Jackhammer Incident

Hey all! I developed Tinnitus in 2011 and went through complete panic mode when I first developed it & spiraled into depression. I slowly adjusted to the ringing and for the past 7 years I have been really careful with not exposing myself to loud noises.

But on Friday I was walking into work and they are doing construction on the inside of our building. A guy was using a jackhammer!! I quickly covered my ears but I had to wait for the damn elevator to come down because I had to get to work.

I feel like I’m back at square 1 with how I was 7 years ago. I’m in complete panic mode worried that my tinnitus is going to get worse.

So far I noticed my tinnitus is not worse and at the same level it was before. Didn’t notice any fullness in my ear like when I first developed tinnitus from blasting music in my ear through headphones.

My question for y’all is should I go to doctor and get a round of prednisone just IN CASE? even though I see no change in my tinnitus? I’m really panicked and uneasy right now. It was LOUD.

Also, I have been taking a decent amount of magnesium since the incident

 

If there is no spike or ear fullness, I don't think that you need prednisone .

 

Try to relax and remain calm. Unfortunately, we all end up exposed to an unexpected loud noise at some point when outside. Your in a panicked state now and it’s your anxiety causing you to feel afraid. Try to stay positive and move on. I feel the same way sometimes when I’m caught off guard by a loud noise. You will be ok.

 

You are just being paranoid. It's good that you are careful but if it was going to happen, it would have happened by now. Just relax and continue to be careful.

 

My wife and I put a door alarm on my daughters door last night. It say's it's 90 DB. I forgot about it completely this morning and walked right in and had the shock of my life. (We just moved in and there is a train line next to us) I don't know if 90 DB is enough to damage your ears, but there you go. I have had fullness in my ears all day. I don't really care too much though because I highly doubt my T could get any louder than what it already is. + I am very skeptical (as crazy as this sounds) that loud noises cause permanent T. In fact, I have proof that loud noise does not always cause T, or in fact even give you T.

 

I am not skeptical. A split-second loud noise gave me T two and a half years ago and it has not lowered one bit since then.

 

Trust me, to myself and millions of others who have T because of loud noises, you sound crazy lol

 

Yes, there are some who have it and perhaps from loud noise. But loud noise does not cause EVERYONE to have permanent T, or even temp T. My brother has been to millions of concerts. My mother (born in the 60's) has also. In fact, they continue to go to concerts, bars and have the music raging at insane levels. They do not have T, nor have ever experienced T. Point proven.

 

For people with T, acoustic trauma will bring a pike in split second.
Don't compare it to normal people !

 

It sounds like you might end up being ok, after all.

You could also take NAC and Nicotinomide Riboside.

I would do this, if I were you. This is because it seems to me that it can't do too much harm, and has the potential to prevent a lot of harm. But of course it is a dangerous drug, that should not be taken like M&M...

 

I’ll try the nac and others also.
What are the potential harmful side effects of prednisone?

 

I was on the fence about it. I was just pretty freaked out because jackhammers are really loud when I look up the db reading of them. & it caused me to panic even more

 

It looks like most here are saying I don’t need prednisone/ don’t recommend it.

I was looking at db/time exposed to a jackhammer & it said it was about 130db & that it’s not safe for even 1 second of exposure. I was just a few feet away and in a inclosed building. I’m going to say I was by it for a minute

 

https://www.drugs.com/sfx/prednisone-side-effects.html

 

I had never had any side effects after taking prednisone.

 

Did the tinnitus begin immediately the split second of the acoustic trauma or within the seconds, minutes, hours, days?

 

My T was the result of an acoustic trauma that took a fraction of a second. Ear fullness began right away. T began 10 days later.

 

I’m contacting a few ENTs tomorrow to get in ASAP.
I know the 48 window is over but I have seen people talk about 2 week durations for the steroids. I’m not sure where you are located, but can you get a ER or one of those little 24/hr hospitals to prescribe this? I know ent is the best route.. I’m just worried about not being able to get in pretty quickly.

 

That’s exactly how my T began. Except my T showed up probably 2 days after.

 

I live in Canada, and I got prednisone prescribed by both an ER doctor and a doctor at a walk-in clinic. I lied to them that I had to stop a screaming fire alarm, and that as a result I had a spike in my T.

 

That's the million dollar question, why some people get T and others don't. There is probably some genetic predisposition or other factors that cause an improper brain response to the sudden loss of auditory input. It also could be more specific to how the hearing is damaged, say damage to the neuronal connections and not to the silica itself.

I'm not sure how you can say "point proven", you really haven't proved anything. Loud noise will cause hearing loss, but hearing loss won't always cause tinnitus.

 

Immediately. The moment the feedback blasted my ear, I yanked the phone away and my ear was ringing.

 

I know people who smoke that haven't got cancer. But people do get cancer from smoking. I know people that haven't got t from loud noises, but people do get t from loud noises. Not everyone, but millions have got t from loud noises. So weather or not you are sure if loud noises can cause t, the fact is, loud noises can cause t!