@Dale Danche ... I'm sorry to be a voice of more "concern" here, but I'm afraid I can relate to your situation in a very direct way perhaps more than 99.9% of "others". If you look at my Profile/Info. you will see some of my long and sordid affair with T and H.
What happened to me in Dec. 2012 was just damn cruel...no other word for it. Basically "exposure time" of a lot less than your 8 hours, and I was kicked in the teeth severely with permanent increased T and H from my
already high baselines. I had tried so hard to get a chunk of my life back, and succeeded - hence the "cruel" part! I was also doing a good deed for the community at large. Etc., etc.
Then early November 2015, almost 3 years after this 2012 thing above and still heavily affected by it (my T levels don't change from new higher levels, but H tends to drop 5 - 10% per year IF I don't get zapped!) I was on a 3 hour speaker-phone call (helping a TT member in a T crisis), at 'normal voice volume', sitting 10 feet away leaning against my bed - thinking I was just fine in the "noise zone"...and afterwards realized I had increased H damage!
Much more reactive again! Of course I was appalled and kicked myself endlessly for forgetting EXPOSURE TIME, not just volume!... Arrrrrgggghhhh!!! (
No good deed goes unpunished!??!)
So, I KNOW how easy it is for me to get "sensitized" in a car. It is a small resonant space + road noise, etc. Very dangerous place for me if someone else in there, and thus I only drive with quiet talkers, or none at all. I don't like leaving plugs in too long as then the T volume (c/o internal self feeding volume loop???) goes through the roof after a while - but comes back to baseline with a good nights' sleep and quiet. That is of course if I was indeed "protected" and had the plugs in...not
unprotected damage, as that has not been good! (See history).
OK, sorry, I am NOT saying this to just be a jerk scaremonger (look at my TT history and you will see that is
not my MO)...However, what I'm saying is, you may be similar to me in that you are more "reactive" than many/most and thus have to be more careful - as indeed you are not a "short termer" with T (i. e. less than one year or so).
So suggestions!
1.
Immediately try and see if your doc will give you some Prednisone (as long as not allergic to it or anything)! It may be too late, but maybe not. There are differing opinions. I would shoot for a minimum of 20 mg twice a day for a minimum of three days. You will know
soon if it is going to help...like within a day probably. No need or desire for longer term treatment as it is a fine miracle drug for very short term use but a bastard for longer term. Don't go there. Some reports say it helps up to a month later for hearing damage issues!
*(I think you can find a post if you search my use of this recently - yes here it is, but I thought I followed up and said I was too late, or maybe the prednisone did not work for me - though may have a bit...Mmmmmm
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/to-all-whose-tinnitus-got-louder.11987/#post-147568 Anyway, it will give you some info anyhow).
Be aware that the stuff can increase gut 'acidity' (did for me but I have sensitive gut), though for short term use may be a non issue.
2. BE CAREFUL!!! I would keep a
very low sound profile right now. To hell with all the ideas about "sound exposure" and so forth being good for you. NOT NOW...I would "rest your ears" as much as possible! Open ear canal, nature sounds, nothing too loud, watch out for long conversations on a phone (especially cell or wireless as 'digital sound' is different = much "harder" on hearing = my direct experience!), movies at home put subtitles on, etc., etc.
Use your common sense, but to summarize, I suggest "resting your ears"...give them some quiet and softer than usual sound levels. Even a week can help a lot, then feel it out....elevate to more what you are used to SLOWLY!
3. Always carry earplugs as part of your body. It's a noisy world and loud people in cars are a hazard of the occupation of being alive in this modern western trip. (California - unless you live in the wilderness of the Sierra!).
Good luck and I hope you recover back to where you were, then more so after that... As Bill Clinton said: "I feel your pain"...From hard experience I'm afraid.
Take care, Zimichael
Member
