Can Cold Wind Cause Hyperacusis?

Hello everyone!

I'm new here but I've been reading this forum for years.

I have had mild tinnitus since 2006.

My main issue is the hyperacusis crisis I have on my left ear after been exposed to wind, and especially cold and/or wet wind.

I had one crisis per year some years ago but it tended to get worse lastly with several crisis a year. I might have a crisis everytime I'm exposed to a cold wind outside now.
It happened sometimes because of a loud noise or once after an otitis, so cold wind is not the only reason.

When I have a crisis, every noise, including my own voice, hurts my left ear, the noise of the water falling in the shower is a torture.

A crisis lasts approximately one week before it gets less hypersensitive, but it still fragile for some weeks after, and then always gets back to "normal".

As I live in a windy/wet area, it's very disabling as I can't get out without earmuffs anymore (even int he summer), and it's hard to plan holidays or invite friends as I might cancel at the last minute because of a crisis.

Do other people experience hyperacusis from cold weather and wind? What part of the ear might be responsible: the eardrum, a nerve? What do you think could help preventing me from having those crisis (apart from earmuffs)?

Thanks in advance for your answers!

 

You seem to have pain hyperacusis along with loudness hyperacusis. For normal healthy ears, I don't think exposure to weather will do anything. But since you have had tinnitus since 2006, you certainly have a history of hearing issues, so what wouldn't be expected for healthy people could happen for you. But it could also be unrelated. You have been to an ENT, right?

For something like this that didn't occur from an obvious noise trauma, I think having this investigated medically is most appropriate. If that checks out ok, then you will have to focus on healing rather than puzzling over the cause. There are many other threads about hyperacusis and typical treatments depending on how long it has been since the problem started, so I won't try to go over that here, and I don't have any experience with pain hyperacusis.

But, most people do get better or learn to live with it. A small victory is that it sounds like it isn't continuous but rather intermittent. At least you have periods of relief, which many people don't have.

 

Thanks a lot for your answer @nogg!

Yes, I have seen several ENTs but none of them has an explanation to this problem.

I've read some threads about hyperacusis and the different treatments. I take supplements to help healing when it happens.

But it's very strange as it looks like I am the only one having this issue with the weather... I carry on my investigations about this!

Thanks again for you reply.