A Weird Experience

Hi all,i have T and H both. One thing i have been noticing since a few weeks is that when i am in the traffic outside and haven't plugged my ears, honkings from motorcycles and cars bother me a lot. But when i have earphones plugged in and i am listening to music then those same sounds dont bother me too much and sound almost normal. This has made me wonder if my brain is playing games with me and if my H is the result of my limbic system going haywire. And if i have brought on H because i am always thinking about loud sounds when outside. I maybe totally wrong. But my experience was real i dont really get bothered my those same loud high pitch sounds when i am occupied like listening to music through the earphones. Any similar experiences?

 

Anxiety response to a loud noise that you internally fear will be harmful to your ears.

When I am more settled I am not bothered my most background noises, like traffic etc.

When I am worrying about my tinnitus, or it feels louder than usual I am more aware of loud noises and like them less.

Some suggestions that may help include:
- Sound Enrichment - have something playing in the background at a conformable level, e.g. rain noise, basically anything that takes your mind of T.
- Avoidance - avoid environments that will cause you to feel anxious, given enough time you will be able to add remove these barriers one at a time until it doesn't even bother you.
- Mental - stop checking your T levels, stop researching your condition and do your best to stop change the thought process when you start thinking about it.

Are you sure you have H? My understanding of H was the volume of the world being turned up so that everything sounds louder irrespective of masking etc.

 

Im kind of scratching my head as well. I have ear sensitivity but im really not sure if its H or not. Ive had it for about 2 months from a loud club encounter.

 

@Asian ....Ummm, dumb question here. But if you have earphones plugged in then that is going to be like having earplugs and 'masking' going on at the same time.

How can you compare the two??? If you have not plugged your ears, yet are comparing it to having earphones in and music on...Ahhh??? Very different noise entry levels for one, let alone the "distraction brain element" of the music, as two.

Am I missing something here???

best, Zimichael

 

I think you have not understood my question. i said my perception of hyperacusis greatly reduces when i am occupied like listening to music And those same loud sounds dont bother me as much. And those earphones are made of cheap light plastic and isn't enough to give the same protection like foam earplugs. Now what i meant is that am i experiencing sound sensitivity because i am always thinking about it and have made myself super sensitive to loud sounds or i genuinely have the problem. I hope you got the point. In other words, if you keep some music around me from any source, as long as i am occupied, i dont experience sound sensitivity of a certain high pitch frequency( not sure if this is H). i think masking and H are two different things sir. Correct me if i am wrong. There are no dumb questions on a support forum. We are all here to learn share and support each other. Good day !

 

@Asian ... Sorry, but I think we have a "double misunderstanding" loop. I meant that I hoped I was not asking the dumb question...not you! It is just a way of expression in English (well my use of it anyhow) that when in doubt about something that may seem clear but not really sure, to announce..."I know this is probably a dumb question, but am I missing something obvious here?", etc.

Indeed I heartily agree! And for my side I can say for 100% sure it was a 'language' issue as I know I was not meaning any disrespect. I was confused that's all.

To your question, it sort of sounds like a "brain distraction" thing going on that turns down the "central gain" that is theorized (or proven) to cause hyperacusis. God knows, I for sure don't understand it all, as I was blown away by the apparent fact that you can get hearing damage/T spikes from a loud sound when asleep!!! *(Rhea reported this a long time ago, when thunder from a lightning storm that happened while she was asleep triggered a big spike in her T. I looked it up in more detail and found evidence that indeed acoustic initiated damage can occur to hearing when unconscious. Still puzzles the hell out of me.)

Anyway about all I can add here I think, as sort of sounds like you are referring to 'sound masking sound' on a sort of attention/brain level with the H. or perception of H. And no I am not referring to traditional masking where one sound gets loud enough to cover over another (like say one's T level, etc.).

Best, Zimichael

 

Easy to say, but what when it gets worse so often?

 

Grim and bare it. I don't know. My tinnitus was worse in the first 3 months. Still not right now, but the high volume days are not as bad.