last night (the 4th of july) i was walking down the street when some
idiot kids set off those, well i don't know what they are called, but
smaller than big fire crackers-the ones that go off one after the
other-POP POP POP.
they didn't go off right next to me, but i was very much in the
proximity (it would have been nice for someone to tell me to stay out
of the street for a second as firecrackers were about to explode).  i
was probably 8-12 feet away.
but when the first one went off, i felt the sound in my ear that was
facing that direction.  you know, like a whoosh of force into my ear.
now the next day (like 12 hours later...) my ear feels sore.  sort of
stuffed up and sore.  not too painful or anything, just not like it
"normally" does.  no ringing, thankfully.  hearing seems slightly
affected...a little dull, like i said.
i have always been pretty sensitive to sound and noise.  probably
over-sensitive.
but i am sitting here freaking out that my ear is permanently damaged
and my hearing lessened.
do i just need to relax and let my ear rest for a day?
can your eardrum or whatever get sort of bruised like other parts of
your body?  
thank you for any input.