Hi It will be 5 weeks tomorrow since I had an acoustic shock / trauma , very very loud noise for a few seconds 140 decibels
Ears feel clogged
Pressure
Pain around the ear in the head.
Ringing ears
Is their a chance this could get better? Or even worse?
Everyday getting more and more worried
I called 111 straight away and explained the situation and explained how loud 140db was etc and just got told to put a warm flannel on the ear and call the Dr on Monday of not better
Not sure why 111 operators can't just Google this and see that treatment is required quite quickly in these situations
Rather than the generic questions and 'computer say no."
Hi Laura. Sorry you're still suffering. If you're in pain you need to seek medical attention very soon. Please don't blame yourself. It was an unfortunate incident. You weren't to know what would happen. There's every chance that you could get better but you do need to see someone about the pain if possible. Perhaps you could tackle your GP again. They can fast track you to ENT if it's urgent.
Thank you 😊 the Dr said the ENT will write to me but the appointment could take months
I may try again on Monday as the only option would be to call 111 and they will just say call the gp on Monday
I wish I knew and understood that I/we needed treatment day 1 as then I would have just gone to every a and e but I don't know what and e has an ear department and if you can even turn up as I think 111 have to book you in
Anyway I will try the Dr again I have sent then so many request for appointments that I feel annoying but I don't think many people in normal day to day life come across 140db so they are unsure what to do
I hope you are having a nice weekend
Don't worry about how many requests you send in. You have to be persistent these days to get any medical attention. Tell your GP you're in pain. If they won't listen ask to see another GP at the practice. Keep going until someone takes you seriously. If necessary ask to speak to the practice manager . Pain is pain. You need to see someone who can help you. I hope you have a nice weekend end too 🙂
Hi Laura, are you still suffering from clogged ears? I have been in the 4 months I’ve had this.
Hi
My ears don't really feel clogged now
Apparently I have ttts and acoustic shock disorder
Current symptoms are mild ringing
Reactive tinnitus so the TV and traffic and when I'm around noise
Fluttering in ear
Occasionally soreness getting better gradually
Apparently with ttts your bones in the ear are a bit messed up that can cause my symptoms I think
Does it recover over time?
I hope so! I have read people who have had worse symptoms get better so I'm hoping it will!
Any improvements?
Hi sds111 it's 13 weeks now since the alarm situation.
My ears are still ringing, however it seems quiet in the day apart from occasionally it turns into a louder beep for a few seconds then goes down again. The ringing seems louder at night however it is not bothering me too much.
I get a bit of mild pain throughout the day but not severe and not as bad as it was so I think things are settling down
However my ears are still reacting to noise such as traffic, TV, music, hairdryer, hoover things like that so I wear ear plugs for these things as my ears start ringing more and 'vibrate/buzz'
The ENT contacted me, and I said there is no point me going as I had spoken to someone online who knows a lot about acoustic shock and he said it sounds like I have
TTTS
Acoustic shock disorder
Loudness hyperacusis
Which cannot really you treated it just hopefully gets better in time. However my ears will not be able to handle loud sounds as good as before.
I said the Dr did finally offer high dose of prednisolone 6 and a half weeks after the loud noise and after he finally spoke to the ENT for further advice as he said he doesn't know much about what to do in this situation.
I didn't pick the steroids/predisolone up from the chemist as it can only really help people who have sudden hearing loss and only really in the first few days
I have acoustic shock which actually doesn't result in deafness and sometimes doesn't affect the hearing at all
Anyway the ENT said to come in and at least then they will have me on their system and maybe give me an intratympanic injection
I said not keen on that as I have read steroids don't work and also my symptoms are getting better slowly and so the side effects could cause me more issues than the ear issues itself
Anyway I booked the day off work went to the ENT on the 6th September
I went to just get me logged on the system just incase my symptoms worsen I wouldn't have to explain myself all over again and also maybe they would have advice. The ENT on the phone also said they would have a log of my symptoms etc.
So when I saw the ENT I had to explain what happened (I thought maybe the Dr would have sent notes though to him)
I said I do not want steroids as no point now and he agreed.
I said I have spoken to someone online about my symptoms as Dr's and audiologist do not seem familiar with my situation or treatment/advice and I seem to have TTTS hyperacusis, reactive tinitus etc and the ENT looked at me like he wasn't sure what I was on about and just said I wouldn't go online for advice.
He wanted to look in my ear ( I was on guard as I have heard ENT's do test that can cause more harm to acoustic shock patients ) however I thought he was going to look in my ear so shouldn't be harmful but he made me lie down and he looked in my ear and I could feel a lot of 'scraping' then he asked me to pinch my nose and close mouth and blow to pop my ears which I hate doing. All this made my ears feel uncomfortable for a few days. I couldn't actually make my ears pop.
He said he was going to apply pressure to my ears and ask my permission first if that was OK and I said only if it won't harm me and he said no however I wish I said no now as I'm not really sure what he is looking for as when you hear a loud noise it is the part of your ear behind the eardrum that is effected! However I'm putting my trust in the ENT
He did the tuning fork/rinne test even though I'm not bothered about the hearing as my hearing is ok, he said it wouldn't be loud but it was uncomfortably loud. So I said it's uncomfortable. I did say I was sensitive to loud noises at the moment.
I had a hearing test at specsavers several weeks back and it showed mild hearing loss at a frequency typical of acoustic trauma and he asked to look at it, so I showed him a screenshot of the results and he said yes this is typical of acoustic trauma
He said you ears are fine stay away from loud noise
I said about my kids as they were exposed to the noise and he said have you taken them to see the gp. I said I tried but the Dr won't see children unless there is signs of hearing loss. But acoustic shock doesn't always result in hearing loss!
I've wasted so much time and taken a few days off work to just repeat myself
I thought going to the ENT at least I would be officially diagnosed with acoustic shock/ hyperacusis or TTTS however he didn't mention this and just seem to not be concerned about my symptoms at all. Unless you have lost hearing or you have blood coming from your ears they say ears are fine!
Well I have to wear earplugs a lot now
And it is hard to explain to people what I have as even doctors, audiologist and ents don't all know about this so I have to explain
It was my sisters birthday party in the garden and I said I cannot be around loud music, she said that's fine won't be loud.
However she put the music on and I could feel my ears reacting so I didn't want to make a fuss
So I went indoors and I could hear my family moaning as if I was being funny. My mum cam in and said its not that loud!
I said my ears are reacting so I'm going to stay in inside. I wasn't moaning or anything I love music!
They didn't understand and then my sister said its not loud enough to make you go dead I said no but it's making my ears buzz and ring, I'm not stopping you from playing the music and I'm happy I just wanted to be away from it.
I am worried other people will think I'm being awkward and moany when I'm just trying to protect my ears!
I have been to 2 karate lessons and wore my earplugs, I told my sensei I cannot do louds kiahs/shouts as I have this problem and have earplugs in and he was supportive but im worried I will have to keep reminding people
The ENT wrote a letter to my Dr and it basically said he saw me and my ears are find and only mild hearing loss and he advised me to stay away from loud noise, so I haven't even been diagnosed officially. The ENT told me not to go online and talk to my gp but I wouldn't even know about hyperacusis and TTTs and how to deal with it if it wasn't for the centre of hearing loss who have helped and advised me tremendously.
Sorry to go on lol
How are your ears at the moment : )
Hi, no probs, not sure anyone could understand what we’re going through unless they are suffering the same. Looks like you’ve been really busy. Glad you seem to have made some progress.
Some days I feel I’m making progress and then others I feel I’ve not accepted it and o become annoyed with how my life has changed as the result of 4 hours of music.
Thanks it is strange how people don't seem to care much about people with hearing issues
I've spoke to people lately with hearing loss who have told me their stories of people not being very considerate about it, however I haven't come across anyone in person who has suffered what I have yet, maybe I have but they are not talking about it as only one person who I work with knows, I haven't really told anyone else. Especially as explaining to doctors and family has been hard enough work!
It's funny as I'm studying a fitness course at the moment and one of the questions in the manual was
If a lady wanted the music turned down in the gym and a group of people wanted the volume to stay up what would you do.
At the time I didn't have the hearing problem but I think I wrote something like maybe compromise and turn it in the middle or ask the lady why she wants it turned down specifically.
Now I have this problem I understand, but unless you are suffering it is hard to! And I thought I was always a considerate person!
My answer now would be to turn it down as its obviously a problem and music isn't necessary for exercise.
I risked using my hoover quickly without my ear plugs in today, mistake as now my ears are Buzzing and I've had twinges around my ears but not too bad but it's hard to know what your ears can cope with it is a learning journey
I am busy with kids well a 17 and a 16 year old and full time job, studying a fitness course and really into my karate and for 2 months I was really struggling, obsessing online looking at forums constantly looking for answers and other people's stories. However I kept focused at work and have gone back to karate, and have kept fit and healthy. Just do as much as you can to enjoy life.
I'm so pissed off with that these alarms are being sold I saw similar alarms on instagram yesterday that are 130 decibels and kids are setting them off and no one is even bothered about how loud they are ?
I'm confused, as anything over 120 decibels is harmful instantly! They are being sold on various platforms and I doubt anything I say will stop them being sold everyone is raving on about how great they are!
Try and stay positive as much as possible and keep occupied its the only thing that works for me 😀👍
Thanks for your advice. 👍
I hope things get better for you! 😀 take care
my ear infection healed but my tinnitus hasn’t 
Tinnitus and work
One Sided Tinnitus
