Tinnitus After Dropping a Piece of Metal and Other Exposures to Loud Noise

So on the 19th of January, at work, I dropped a piece of metal in our workshop. It muffled my right ear for a second and then during that particular week I had a couple other occasions where loud noise was present and uncomfortable for my ears.

It took a few days I think for the tinnitus to set in as I was fine sleeping and mustn't have noticed it.

It started in my right ear like a morse code sound beep but 2 weeks later in the middle of night I heard it in my left.

Yet to see an ENT, but GP couldn't find nothing in ear due to too much dry earwax in both ears.

Basically am I stuck with this forever as I'm only 19 in few days and quite depressed...

 

I really need help. I don't think I can cope if this is forever.

 

Talk to your GP and see if you can get a corticoids prescription. Prednisone or Deflazacort are drugs used for this... in case there was a noise trauma.

 

@JacobG, there is a really good chance this goes away for you or at least gets better.

Protect you ears from loud noises at all costs (earplugs, earmuffs, whatever you can get a hold of).

Consume vitamins/minerals/antioxidants (NAC, Magnesium, L-Theanine, Melatonin).

Hydrate/eat well/exercise.

I'd avoid headphones while your ears are fragile.

Unfortunately ears take a long time to heal and yours will now be sensitive moving forward.

 

Thanks guys. Possibly time is the best medicine but I will take extra care and hope this nuisance goes away.

Been doing some research into tinnitus and found there’s no cure but OTO-313 may change that. Does anyone know the details?

 

In my opinion, this year is make or break for both OTO-313 and the more important for those of us already here: OTO-413.

PIPE-505 may reveal stuff this year as well.

For you, most importantly avoid loud noise exposure for the next 5 months and cross your fingers.

 

Let's see what happens this year and hope for the best.

At the moment I have a hiss and static morse code sound that seems to blare out from just my left ear or just right ear or just my head I had hyperacusis for a few weeks but that's nearly gone now...

Sometimes I notice some discomfort on the right side of my face, like the muscles are sensitive to touch.

Can acoustic trauma/noise-induced tinnitus like this take months to fade or disappear overnight?

 

@JacobG, I recommend for you to protect your hearing for the rest of your life.

 

Will corticoids help recovery as it's been nearly 6 weeks?

 

No.

Corticoids have to be administered shortly after a noise trauma, ideally in less than 48 hours.

 

Does that mean I lost my chance to prevent tinnitus becoming permanent or can it still completely fade over time or disappear?

 

Corticoids cannot cure tinnitus, but they can provide a limited protection from the consequences of a noise trauma if used shortly after it happens.

ENTs prescribe corticoids because it is the standard treatment, but it does not work in all cases.

 

My noise induced/trauma event happened over 2 months ago and I'm extremely depressed in the manner, that it happened, as I dropped the thing that's now potentially impacted my life.

Is full remission even possible where the sounds may stop altogether?

Being 19 and facing this for the rest of my life seems horrible and don't think I'll have the strength. My number one fear came true by my own stupidity.

 

People have different experiences with tinnitus. It can get better over time. If not right away, then in a year or maybe a few.

When you are working in a shop, with tools or with power equipment, always protect your ears. This goes for everyone but especially those who have experienced a hearing trauma.

Don't listen to music using earbuds or headphones. The sound level is much louder than you think. Don't listen to loud music at all or go to places where there is loud noise without protection.

If you start to feel better, don't go back to your old ways or you could relapse. After a few months, I don't think many people have a full recovery in the sense of the tinnitus being completely gone, but it can lessen to the point where it isn't an issue. Many people simply adjust to the ever-present sound such that it simply doesn't bother them.

There is no magical treatment that will undo what has been done. Maybe in time there will be, but not now. Many people have found a degree of relief using TRT, but it is likely best to be guided by an audiologist who specializes in treating tinnitus.

My personal experience with ENTs is that they are less than worthless and might want to run tests to check for a tumor, which is stupid if the problem was clearly caused by noise. Tests that pump clicks into your ears through headphones can cause further damage. I know from personal experience. An MRI is pretty loud and unnecessary when you know what initiated the tinnitus. I think it is a test that they like to do to cover themselves. An MRI machine is very loud. If you did get one, then definitely use the best earplugs you can find.

Your life is not over. You are feeling stressed and depressed right now, but most people do get better and most learn to successfully live with it with minimal impact on their life.

 

Is there anything I can do/take (HBOT etc) over 2 months in with tinnitus or is time and patience just the best medicine?

Whenever I hear high frequency sounds, my right ear, which was first affected, kinda contracts inside but my left ear doesn't. Yet both have high pitched rings, always changing...

 

Some people find that antidepressants, sleep medications or benzos can help, but others report that they cause even more problems. People have tried many other things, but I don't think anything helps beyond what can be observed with a placebo.

Recently, I've sometimes used a Lidocaine patch (4% OTC) on the back of my neck overnight. When I first tried that I noticed a slight difference in the morning. The next day was more so, and the following 2 days I felt pretty good. I never have 4 improving days in a row, so it was significant. But I don't know if that was a spurious result or not. I'm really not sure, and I don't make a practice of using that. But, it's cheap and easy to try. A 6-count box at Walmart is about $7. If you try it, don't expect much or anything. I personally would stay away from pills, but that's just me.

 

This is from another thread, but it has useful information and is worth watching. The first part is about possible physical causes which you can skip. Following that he talks about treatments when there is no physical cause.

Pathophysiology-Based Treatments for Tinnitus

 

Whenever I hear a high pitch sound like bubble wrap popping, my right ear flutters/pulses right after it. What could that be?

 

TTTS.

 

Right now my affected ear is the worst it has been. I believe I now have ETD symptoms in my right ear and a new whooshing sound. Can these symptoms ease by themself? Oh and this is along with beautiful eye floaters! Give me strength please...

 

Hey Jacob, I hope you’re doing better now.

I recently was exposed to loud noise in an indoors shooting range. Even though I was wearing earplugs, I still developed tinnitus. My ENT said it could be due to acoustic trauma and it usually takes a lot of time to heal, maybe months, as long as the ears are well protected.

I'm consuming vitamin supplements, Ginseng and Turmeric. I hope it helps!