal T by accident.

Attheedgeofscience so you use foam plugs? Don't they make you hear to less?

 

@Robb, I use foam plugs when I go to the movies (sometimes I forget them), to the stadium and when I drive for long distances. Special plugs only in airplane.

 

@Carlo ok interesting too know. What do you mean with driving long distances am I right to assume you use earplugs when driving long distance with car? Do you think it would else harm your ears, why?
What kind of plugs you use in airplane?

Best robb

 

Hi @Robb, I have a sport car (quite noisy engine) so, yes, I wear foam plugs when I drive on the highway - kind of protection, I assume better not to expose the ears more than 85-90 db for prolonged time.
During flights I use these:
https://www.alpinehearingprotection.com/earplugs/flyfit/

 

Man, this December has really been horrible for me, so many firecrackers. I'm usually inside but they can still be loud if close by.

Just today I had another close encounter. It was literally just in the 10 seconds that I went from the car to the store that I was "unprotected" that a firecracker went off. And it was like 11 am, so very early in the day. And again it sent my T spiking, either because of the noise or just because of stress. It was behind some buildings so it wasn't a direct sound but it was still plenty loud to scare me. I just can't get a break.

 

Gosh. I haven't even thought about New Years until I read this post. Sigh, with it coming up I plan to just put in foam ear plugs around 11 and stay indoors. It really sucks to think we have to live in constant fear everyday. On Christmas my nephew stomped on an air-pocket (from packing material) right by my face and I did have my earplugs in (THANK GOSH) but I was still so scared it would cause damage.. I hate the constant fear.