Exposed to Gunshot from 11-12 Meters Away. Advice Please?

[Rust]

I think I must be the unluckiest tinnitus sufferer of the day. Yesterday someone fired one shot of a handgun in the street 11–12 meters away from me as I was passing (I confirmed the distance later on on Google maps). Luckily, nobody was hurt. But I am feeling very anxious about my ears/tinnitus now. I was wearing no ear protection.

When they fired the gun, they were behind a large car, so at least the car was blocking the direct sound between the actual gun and my right facing ear.

Nevertheless, it was a very loud bang. I liken it to an extremely loud thunder bang I heard a few weeks ago – perhaps slightly more intense. I don't remember it hurting my ears, and they didn't react afterwards in any noticeable way (apart from my tinnitus obviously spiking now and being a bit differently pitched). My right ear does feel slightly more sensitive today however. My friend who was with me did not think it was crazy loud (i.e louder than bad thunder), and their ears are unaffected.

I've done the maths. The hand gun was most likely 155-160db @0.6m. I was 11–12m away, so therefore it puts my exposure level at 129–134db. The car was also blocking the direct exposure of from where the gun was, so that must count for something too. I am assuming based on this my exposure must of been in the region of 125db. (This would also put it in line of my theory of if feeling a bit louder than am extremely loud thunder bang at my ear level).

All of this is theory however, and my ears are both worse today.

This is my worst nightmare come true. I go to great lengths to protect myself from loud noise, and a gun shot close by in public is just something you don't account for in everyday life.

I am hoping and praying that my tinnitus improves, however I cannot get over the fact that I have been exposed to gun fire, and I am very concerned this will be a permanent spike. I'm really trying to hold on to the fact that this is potentially "only" a 125db exposure, making it potentially more possible to recover instead of me being much closer to the gunfire.

I would really appreciate all your input, advice, thoughts and help?

Do I stand a chance of recovery like with normal spikes from loud noises, or is this a completely different ball game? (I've taken the usual NAC and magnesium, but not gone to the doctor/hospital yet.)

Thank you as always,
R

 

[Bill Bauer]

I am very concerned this will be a permanent spike

Many people (including me) had been surprised about the noise that they had experienced and ended up Not getting a permanent spike. If it doesn't improve for three months, then you might begin getting worried about this spike being permanent.

not gone to the doctor/hospital yet.)

If I were you, I would go the ER as soon as possible and ask for prednisone. Play up/exaggerate how bad your spike feels right now, as there is a chance that the doctor will not prescribe prednisone to you. The standard prednisone course is around 60 mg per day for 14 days + tapering. But at the ER they will give you at most a 5-day supply and refer you to an ENT. You could go to different hospitals, walk-in clinics.

For more information about prednisone, search this site. You should not be taking this drug like candy. However, it is not every day that one is exposed to a gunshot while not wearing any hearing protection.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Prednisone is said to be effective only if taken within 48 hours of the incident. The sooner you begin taking it, the more effective it will be.

 

[kelpiemsp]

You should take magnesium ASAP it's actually been shown to be more effective than corticosteroids. Mayo Clinic is currently trialing it for a longer term prevention.

 

[Rust]

Many people (including me) had been surprised about the noise that they had experienced and ended up Not getting a permanent spike. If it doesn't improve for three months, then you might begin getting worried about this spike being permanent.

If I were you, I would go the ER as soon as possible and ask for prednisone. Play up/exaggerate how bad your spike feels right now, as there is a chance that the doctor will not prescribe prednisone to you. The standard prednisone course is around 60 mg per day for 14 days + tapering. But at the ER they will give you at most a 5-day supply and refer you to an ENT. You could go to different hospitals, walk-in clinics.

For more information about prednisone, search this site. You should not be taking this drug like candy. However, it is not every day that one is exposed to a gunshot while not wearing any hearing protection.

Okay, thank you Bill

 

[Rust]

You should take magnesium ASAP it's actually been shown to be more effective than corticosteroids. Mayo Clinic is currently trialing it for a longer term prevention.

Cheers mate. I have been taking mag

 

[Rust]

Does anyone else have any thoughts?

 

[Bill Bauer]

You should take magnesium ASAP it's actually been shown to be more effective than corticosteroids.

Why not take both?

 

[Bobby B]

A 9mm pistol shot at a distance in an open environment isn't a huge issue I would think

Larger caliber revolvers and rifles would be more of a concern

 

[Rust]

A 9mm pistol shot at a distance in an open environment isn't a huge issue I would think

Larger caliber revolvers and rifles would be more of a concern

We're only talking 11-12 meters away here (but with the gun being shot behind the side of a car which hopefully blocked a direct line between the gun and my ear).

Have you ever been exposed to something like this whilst having tinnitus (without wearing protection)?

 

[Bobby B]

Only in the miltary but I was young and invincible back then

 

[Karl28]

Don't overthink it.

Wouldn't a door slamming in your face be loud like a gunshot?

 

[Rust]

Don't overthink it.

Wouldn't a door slamming in your face be loud like a gunshot?

I don't think a door slamming (even in your face) would be near a gunshot.

 

[Rust]

How about anyone else? Any other experienced or thoughts of this exposure?

This one has really thrown me off kilter.

 

[EarHair]

N-Acetyl Cisteine (NAC) has been scientifically proven to prevent damage in soldier and club goers exposed to gunfire and loud music. Go get some ASAP, they are sold in nutrition/supplement stores and take 1000mg per day.

 

[yonkapin]

Oral corticosteroids like Prednisolone/Predisone ASAP if you truly feel that some further damage has been done.

Also like others mentioned, NAC, Magnesium... can chuck in some Niacin, Melatonin, B12 methycobalamin in there too.

The corticosteroids are the most important though. Play up your symptoms if you need to as some doctors are weird with prescribing it depending on their experience with acoustic trauma. I'd suggest Googling some relevant studies on corticosteroids and their benefits in regards to acoustic trauma and bringing them to whichever doctor you see.

I'm able to source corticosteroids from my GP, but it may differ depending where you live. It's most effective within a 72-hour window but show benefits weeks out from acoustic trauma also. Best to get it sooner rather than later though.

Good luck.

 

[Julien87]

Happened to me several years ago. Except it was 2 meters from me. It is the loudest noise I have ever experienced (i did not see it coming so i did not have time to plug my ears), and it was so loud it made me deaf for two seconds. I was so angry! I saw an ENT in emergency but she did not give me any drug. Fortunately that accident had no impact on my hearing nor on my tinnitus.

 

[Rust]

Happened to me several years ago. Except it was 2 meters from me. It is the loudest noise I have ever experienced (i did not see it coming so i did not have time to plug my ears), and it was so loud it made me deaf for two seconds. I was so angry! I saw an ENT in emergency but she did not give me any drug. Fortunately that accident had no impact on my hearing nor on my tinnitus.

What, a gunshot happened 2m from you? That's so lucky it didn't affect your tinnitus if so! No spike?

 

[Rust]

N-Acetyl Cisteine (NAC) has been scientifically proven to prevent damage in soldier and club goers exposed to gunfire and loud music. Go get some ASAP, they are sold in nutrition/supplement stores and take 1000mg per day.

Cheers, I've been taking that for a few years now

 

[Rust]

Oral corticosteroids like Prednisolone/Predisone ASAP if you truly feel that some further damage has been done.

Also like others mentioned, NAC, Magnesium... can chuck in some Niacin, Melatonin, B12 methycobalamin in there too.

The corticosteroids are the most important though. Play up your symptoms if you need to as some doctors are weird with prescribing it depending on their experience with acoustic trauma. I'd suggest Googling some relevant studies on corticosteroids and their benefits in regards to acoustic trauma and bringing them to whichever doctor you see.

I'm able to source corticosteroids from my GP, but it may differ depending where you live. It's most effective within a 72-hour window but show benefits weeks out from acoustic trauma also. Best to get it sooner rather than later though.

Good luck.

Thanks, I'm pretty sure the doctors here in the UK will not prescribe it to me though. I've asked about this several times before in the past!

I've also read if some pretty serious side effects too....

 

[Julien87]

What, a gunshot happened 2m from you? That's so lucky it didn't affect your tinnitus if so! No spike?

Yes this is it. No, no spike, I never have noise induced spikes actually

 

[Rust]

Yes this is it. No, no spike, I never have noise induced spikes actually

That's lucky – you must not have reactive tinnitus.

 

[Rust]

Just an update….

Day 4 and it seems to be getting worse. My ears are starting to feel more sensitive to regular sounds, and the intensity of the tinnitus in my ear facing the gun shot has got more high pithed and uncomfortable.

Anyone with any experience on this sort of thing? Could it just be the case where after a very loud noise your ears continue to get worse before they get better?

Thanks all,
R

 

[Julien87]

Hang in there. Keep in mind stress and lack of sleep may play a role in this. Hope you'll be better soon.

 

[Rust]

Hang in there. Keep in mind stress and lack of sleep may play a role in this. Hope you'll be better soon.

Cheers Julien

 

[Bobby B]

There was a poster on these forums who recovered most of his hearing lost after shooting hand guns without protection by having urgent ER intravenous injection of steroids within a few hours

This is not new we have numerous older studies on soldiers showing significant improvement on steroids when done early enough, although it's always worth a try even later

My ent told me they recorded inprovemnts in patients on oral prednisone up to 3 weeks after trauma, but not much beyond that on average

For a short time span the side effects are pretty much non existant- I had some trouble sleeping and a rough stomach that's about it and I was on Oral

IV or even better an intra ear injection is the preferred mode of treatment

I don't see why any doctor in the world would refuse this given that we don't really have any other viable option besides the "get used to it"