Exercise Has Reversed Positive Hyperacusis Progress

Hi all,

I have had hyperacusis for ~4.5 months. It progressed and by about month 2, it became very severe (unknown cause, probably autoimmune); by very severe, I mean every single noise bothers me and I am out of work - I will save the rest of the details. Anyways, using a combination of sound exposure and protection, I was making great progress for about a month or so.

In an effort to become active, I began running for the first time in months. I noticed that the hyperacusis got worse again. It's not as bad it was 2 months ago, but it's noticeably worse than it was 2-3 weeks ago. Does anyone know anything about this? I know that exercise tends to cause temporary tinnitus spikes (I also have tinnitus), but I didn't expect the hyperacuis to spike as well. Is this cause for alarm?

Thanks.

 

Hi,

Do you use headphones while running? Or do you run in a noisy environment? Any loud noise while you are training?

I don't know if running causes louder hyperacusis. Other people may know more.

Good luck.

 

Actually, I bring my earmuffs. Typically, I put them on the side of my head, but not over my ears. I only use them if I need to. You do bring up an interesting point.

I recently switched from doing my sound therapy through speakers to headphones. At the beginning, I didn't notice this change spiking my hyperacusis. However, I wonder if this has changed things over the course of a week or so.

 

Could be the occlusion effect, try a cross trainer or bicycle where there is an impact and see if it gets better.

 

I think it has to do with the blood flow and how it is altered when you exercise and in turn affects hyperacusis.

 

Honestly, I regret changing my routine from no exercise or headphones to a lot of both. Now I don't know which caused the setback the most. I think it's the headphones since I was running for a few days before the headphones without a setback :/

 

I think it will be the headphones personally. I run every other day, I have no hyperacusis but I have not noticed any adverse effects on my tinnitus over the course of 2 years I've had tinnitus. I sometimes get the odd bit of pulsatile tinnitus when I stop for a breath in my left ear but this happens sometimes for a short time even if I stand up after having been sat down.

 

Lose the phones, run early when nobody's out.

 

Headphones should be ok at low volume. I could used them even with pretty bad hyperacusis. It is a matter of volume.

 

yes, but unless you try to measure the actual output of the phones, it would be hard to know if these were at 80 dB, 90 dB, etc. I'm guessing volume's a bit louder too while running.

I'd lose those and don't run with ear muffs on (doesn't sound like you do)--the occlusion effect could be pretty pronounced while running.

 

The occlusion effect for me is worse with earplugs than with earmuffs, but yes, having your hearing block and running will trigger the occlusion effect.