New to This Ordeal

[iamredeemed]

So let me start with what caused my current issue. It's a bit ignorant, but it's been done, and no going back now.

About 2 1/2 weeks ago, for whatever reason, I took an EMPTY airsoft pistol and stuck it in my ear and pulled the trigger.

It immediately caused tinnitus, and what I believe to be hyperacusis.

I went to my PC two days after, didn't notice any damage to the ear drum, referred me to an ENT. I saw the ENT on day 12 after the event. Hearing test showed no hearing loss in the affected ear, but on the ear I was not concerned with I had some loss in the 4000 range. ENT looked at ear, didn't see any damage to the ear drum either. Prescribed high dose of steroids starting at 50mg for 3 days, 40 for 3 days, 30 for 3 days, 20 for 3 days, and 10 for 3 days, for a total of 15 days.

My symptoms are.
Some talking voices sound crackly, especially my wife and kids. Louder sounds sounds crackly as well. Especially the loud blinker in my truck. Running water, hair driers seems excessively loud. I listen to a lot of EDM ( dance music ) and the louder high pitch stuff gets the crackly sound as well. With the crackly sound, what I mean is that it almost sounds like a blown speaker, maybe somewhat echoey. And then of course the tinnitus, sometimes is loud and unbearable, especially when not occupied.

I'm just wondering if there is hope. It saddens me to find my loved ones voices annoying because it sounds crackly and distorted. I've read and read and read, to the point of driving my wife crazy over it. I know it's not really a huge issue, but it's just a non stop annoyance and I find that it's all I can think about.

Does this seem to sound like Hyperacusis? This is the only thing close to my symptoms that I've found.

Seems only thing the ENT was good for was draining my wallet. I've looked at TRT but there is no way for me to afford that since insurance would not cover it.

I haven't tried the pink noise yet, but I may start playing it at bedside at night to see if that will help.

Any ideas or words would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[.bill]

Put an air gun to your ear????? What were you thinking? Don't use headphones wont help

 

[GregCA]

@iamredeemed - welcome, and sorry about your ordeal.
Stay away from loud sounds/noises for a while to give your ear a chance to heal. That increases the chances of going back to "normal".

 

[Bill Bauer]

Hyperacusis usually resolves by itself (although it will probably take 6-12 months or longer).

Do you have tinnitus?

 

[Artur]

I understand your position, I too felt desperate and sometimes still do. I also got my girlfriend worried about my behavior towards this issue, it's not uncommon to feel hopeless about this. You need to try and be resilient, there might be something you can do about this problem, you just have to push the Doctors to do all sorts of tests(MRIs, CAT scans, Blood tests, EEGs, X-rays,etc.)

Also you need to stop listening to loud music, and completely stop using headphones this will only do more harm. This problem you are having has been reported before and people do get better. Stay strong!

 

[Artur]

By the way @Bill Bauer has a good thread on 70% recovery, which shows that even people who suffer hearing damage from terrorist attacks where their eardrums get ruptured can still recover.

 

[Bill Bauer]

By the way @Bill Bauer has a good thread on 70% recovery, which shows that even people who suffer hearing damage from terrorist attacks where their eardrums get ruptured can still recover.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/spontaneous-recovery-stats-over-70-recover-3-studies.21441/