Steroids: Prednisone / Dexamethasone / Others (Oral and Injections)

Why on EARTH would you EVEN consider taking a STRONG, DANGEROUS drug like prednisone for a loud noise that didn't cause any issues?

If your tinnitus didn't spike, if you didn't experience a threshold shift in your hearing, then you're fine. No need for prednisone.

 

Is it possible to experience an acoustic trauma and not have an increase in tinnitus? Would I have experienced a change by now?

 

No.

Yes.

Just relax. It doesn't help if you try to monitor your tinnitus or changes. Monitoring makes it sound louder anyway.

Can I ask if you have obsessive personality?

 

Just about tinnitus! I’m most definitely panicking - mainly about should I get steroids or not. It’s been almost 12 hours and no change other than crippling anxiety. Hate going through this shite.

 

Prednisone can actually cause and worsen anxiety.

But maybe it's the only way to put your mind at ease?

What would @FGG suggest?

 

I agree with what you wrote, if they didn't notice hearing changes or tinnitus changes, it doesn't sound like damage was done.

If you feel like you need to do something @Bambam0 just to put your mind at ease, maybe take anti oxidants like NAC for a few days.

 

I really appreciate the feedback @FGG. I’ve definitely been exposed to loud things since I started to experience tinnitus but there’s never been an “oh shit now it’s louder moment.” It didn’t get louder immediately after nor has it today. Maybe it’s slightly aggravated. But I don’t know if I should be taking steroids as a “just in case.”

There’s an incredible amount of anxiety that comes with this condition. It sucks!

 

Would it be good to take Astaxanthin as well? Is it good to take more than one antioxidant at a time?

 

I have Astaxanthin at the ready! I'm still thinking about going to the ER for steroids.

 

You definitely could. Some people have success with Nicotinamide Riboside, too.

 

I've been taking NR (TruNiagen) for a month. I ran out today but have another bottle arriving Sunday.

 

I have NR and Astaxanthin, but may get some NAC and Magnesium as well. Just for when I get hit by a noise incident.

Just wondered if they could interact and have bad side effects. Suppose anything can. I'm very sensitive to things I put inside me it seems.

I have also a stash of Prednisolone and Dexamethasone in case I totally lose hearing. I can get it over the counter here.
I don't want to risk using it for every little incident though.

 

Based on what I explained... would you use steroids?

 

No!

But it's a tough one. I have been in your position numerous times. Once when me young son punched me on the ear and I got a fullness feeling in my ear, and another time when I had a very bad cold and my hearing seemed to dip. I thought over whether to take the steroids, but eventually I didn't. I've also numerous times been hit by noise out and about on the streets.

I still don't know if I did the right things by not taking steroids. My tinnitus was not made worse, but I have a feeling my hearing may have dipped. Next time I will definitely take antioxidants though.

 

Yeah I'm going to Urgent Care to try to get steroids later today. At the very least I'll have some on hand for a later exposure. I'm not sure I'll take it as tinnitus is still at baseline.

Would love anyone else's thoughts on this!

 

I went to Urgent Care and got a 7 day taper of prednisone. It was very easy.

Now about taking them...

Anyone else want to weigh in?!

 

It's totally in your hands. We can't decide for you.

But if you are going to take them do it now as the the soon the better.

 

I know it’s been 36 hours and little change other than constantly monitoring and anxiety. I got about 10 hours of sleep last night which always helps my tinnitus and I’m worried about steroids causing insomnia and in turn making tinnitus worse.

Maybe being exposed to loud noise and it causing tinnitus is the exception, not the rule? Think of all the people that are exposed and don’t get tinnitus. I guess it could be possible that is what happened to me although I already have tinnitus.

Sorry for the massive rambling, I just don’t know what else to do and there is no right answer...

@FGG @GregCA @linearb would you take prednisone in my case?

 

Dear God. You're soon well out of the window of Prednisone even having the remote possibility of "helping", so JUST TAKE IT NOW! Obviously you aren't going to be convinced otherwise.

It's insanity to me. You don't have any symptoms of worsened tinnitus or hearing loss, feelings of fullness, or anything, but you still think you "might have damaged yourself".

So the only solution is for you to take the damn Prednisone.

More than Prednisone you need Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to get rid of these wildly disturbing thinking patterns.

Sorry to be blunt about this but sometimes you have to...

 

Fair enough. Took them.

 

Does anyone know of a study comparing prednisone to placebo? Or comparing prednisone to supplements?

My ENT doctor gave me a 7-day prescription for prednisone (specifically, "methylprednisolone" aka "Medrol").
I am trying to weigh the potential benefits of prednisone against the potential risks.

Risks:
I read the side effects include cataracts and avascular necrosis.
I am worried about the long-term risk of cataracts because I have a family history of cataracts and macular degeneration. Some of my family members have gone blind or lost such of their eyesight because of cataracts or macular degeneration.
I am worried about the long-term risk of avascular necrosis in the hip because I have a hip injury from sports already. I'm 31 years old. I am worried the prednisone may lead to avascular necrosis when I'm older.

Benefits:
My tinnitus began 14 days ago, immediately after a loud noise. About 7 days after tinnitus onset, I started taking NAC, Magnesium, and Ginkgo Biloba. About 12 hours of taking these supplements, my tinnitus dropped about 30%. My tinnitus has been about the same volume for the last 7 days.

Because my tinnitus decreased after day 7, I wonder if my it will go away without prednisone? My tinnitus is now low enough that I think I can sleep mostly OK, and I am not having too much trouble concentrating at work. Nevertheless, tinnitus is still bothersome to me because it distracts me from my work, and gives me a feeling of anxiety.

THANK YOU everyone who has helped me in my struggle with tinnitus so far! Your contributions to this forum are meaningful!!!

 

I don't know your whole medical history so do not listen to me over a doctor.

With this being said, I would take it, without question.

 

I took Prednisone for about 6 days, then stopped for 2 days, started again with one full dose and a 6-day taper.

Finished the taper I believe on the 31st, so like, 6 days ago.

Too soon to start another round? I have 4 days worth sitting around. I was exposed to a few seconds of a loud car alarm yesterday. I'm worried of what it may have done to my tinnitus/hearing...

I'm tired of seeing incompetent doctors that aren't familiar with Prednisone being used for acoustic trauma...

Thanks.

 

Yes it's too soon. You shouldn't take Prednisone for a few brief seconds of exposure to car alarm.

It's not candy. Do you even have a tinnitus spike now? Or reduced hearing? If not, you'd be stupid to take it, but if you're one of those people who are compulsively worried about any loud noise causing some "hidden" imperceptible hearing damage, then I guess you have to take the Prednisone, otherwise you will be second guessing yourself for the rest of your days.

 

Did your hip pain ever go away? Did you ever get a diagnosis on the hip pain?

 

Yeah you’re probably right. I just measured it with my SPL meter and read 94 dB. I’m sure it wasn’t more than 100 dB at most when accounting for inaccuracies in this cheap meter.

3 seconds of exposure to 100 dB probably isn’t worth the health risks included with taking steroids. Never know.

 

I just had an appointment with the doctor. He prescribed me 250mg prednisone for 3 days (3x250), no taper. That's according to the German guideline on tinnitus and hearing loss.

I tried everything, CBD oil, NR, NAC, B12, D3+K2, Magnesium, but it didn't help. Actually, additionally to my tinnitus i got two new noise sources in my head. One from ultrasonic cleaning a ceramic inlay at the dentist (it made a huge sound through bone conduction) and the other is particularly interesting. I was under very high pressure to deliver for a 2 billion project at work, then drank a strong coffee, suddenly my right ear starts ringing loudly. It got better, but some morse code tinnitus stayed.

Now, I'll take the 3 doses and wait if something happens, for sure though, I have to de-stress, de-focus and just live with it. At least, from a psychological perspective, now I can say that I tried everything viable.

I get more and more the feeling this proneness to tinnitus is related to a vegan diet.

 

Ok fuck this. I took one dose of 250mg. I couldn't sleep until 5 am, and I had a pulse of 110 WHILE SLEEPING.
My skin felt hot and rosacea got worse, I couldn't eat any carbohydrates because of the sugar problem with prednisone, and the bone of my heel started hurting.
I'm not taking anymore of that stuff.

There is a good study that found that 60 mg of Prednisone did not help vs Placebo (made in Sweden).
The German ENT guideline prescribes 250mg because of a study from 1999 where they operated out the inner ear of 20 people and giving some dose of Prednisone before (0 / 120 / 250). Apparently, they found that in the inner ear fluid, Prednisone concentration only increased with 250mg. That's why I got 250 mg.

BUT, the study also says 3.5mg/kg bodyweight is necessary, which would be 420mg in my case!!
I find this highly unprofessional in such a critical therapy, that the rates are not adjusted according to body weight.

Everything the study proved is that 250mg will do NOTHING in my case, and indeed my tinnitus had NO DIFFERENCE on the first day.

 

I once again advise anyone who has no hearing loss and only tinnitus not to take this drug.
I had panic attacks and thought I would die, breathing problems, severe insomnia over 5 days, stomacheache, tachycardia, etc.
I only took one dose and it was that bad.

After 6 days it's better, I slept today, and I could eat some mild food (cooked salmon and white rice).
But, I still have joint problems as if I had a tough training the day before.

Taking this for tinnitus is total nonsense.

 

250mg is an insanely high dose. Much, much, much more than people are usually given. I'm not surprised at the side effects. Did he send you a copy of the German study he cited?