A Friend Just Gave Himself Tinnitus a Few Minutes Ago (Single Acoustic Trauma)

[RichardGuy]

Not gonna lie. Soon as he told me I almost fell over and went into full panic. He says after a few hours he can't hear anymore ringing, but I'm pretty sure it's going to come back over night.

Aside from slipping him my emergency dose of prednisone, how can I help him? (It was a single acoustic trauma, not a concert).

 

[Striveon]

Not gonna lie. Soon as he told me I almost fell over and went into full panic. He says after a few hours he can't hear anymore ringing, but I'm pretty sure it's going to come back over night.

Aside from slipping him my emergency dose of prednisone, how can I help him? (It was a single acoustic trauma, not a concert).

Some people get tinnitus for a few hours or a few days, then it subsides. He probably will be okay, hopefully. You can advise him to take NAC and magnesium?

 

[Fire2Flowers]

Aside from slipping him my emergency dose of prednisone

You slipped him a steroid? Does he know it's in his system, and how did his body react? If he is not supposed to be taking it anyways, it would be best not to do that again (provided you have already done so). From what I'm reading, that medication should only be available by doctor's prescription. https://www.goodrx.com/prednisone/what-is

It is also unwise to treat such conditions without further consultation, as reacting too quickly can cause a lifetime of problems. Despite the fact you claim this is from a "single acoustic trauma" there are a myriad of possibilities. I got mine while I was blaring loud music from my MP3 player. Yet I was told by my GPs that it wasn't from noise, but rather an eustachian tube dysfunction. Life is strange like that.

As for what to do now? Regardless of cause, tell him to stay away from loud noises for at least a year, if not the rest of his life. If he is lucky enough that his tinnitus is temporary, it is imperative to keep his ears protected. Giving the ears time to heal themselves can go a long way, so just make sure he's doing that. If his problems return and do not go away after 48 hours, schedule an appointment with a doctor and/or audiologist.

I hope this helps you, and I wish him the best of luck in getting rid of this terrible thing.

 

[Bill Bauer]

He says after a few hours he can't hear anymore ringing

Chances are that his ringing won't return. However, if he continues being exposed to loud sounds, eventually there might come a time when it won't go away...

 

[DebInAustralia]

how can I help him?

Nicotinamide riboside.

 

[Gabriel]

I don't want to be rude but you are paranoid at this point and totally over reacting over something very common.
Having tinnitus after acoustic trauma is just totally normal and in 99% of case it disappear alone.
So you don't have to go full panic, for someone that probably is not panic at all and for his best, because that's panic that make the tinnitus stay and the focus on it.

Also your behavior is very dangerous, prednisone is a drug that should ONLY be prescripted by a doctor, and that can have lot of side effets, even if there is very few chances at low dose and short time.
For his own good you should let your friend alone and not talk to him about tinnitus staying forever, and for his own good, you should let him see he doctor if he feels he needs it.
And you should really chill.

 

[Mathieulh]

I don't want to be rude but you are paranoid at this point and totally over reacting over something very common.
Having tinnitus after acoustic trauma is just totally normal and in 99% of case it disappear alone.
So you don't have to go full panic, for someone that probably is not panic at all and for his best, because that's panic that make the tinnitus stay and the focus on it.

Also your behavior is very dangerous, prednisone is a drug that should ONLY be prescripted by a doctor, and that can have lot of side effets, even if there is very few chances at low dose and short time.
For his own good you should let your friend alone and not talk to him about tinnitus staying forever, and for his own good, you should let him see he doctor if he feels he needs it.
And you should really chill.

Actually taking prednisone soon after an acute acoustic trauma is the right thing to do and may have saved that person from weeks/months/a lifetime of tinnitus, though the proper dose for acoustic trauma is usually 1mg per killogram of bodyweight, sometimes when you get into an acute trauma, it becomes an emergency and you don't have time to waste waiting days for a GP's appointment, especially if you do have prednisone at your disposal.

Does this mean you have to take prednisone everytime you are exposed to loud noises? Of course not, only do so when you notice severe symptoms after such an exposure (such as tinnitus or sudden hearing loss).

Does prednisone come with serious side effects? It does, however unless you use it chronically (over a month period) those don't last, and the withdrawal period is very short (just make sure you tapper it off if you use prednisone for over 2 weeks, and make sure you have someone around you when you do, as withdrawal symptoms do include depression), given the choice, I'd take that any day instead of a potential lifetime of hearing impairment(s).

 

[RichardGuy]

Just so we're all on the same page I did NOT slip him prednisone, only offered it to him. By some miracle of God it's already gone.

 

[Jack Straw]

Actually taking prednisone soon after an acute acoustic trauma is the right thing to do and may have saved that person from weeks/months/a lifetime of tinnitus, though the proper dose for acoustic trauma is usually 1mg per killogram of bodyweight, sometimes when you get into an acute trauma, it becomes an emergency and you don't have time to waste waiting days for a GP's appointment, especially if you do have prednisone at your disposal.

Does this mean you have to take prednisone everytime you are exposed to loud noises? Of course not, only do so when you notice severe symptoms after such an exposure (such as tinnitus or sudden hearing loss).

Does prednisone come with serious side effects? It does, however unless you use it chronically (over a month period) those don't last, and the withdrawal period is very short (just make sure you tapper it off if you use prednisone for over 2 weeks, and make sure you have someone around you when you do, as withdrawal symptoms do include depression), given the choice, I'd take that any day instead of a potential lifetime of hearing impairment(s).

Just so we're all on the same page I did NOT slip him prednisone, only offered it to him. By some miracle of God it's already gone.

Never give anyone medication that isn't prescribed to them by a doctor. Prednisone is a serious steroid that can have serious consequences. You're not a doctor, and shouldn't be giving people drugs.

 

[Gabriel]

Just so we're all on the same page I did NOT slip him prednisone, only offered it to him. By some miracle of God it's already gone.

Isn't it the same thing ?
You have gime Something only a doctor is suppose to be given. And it's not a miracle of god, unfortunately now I got acute tinnitus each time I go out at parties even with earplugs and I always go off the next hours. This is the normal way. Having tinnitus usually resolve itself 99.9% of case.
There is lot of concerts everyday, Everyday 10 000 of people having tinnitus because the volume was too high, and Everyday 9 999 of people recovering the next day.

Actually taking prednisone soon after an acute acoustic trauma is the right thing to do and may have saved that person from weeks/months/a lifetime of tinnitus, though the proper dose for acoustic trauma is usually 1mg per killogram of bodyweight, sometimes when you get into an acute trauma, it becomes an emergency and you don't have time to waste waiting days for a GP's appointment, especially if you do have prednisone at your disposal.

While I agree, he is not a doctor and can't tell how was the acoustic trauma. Reading what I am reading, it was a very little trauma, and didn't even last more than few hours, which doesn't require corticoide. If it was an horrible ringing really strong and more than 12h yeah maybe that could have same him. But I feel there was a total over reaction .

Anyway, that being said, all that matters in the end is that this guy is okay. Let's wish him well.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Just so we're all on the same page I did NOT slip him prednisone, only offered it to him. By some miracle of God it's already gone.

Not really a miracle. Most people I know get the occasional ringing for a shorter while after being subjcted to loud noise. Happens to most people and it mostly always goes away again......but of course, it's never a good thing and I would advice caution from now on, if one has had "fleeting tinnitus" many times....it is the ears message of saying: "you are abusing me" and if you keep getting the fleeting tinnitus because of loud noise, then there is a great risk, it will turn into chronic tinnitus one day.