Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

Hey everyone I've had tinnitus for 7 weeks due to loud noise exposure from being at a shooting range with a friend. I was finally able to see the ent and audiologist today after over a month of waiting. It turns out I have pretty severe high frequency hearing loss, my audiogram basically drops straight down to around 80db at 4k and was just as bad at 6k and 8k. I've been having a pretty hard time coping with T as I already have anxiety before this all occurred. Seeing the Dr. made me feel a bit worse as he said that there is no chance of my hearing coming back and that he wouldn't plan on the T getting any better so I feel pretty devastated. I was just wondering if anyone with noise induced hearing loss had the ringing and fullness go away or adapt to it and lead a normal life? Also is the worse the hearing loss the louder the ring and has anyone had all or even any of there hearing return after something like this? Any help would be greatly appreciated, God Bless

 

7 weeks is nothing, from what I have read here many times, T improves up to about a year in a lot of cases. Take care of your ears and get some rest, you should see some improvement.

 

Maybe an improvement, but not totally. rest your ears and eat healthy, maybe you will gain a little but don't expect miracles.

With your hearing loss i'm sorry to say that your T has great probability to stay for a while... but it can improve with time.

 

Thanks guys I would be happy with any improvement at this point. I figured when I couldn't even hear birds chirping out of my left ear that there was hearing loss but I never expected it to be so bad on the audiogram and have such a low chance at improving. It makes me feel like I took 2 steps back on trying to habituate and lost a lot of hope of being able to cope with my ringing and hearing loss. Any certain vitamins or maybe even some type of steroid considering I'm still under 2 months of the noise exposure?

 

HBOT!! Man

 

You may be eligible to the AM-101 trial.

More info http://www.tinnitus-study.info

 

Maybe you can post your audiogram so we can judge?

 

@Quentino that's a copy of my audiogram, I'm not sure as to how to read it but compared to my right ear it doesn't look very good. Do you think some of my hearing might return or the ringing will subside. Its only been 7 weeks. I will look into hbot but I know my insurance wont cover it so Im not sure if I can afford it

 

I would suggest getting a OAE test to determine how the hairs in your cochlea are working. Why more accurate than a standard hearing test.

 

@JR1986

As you said you have a big loss at hig frequencies for your left ear? But for other frequencies you have good results, and your right ear hear perfectly fine so it could have been really worse.

For what i know, after an accoustic trauma, the ear can "heal" a little and your audiogram might regain a litttle ( 10-15, 20 dB maybe) , it can happen ( a member who tested laser for his ears have been told that by his ENT. But it's in months and not in weeks.

But to be honest i think this loss will never return in the normal range.

 

@truesilence I will ask about the OAE test as I wasn't told about it by my ENT and that is something that I would like to know. Maybe I should get advice from a different ENT as well? Are the hairs in the cochlea repairable to any extent?

 

@Quentino thanks for the fast response. I don't expect my hearing to return to normal range although I'm still trying to be optimistic. I also realize I need to be realistic and I would be happy with any improvement in hearing. I'm just concerned if the ringing has a lower chance of going away because it was noise induced and there was such an extreme loss of hearing? It helps me remain positive knowing that my ears could still heal a little and it has for others. Also do you know what the squares on the audiogram mean?

 

They usually give this test to babies but yes, you should ask. Are you experiencing any sound sensitivity?

 

@truesilence yes my left ear is still very sensitive to noise

 

I would get as much professional help as possible. Also, this forum has many members who are informative and very supportive. Get as much sleep as possible and take one day at a time.

 

Hi,
I had an acustic trauma also about 3 years ago...i tried everything due many ENT recommendations and most have the classic topic "sorry, there is nothing you can do..."

Well, i still believe is always something we can do:

1º - Get a 2º opinion from a especialized ENT on T or H (open to new ideas)
2º - Think about your good remain earing / so protect your ears from a 2º mistake...
3º - There are many tricks to get distraction on T annoying (check forum)
4º - We live in a gold cientific era and there are new researches about earing loss that promise good results in a short time (by natural processes, not mechanical...)
5º - Be patience and confident...

"100 years ago few believed possible reach the moon / today we are on Mars ...."

All the best,
Ricardo

 

@Ricardo AM my ENT told me that as well and it just seems ridiculous this day and age. To go to a specialist for help and to hear that there's nothing that can be done is just depressing. The only advice I was given was he said I sh0uld go to an audiologist and get a masker if it bothers me, Of course it bothers me but If I have to wear a masker in my ear all day why not just give me a hearing aid so I can hear normal again. Im 9 weeks in now and I still haven't regained any of my hearing and the ringing is still constant. I still wake up in a panic at times but not as much as the first 2 months so I'm hoping Im starting to habituate, however I still have that horrible fullness sensation in my ear as well. What was your acoustic trauma from? Did you also suffer hearing loss and how did you cope with it?

 

Hi again,
I have tinnitus since 1999 but not so laud (did not bother me much) until summer of 2012 a unlucky stay in a night club - near a laud spiker (only for about 45m) put me with a high tinnitus / hyperacusis / and also a high sensibility around the eye when i touch it - all this in my left side...in consequence i had some lost (considerated mild) in my left ear but enough to affect all my way of living since that day...

Today i realise that night was only the breaking point of a "long hiden problem" because i didnt care much about my tinnitus and i have been doing same mistakes since 1999 (listen laud music very often / very stupid & naive )...i just didnt imagine something like this could ever happened to me:

After looking for ENT help (i visit a lot...) without given me any solution (except TRT) i becoming angry / revolted and depressed for a couple of years but a few months ago i said to myself..."I have to make something...."

This forum hepls me to get informed about all news in "our world"....i am also get helped with alternative treatments as chiropractic (do not give me earing back but hepl a lot to reduce cervical pressure and to relax...)

If you believe in holistic treatments maybe you should try "Reiki" (the concept is the energy) and if you have this only for 2 months....(why do not try?)...I've been read about people you had recovery a little after a 2/3 months.

The only ENT that help a little was indicated me TRT...im doing this since 1 and half year (yes, it mask your problem when applied but not give your earing back...)... i also use youtube to same purposes (sounds of nature) when i am working / it helps the same (if you not able to spend money on TRT devices there is a cheap alternative).

The fullness is a sign/ symptom of earing lost / i feel the same....

how did i cope with it?
Well, doing the same i wrote in first message!

I am new here in this forum but i have been read interesting things on the subject. LLLT convince me to make a 1º try in this end of August (i hope it works as it will become very expensive) until more good news about effective solutions appear (and medical research are working on it to a record time).

If i was you, i would take a deep look on some topics, especially about the regeneration of hair cells (several different studies at this moment)
About me, i am keeping faith on the results of LLLT (i have seen that the opinions are controversial) but i am trying to live the present the best way i can...so i will not be sitting around waiting for miracles or listen negative medical obsolete opinions and foist me pills for nothing / my acts will become miracles...)

So, be patience and hopfull (and maybe grateful for living in a time that progress advances at an unprecedented pace)!

All the best!
Ricardo

 

@Ricardo AM

Your ENT Should have minimally prescribed a tapered course of Prednisone and given you a shot of Prednisone at his office. 7 weeks maybe to late for this now? But I would suggest you try it quickly.

You have substantial hearing loss, by the looks of your audiogram and chances are it's permanent, but you're T can improve over time. I can't hear birds or crickets chirping in my right ear, unless I wear my hearing aid/masker. With it in, I can. Get fitted with one and see if it works for you? You can demo one for 30 days before purchase. I use a 4 channel Beltone "Tinnitus Breaker" model. $3,600. You can get 0 percent financing usually from them. $160/month. also try a Siemen's unit.

 

@JR1986 Hey man! I just read this and I experienced the exact same event just before getting tinnitus and hearing loss on May 20, 20014. Went to an indoor shooting range and wore improperly fitted hearing protection. My left ear has about a 40db drop at about 4k-6k range. My right ear is at arounf 10db-15db in those ranges. I have T in both ears, mild-moderate in my right ear and moderate-severe in my left. Unfortunately, my hearing did not get better. The fullness in the ear remained for about 6 months and then on and off after. The fullness you feel is because of the hearing loss and will remain there until your brain adjusts to your new level hearing. It got better as time went by but it is still tough. I purchased hearing aids about 3 weeks after the incident but hardly use them to hear better as I feel they don't help. Recently I experienced a major setback with increase hearing loss and T but due to my otosclerosis (which I discovered when I did my audiogram last year). Know that there are many people who have severe hearing loss with T from shooting and get through life and you will too. The biggest thing for me has been acceptance to this new lifestyle. Don't expect thing to go back exactly how they were before because they won't. You have to fight it each day. Try to focus on things you like doing. The biggest thing that has helped me is trying to get my mind off of it by exercising and working. Although I lack motivation I push through it to catch a glimpse of peace once I focus my attention away from the T and HL. Hyperacusis was also a big issue for me but has progressively been getting better. Still there, but better.

I am just rambling my thoughts. Everyone reacts differently but this has been the case for me. If you would like to talk feel free to PM me. Wish you the best!

Enrique

 

Hi again.

Just because i passed on this topic (when i post before)...and i see new posts...well just some links to let all of you to know the medicin advances for us!

https://www.novartis.com/stories/discovery/can-we-unlock-bodys-ability-regenerate-lost-hearing

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26224861

So, keep it real but keep also with hope for better days soonner than expected, OK!

All the best!

 

@Ricardo AM How I wish one of those works in the future. In the meantime, I'm aiming to do what I can with what I have with minimal hope for a cure. Shattered hope can be deadly:/

 

Hello Enrique,

Most of these researches are made in US / and you guys living in US (human trials at the moment....huge progress in my opinion!)

In fact i posted these here most for the author (hope he is dealing OK ) / his problem is new (in time) compares to my case or others in this forum but i understand well how do we feel after a acustic trauma...

So, in order to give some info (because this forum have thousands of different posts) and HOPE, i am sharing and spread all the good news i found (this is what we need to hang on....)

You can follow all news in this very active topic (with people who given their time to research and sharing whats going on in the present days)

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...eration-—-maybe-we-can-know-more.3131/page-30

All the best for all of you!
Ricardo

 

Hi,
I know that tinnitus and hyperacusis caused by noise is the worse because it affect the cells of choclea and, for a while, they don't regenerate. The treatment is for anxiety, depression, stress that are consequence of T and H. I know that it is difficult. I have T and H since 2013 after to be submitted to MRI without adequate hearing protection. My T is very loud and high pitch. The best for everyone.
Tamara