Tinnitus, Hyperacusis and Slight Hearing Loss from Gunshot

[Frankie Nazzaro]

Hi all,

I'm a 21 year old musician who has suffered his worst nightmare. One irresponsible slip up after years of having stellar hearing, and my dreams are crushed.
I accidentally set off a shotgun at an indoor shooting range without ear protection on. I'm begging not to be mocked for my stupidity, I really need positive vibes here. I really do know how bad it COULD have been and how dumb of a mistake that is.

My left ear basically took the blast. Everything seems basically fine in my right ear, no ringing, doesn't seem like any fullness, except sometimes at night it will start to "pop" randomly, without any change in hearing or ringing.

The left ear, however, is suffering from tinnitus, hyperacusis and slight hearing loss (-10db around the 4k range, not sure on a 16k scale but definitely some higher frequency lost). I saw 2 ENT's so far. The first was confident that the T and H would get better, and even said the 10db loss in the left ear could close up a bit. He didn't recommend that I wear earplugs in loud places or even recommend that I stay away from loud noises, and it seemed like he was in a rush to see other patients so I saw another ENT who was less confident. He said it may or it may not get better over time, and he told me to take Lipo Flavinoid and also Ginkgo Biloba.

The T seems to get worse if i drink alcohol or smoke. I'm not heavily into either of these things but I have been so incredibly stressed over this. It gets me the most at night time when I feel like I really can't escape it.

I just want some hope that it will eventually get better. I read the stats about soldiers coming home with tinnitus and how many of them recovered after single gunshot trauma etc. but of course I'm still a nervous wreck. I was a nervous wreck before any of this happened - I've been prescribed Xanax for over a year now and it seems like all the things I used to worry about were so damn stupid. I'd take all those things over this. I'm so scared :/

Wednesday will be two weeks. I haven't barely slept or ate. I'm sure that's not helping.

 

[foliefortuna]

Try not to beat yourself up over the gunshot, everyone has done reckless things that put their hearing in jeopardy and only some have to face the consequences. Have you ever seen all the people doing fireworks with no hearing protection?
Your tinnitus, hearing loss, and hyperacusis is very new so it could very well improve with time. However it may not improve with time. You are young and there is more and more tinnitus research going on, so even if your tinnitus and hearing loss do not go away on their own, there may be a cure in the future.

 

[dpdx]

Hi all,

I'm a 21 year old musician who has suffered his worst nightmare. One irresponsible slip up after years of having stellar hearing, and my dreams are crushed.
I accidentally set off a shotgun at an indoor shooting range without ear protection on. I'm begging not to be mocked for my stupidity, I really need positive vibes here. I really do know how bad it COULD have been and how dumb of a mistake that is.

My left ear basically took the blast. Everything seems basically fine in my right ear, no ringing, doesn't seem like any fullness, except sometimes at night it will start to "pop" randomly, without any change in hearing or ringing.

The left ear, however, is suffering from tinnitus, hyperacusis and slight hearing loss (-10db around the 4k range, not sure on a 16k scale but definitely some higher frequency lost). I saw 2 ENT's so far. The first was confident that the T and H would get better, and even said the 10db loss in the left ear could close up a bit. He didn't recommend that I wear earplugs in loud places or even recommend that I stay away from loud noises, and it seemed like he was in a rush to see other patients so I saw another ENT who was less confident. He said it may or it may not get better over time, and he told me to take Lipo Flavinoid and also Ginkgo Biloba.

The T seems to get worse if i drink alcohol or smoke. I'm not heavily into either of these things but I have been so incredibly stressed over this. It gets me the most at night time when I feel like I really can't escape it.

I just want some hope that it will eventually get better. I read the stats about soldiers coming home with tinnitus and how many of them recovered after single gunshot trauma etc. but of course I'm still a nervous wreck. I was a nervous wreck before any of this happened - I've been prescribed Xanax for over a year now and it seems like all the things I used to worry about were so damn stupid. I'd take all those things over this. I'm so scared :/

Wednesday will be two weeks. I haven't barely slept or ate. I'm sure that's not helping.

It will subside eventually. Your Right ear pops? can you explain?

 

[Frankie Nazzaro]

It will subside eventually. Your Right ear pops? can you explain?

Thanks, I hope so.
Yeah, I guess "pop" is the right word. It feels like what happens when I yawn except there's no fullness beforehand, so it doesn't clear anything out since that ear feels fine. It seems to only happen in the middle of the night, and it's likely because I'm grinding my teeth/clenching my jaw out of anxiety. I have been doing that my whole life so I imagine it gets worse at times like this.

 

[dpdx]

Thanks, I hope so.
Yeah, I guess "pop" is the right word. It feels like what happens when I yawn except there's no fullness beforehand, so it doesn't clear anything out since that ear feels fine. It seems to only happen in the middle of the night, and it's likely because I'm grinding my teeth/clenching my jaw out of anxiety. I have been doing that my whole life so I imagine it gets worse at times like this.

Just dont let the ENT do stupid ear tests on you or you will make it worse. I made my Tinnitus worse and got Hyperacusis by doing some ear tests. I initially had T on left ear, just T, and it dropped from moderate to mild, after doing an ear test i developed T on R ear, Hyperacusis on both ears, and T on left ear increased.

 

[Frankie Nazzaro]

Just dont let the ENT do stupid ear tests on you or you will make it worse. I made my Tinnitus worse and got Hyperacusis by doing some ear tests. I initially had T on left ear, just T, and it dropped from moderate to mild, after doing an ear test i developed T on R ear, Hyperacusis on both ears, and T on left ear increased.

yikes, that's unsettling. i'm seeing another ENT and an audiologist next Thursday, i do want my hearing tested again but i'll try to make sure they don't do any tests that could damage it further. i feel like mine is already getting worse but it's likely just cause i'm not sleeping or eating and i'm incredibly anxious about it.

 

[dpdx]

yikes, that's unsettling. i'm seeing another ENT and an audiologist next Thursday, i do want my hearing tested again but i'll try to make sure they don't do any tests that could damage it further. i feel like mine is already getting worse but it's likely just cause i'm not sleeping or eating and i'm incredibly anxious about it.

you cant make it worse unless you expose yourself to loud sounds. Hyperacusis is so much worse than Tinnitus.

 

[Frankie Nazzaro]

you cant make it worse unless you expose yourself to loud sounds. Hyperacusis is so much worse than Tinnitus.

Yeah it's really annoying I can't even talk at my normal volume without buzzing my ear. At the very least i'm hoping that gets better.

 

[dpdx]

Yeah it's really annoying I can't even talk at my normal volume without buzzing my ear. At the very least i'm hoping that gets better.

it does get better trust me, by the third month i was back to normal and then ENT sent me do this test "caloric test" and it made it so much worse.

 

[Frankie Nazzaro]

it does get better trust me, by the third month i was back to normal and then ENT sent me do this test "caloric test" and it made it so much worse.

aw man that's terrible, i'm sorry that happened to you :/ I really hope your T and H improves. I can't give any advice, I'm really new to this myself

 

[dpdx]

aw man that's terrible, i'm sorry that happened to you :/ I really hope your T and H improves. I can't give any advice, I'm really new to this myself

Just dont do the stupid ear tests, ENT dosent know anything, worthless.

 

[Bobby B]

I would get a prednisone injection asap that may help

10db loss is very little you will be fine and you are young too

What kind of musician are you ?

 

[Frankie Nazzaro]

I would get a prednisone injection asap that may help

10db loss is very little you will be fine and you are young too

What kind of musician are you ?

Thanks for the bit of hope! I was surprised that neither ENT gave me prednisone. When I see the third ENT next Thursday I'll ask about prednisone.

I mostly write film scores but I also do hip hop/pop/outrun style music, and I am also an aspiring audio engineer which may never happen now that I have a slight hearing deficit in one ear and can't listen to loud music at the moment.. Maybe i'm overreacting cause i'm still new to this. Also i'm sure if i'd been eating and sleeping properly since it happened i'd be in at least a little better shape right now.

 

[Frankie Nazzaro]

Also I'd like to mention that the ringing is barely present when I first wake up. Like right now, i have to focus hard to hear the ringing, but if i smoke or start going about my daily activities, or even if i get a little too anxious about it, it will spike up. I think that's an improvement from the first few days?

 

[Bobby B]

yes these are good improvements
but - perhaps a career change may be preferable now that you have some damage ..again at your age not a problem

 

[john paul]

10db loss is nothing really and yes in the morning it is always the quietest. It will usually surface after a few minutes for me now until i get out of bed and then its in the background/un noticeable. It does get better its just very hard to tell sometimes. Day to day its like looking in a mirror to see if you have aged, you notice nothing. Over time of several weeks to months you realise things are slowly getting better. Its just at night time when i wonder if things are actually any better at all sometimes but then your hearing is at its most sensitive at night but its getting easier and easier to mask it. It just fades into the distance more and more and is more stable than it was so i know its getting better.

 

[Frankie Nazzaro]

10db loss is nothing really and yes in the morning it is always the quietest. It will usually surface after a few minutes for me now until i get out of bed and then its in the background/un noticeable. It does get better its just very hard to tell sometimes. Day to day its like looking in a mirror to see if you have aged, you notice nothing. Over time of several weeks to months you realise things are slowly getting better. Its just at night time when i wonder if things are actually any better at all sometimes but then your hearing is at its most sensitive at night but its getting easier and easier to mask it. It just fades into the distance more and more and is more stable than it was so i know its getting better.

yeah i'm sure i could still keep my career with the 10db loss, it's really the sensitivity that's killing me though. I can't listen to music at the volumes i used to. if the sensitivity goes away of course i would never outright blast music again anyway, but who knows if it will even go away..

 

[Frankie Nazzaro]

I'm quite sure my own anxiety makes it seem a lot worse than it is. When i take my Xanax, i barely notice the ringing as much and I actually feel confident that I'm getting better. Being anxious, not sleeping and not eating is starting to have more negative effects on my body and in turn are probably making my T and H situation worse (i literally have not had an actual meal in 2 weeks, just small bites of things) so I'm sure I'll be fine if i just relax, rest up for a while, eat, and slowly let my ear get used to louder noises again.

 

[john paul]

There is a guy on you tube that pretty much says that if you can clam your nervous system right down you can possibly get rid of the T. It involves doing things like tai chi, yoga and swimming. Bodily exercises basically. It sounds like BS but there has to be something in it. You just have to relax yourself and meditate your mind. Surround yourself with only good things have relaxing baths at night. It might work it can't hurt to try.

 

[Emperor-Drax]

yes these are good improvements
but - perhaps a career change may be preferable now that you have some damage ..again at your age not a problem

Oh come on, don't discourage him. I'm huge into film scores and wouldn't mind hearing what he has to offer this rich and amazing artistic field.

 

[Vicki14]

Hyperacusis is so much worse than Tinnitus.

Given the choice, I'd take Hypercausis any day over the Tinnitus. Just a personal opinion!!

 

[Contrast]

Demand to get a predisone steroid immediately, There are 3 active clinical trials to restore hearing and more coming. Science is moving forward to tackle hearing loss which will hopefully help tinnitus. I'm sure therapeutics for hearing loss will arrive in the next 5-10 years (if the community is vocal)

There is a hypothesis that reversing hearing loss will also reverse tinnitus as it usually does with ear wax removal, middle ear surgeries and cochlear implants, with some exceptions. But let's not get ahead of ourselves in the current period of time Summer 2018 predisone in a very short window is the best option.

Biotech trying to restore hearing
http://frequencytx.com/
https://decibeltx.com/
http://www.audiontherapeutics.com/
http://www.otonomy.com/
http://aurismedical.com/
https://www.novartis.com/

Hopefully in the future these names listed above become a prominent name in treatment of hearing loss and tinnitus instead of the useless junk today like cognitive therapies, noise machines, hearing aids.