My Life Changed a Week Ago — Assaulted by a Car Alarm

[Trav_44]

Hello everyone. A little more than week ago I foolishly helped the maintenance guy in my complex try and stop a car alarm that was going off. I was about a foot away from the alarm holding it down with a screwdriver but it would slip every once in a while. I wasn't exposed nearly as long as the other guy, hope he's alright. Bonus, I see the car every time I step out the door.

I found this site a day and a half later and set an appointment with ENT. They tried to set an appointment a month later so I explained what I read about prednisone and that this is pretty much an emergency and so I got in last Thursday. Audiogram said good hearing and no damage or wax buildup. The ENT did not want to do prednisone and said to come back in a month. I was stressed about taking it myself and it had already been close to a week since the noise trauma. Still don't know if that was the right decision and might make some calls in the morning. What are your thoughts?

As far as the tinnitus I might be lucky because it's at about 3 out of 10 and has fluctuated. I have been reading this forum almost non-stop and was hoping my first post would be in the success stories. I've actually had a few instances where I could barely hear a thing with my ears plugged. I've had some days where I couldn't hear it over the car, tv and general noise. That said, I've also been humbled and realized this very well could become part of my life. Sleep has been a major issue. I make my own schedule and can work from home so I spent most of the week here but yesterday I had to do an open house running on 3-4 hours of sleep the previous 2 nights and it was awful. The noise was probably still a 3-4 but my nerves were shot and it felt like a 7. I was absolutely fearing what last night would hold but I actually fell asleep without any melatonin (which I take regularly), think I passed out from exhaustion. With the full night of rest, today went really good for a while but the ringing set in about 2 hours ago.

My heart breaks for everyone dealing with this. I clearly underestimated what people meant by "my ears ring".

 

[Allan Mcmillan]

My advice is to get either prednisone or intratympanic demexathone injections ASAP. My idiotic ENT from onset decided to tell me that "there's no treatment" when steroids should have been the first line of defense. That honestly could have saved me and alot of other people.

 

[Trav_44]

Thanks for your input Allan. I'm reading as much as I can about it to make a decision. The side effects look harsh, I wish there was clear evidence that it worked. Maybe there is and I'm just not seeing it.

 

[pinklights98]

Yes, definitely get prednisone. Things you can try:

Steroid injections
HBOT
NAC & Magnesium

Don't plug your ears and check for it.

My tinnitus was also aggravated by a car alarm so I really feel for you.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I think you will be ok. It might take 3-6 months, though. Also, make sure to avoid hurting your ears during this time of vulnerability.

 

[GregCA]

My heart breaks for everyone dealing with this. I clearly underestimated what people meant by "my ears ring".

Now that you've come "to this side" you'll notice that what you describe is a pattern from people "on the other side": they'll tell you it's not a big deal, and that they themselves also hear ringing. They think they know. That is a big problem with this condition.

At any rate, there is a good chance that your T will fade in time. There is a short window to try and increase the chances of your recovery (as mentioned by other posters), so if I were in your shoes and I knew what T can bring, I'd use any possible option I could.

Good luck!

 

[MRItechssuck]

ENTs have no emergency protocol... it's ridiculous. I had to get in a waiting list and got after three days.

Then the dude wasn't "comfortable" giving prednisone for more than 3 days... and wouldn't give a steroid shot.

The medical community is such a scam.

I went to 3 clinics and pieced together all their prednisone 5 day does packs to make my own regime... still didn't help.

I fault the ATA again for not pressing ENTs... what a stupid title for an organization... they are less popular in a google search than the "American Trucking Association." They are worthless.

 

[Trav_44]

Yes, definitely get prednisone. Things you can try:

Steroid injections
HBOT
NAC & Magnesium

Don't plug your ears and check for it.

My tinnitus was also aggravated by a car alarm so I really feel for you.

Thank you, I really can't get over the fact that a car alarm did this but I'm trying. I'm assuming the prednisone helped you a lot?

 

[Trav_44]

I think you will be ok. It might take 3-6 months, though. Also, make sure to avoid hurting your ears during this time of vulnerability.

Thanks Bill, I've seen you're quite active here. What's your current opinion on steroids at roughly 10 days in?

 

[Bill Bauer]

What's your current opinion on steroids at roughly 10 days in?

I've read about studies that say that steroids are useless after 48 hours. Other studies say that steroids can be useful for several weeks after the incident.

As for Prednisone, your guess is as good as our guess. There is a chance that it will help, and there is a chance that you will experience one of its side effects (e.g., bone loss leading to dental problems). Nobody really knows the probabilities (of it helping and of it causing problems) involved. You have to choose one of those options (basically at random) and then try to not second guess your decision.

I guess given how much is at stake, the possibility of side effects would not be enough to stop me from taking steroids. I would want to know that I did everything I could.
But check out

Because of taking prednisone for my tinnitus, I then got more serious problems, I was examined for 2 months because I felt terrible. It turned out that I had developed adrenal insufficiency from taking prednisone. And 3 months later, it persists. What's the reason for this, nobody knows.

 

[Trav_44]

Now that you've come "to this side" you'll notice that what you describe is a pattern from people "on the other side": they'll tell you it's not a big deal, and that they themselves also hear ringing. They think they know. That is a big problem with this condition.

At any rate, there is a good chance that your T will fade in time. There is a short window to try and increase the chances of your recovery (as mentioned by other posters), so if I were in your shoes and I knew what T can bring, I'd use any possible option I could.

Good luck!

Thanks Greg, I'm definitely looking at all options. Wish there was a clear answer but guess everyone has to decide what to do for themselves. It's overwhelming to say the least.

 

[Trav_44]

ENTs have no emergency protocol... it's ridiculous. I had to get in a waiting list and got after three days.

Then the dude wasn't "comfortable" giving prednisone for more than 3 days... and wouldn't give a steroid shot.

The medical community is such a scam.

I went to 3 clinics and pieced together all their prednisone 5 day does packs to make my own regime... still didn't help.

I fault the ATA again for not pressing ENTs... what a stupid title for an organization... they are less popular in a google search than the "American Trucking Association." They are worthless.

That's what I'm worried about. Taking it too late and to be honest a few of the side effects REALLY do not mix with me.

 

[pinklights98]

Thank you, I really can't get over the fact that a car alarm did this but I'm trying. I'm assuming the prednisone helped you a lot?

how long overall were you exposed?

 

[Trav_44]

how long overall were you exposed?

A couple minutes but the alarm wasn't going off the whole time.