Four weeks ago, I went on my work's Christmas night out. The evening involved loud music, people shouting, and busy pubs and bars. After leaving, I spoke to my wife on the phone and noticed that her voice sounded high-pitched and distorted. This distortion affected everyone's voices for the next few days.
Two days later, I visited my GP. He checked my ears for wax (they were clear) and prescribed a week of Prednisone steroids (60 mg/day). I also went to my local ENT for a hearing test, which showed a -50 dB drop in the 4 kHz to 6 kHz range (I don't know what my hearing was like in that range before the night out).
Since then, most sounds seem fine except for people's voices. Voices have an echo-like quality when heard up close, and they sound as though they're coming through a tube from a distance, making them difficult to understand—especially higher-pitched voices like those of women and children. The "volume" of everything else seems normal; for example, I don't need to turn the TV up louder. However, voices, particularly through speakers, sound distorted and unpleasant.
I've also experienced some tinnitus in my left ear. Other sounds, like birdsong, phone conversations, and music through headphones, remain clear and unaffected. The issue seems specific to voices traveling through the air. The further the distance, the more distorted the sound becomes. Face-to-face conversations in quiet environments are mostly fine, though there's a slight echo.
My ears themselves seem to fluctuate. On some days, my left ear feels clogged and crackles, but then it clears up, and my right ear will start feeling the same way. Occasionally, both ears feel light and clear.
I'm losing my mind worrying that I might be stuck with this forever. Any advice would be much appreciated.
Two days later, I visited my GP. He checked my ears for wax (they were clear) and prescribed a week of Prednisone steroids (60 mg/day). I also went to my local ENT for a hearing test, which showed a -50 dB drop in the 4 kHz to 6 kHz range (I don't know what my hearing was like in that range before the night out).
Since then, most sounds seem fine except for people's voices. Voices have an echo-like quality when heard up close, and they sound as though they're coming through a tube from a distance, making them difficult to understand—especially higher-pitched voices like those of women and children. The "volume" of everything else seems normal; for example, I don't need to turn the TV up louder. However, voices, particularly through speakers, sound distorted and unpleasant.
I've also experienced some tinnitus in my left ear. Other sounds, like birdsong, phone conversations, and music through headphones, remain clear and unaffected. The issue seems specific to voices traveling through the air. The further the distance, the more distorted the sound becomes. Face-to-face conversations in quiet environments are mostly fine, though there's a slight echo.
My ears themselves seem to fluctuate. On some days, my left ear feels clogged and crackles, but then it clears up, and my right ear will start feeling the same way. Occasionally, both ears feel light and clear.
I'm losing my mind worrying that I might be stuck with this forever. Any advice would be much appreciated.
