Tinnitus After Tire Exploded in Front of Me: It's Very Quiet on Some Days & Overwhelming and Painful on Other Days

[TurnipTruck]

Hello,

I've had tinnitus since July, when a tire exploded right in front of me. Along with that, I experienced a mild loss of hearing at higher frequencies.

What I struggle with the most is how inconsistent the tinnitus can be. Some days, the sound is very quiet, while on others, it feels overwhelming, and even crunchy sounds are intensely painful.

Why does it vary so much from day to day?

Thank you!

 

[Muggumbo]

When I first developed tinnitus, it changed a lot as well. Some days, it was barely noticeable, while on other days, it sounded like a dental drill going full blast in my ear. It took about a year for mine to become more consistent. It still fluctuates quite a bit, but the range of fluctuation is much smaller now.

 

[Fred185]

A lot of people experience tinnitus that changes multiple times a day. Hopefully, yours is only temporary. I had a similar experience about eight years ago after an unexpected explosion in a fire barrel. Although my tinnitus stopped for a few days afterward, I lost most of my hearing on the affected side, but the tinnitus never left. I usually come to this forum only on bad days, hoping to find new methods for coping with it.

The first thing you need to know is this: for many people with severe tinnitus, nothing really works. However, some people manage to get used to it and, remarkably, go on with life as if nothing happened, even with the constant noise. I'm somewhere in the middle most of the time, but today is a tough one. I'll stay away from bridges.

What frustrates me is that no drug company has anything approved for treating tinnitus, despite it being the number one disability among U.S. service members. You just have to learn your limits. I used to enjoy shooting, working with loud equipment, and celebrating the Fourth of July. I also have hyperacusis, which keeps me from doing nearly anything I consider loud. Even my own voice can be too much on days like today. Yet, I need background noise to help drown out the tinnitus.

In the first year, I slept with my cell phone on speaker under my pillow, playing nature sounds like running water. Now, I never hold the phone to my ear and only use the speakerphone. Best of luck to you.