Has Anyone Here Ever Had a Medical Professional Mention Hidden Hearing Loss or Pain Hyperacusis?

The goal of this thread is to ask members if their doctors mentioned up to date scientific information regarding the inner ear.

Please post here if you had an ENT that recognized or mentioned hidden hearing loss, pain hyperacusis, trigeminal nerve problems stemming from noise trauma.

I know @GSC was asked if she had pain or loudness hyperacusis (circa 2019) but most people here report that their ENTs and audiologists don't even have any familiarity with hyperacusis whatsoever and just flowchart Jastreboffian protocol.

If you had a cookie cutter "TRT/CBT, "tonal audiogram shows no hearing loss," and "all in your head" experience with an ENT let us know as well.

 

I saw an ENT on the NHS and surprisingly he did actually seem familiar with my hyperacusis issues and said he had come across patients reporting similar symptoms, e.g. pain and irritation from noise. My expectations were very low so at least I didn't get completely fobbed off with 'it's all in your head'. He didn't inspire complete confidence in me to be honest and said my pain symptoms were 'clinically irrelevant' because there's nothing they can really do about it... Was offered a referral to CBT or sound therapy - opted for the former as I may get some use out of it.

 

I've seen 3 ENTs, all knew less about hyperacusis than my cat -- I mean that almost literally, since my cat hates noise and clearly understands hyperacusis on some level.

I will share the most telling situation. I saw an ENT at a top hospital who runs the education program. He looked at my basic audiogram and that was the end. Recommended psychiatry, refused to lower his voice when my wife asked him to.

Sadly, the Jastreboffian flow chart is legitimately being taught. And these doctors have no idea (I'm not even sure I blame them completely) that it's pure fiction.

 

I’ve seen two ENTs and the most I’ve gotten out of them is that one saw a bit of inflammation in my nose and suggested a nasal spray. I was a few weeks out from a cold. “Above average hearing” for my age and a *giggle* that I’m very lucky.

 

I wonder how the service men and women in the US military are treated? They most likely get the same crude cookie cutter TRT approach as us, even with the best health care. Doctors are meaningless if they are 15 years out of sync with scientific research.

If we want to advance the tinnitus research meta, then we need to point out the obvious. The Veteran's are being given extremely low quality care. If we can make tinnitus and hearing research become political controversy all sorts of new possibilities will open up.

 

My old doctor didn’t use the word “hyperacusis” but he was familiar with pain from sound when I mentioned it. He had been practicing Since WW2 so he had seen the symptoms before in soldiers I suppose. Was told it tends to improve with time and to avoid loud noise.

 

The 3 audiologists and 1 ENT I've consulted were each vaguely aware of "hyperacusis" but had little to no insight to offer about it or it's plethora of manifestations.

None of then were familiar with hidden hearing loss/cochlear synaptopathy.

 

First ENT I met warned me that in the worst situation people start being afraid of everyday sounds and in extreme cases stay at home wearing earmuffs. And it is no surprise if I don't heal from tinnitus and hyperacusis if I start to wear earplugs everywhere. And how overusing earplugs could make hyperacusis worse and I should avoid avoidance behaviour and live my life normally.

I am pretty sure this ENT does not understand the concept of hyperacusis completely. Maybe some people experience pain and that's why they start avoiding sounds, can't live a normal life and in extreme cases have to use earmuffs at home. And things that work for some do not work for everyone with hyperacusis. This ENT said that if my audiogram is normal it means I have no hearing loss.

The next ENT I saw said I could have experienced some damage even though my audiogram was (relatively) normal but it is difficult to say what type of damage. Well, okay. We did not have a lot of time left and I wish I could have had more time to ask about the damage.

I am going to meet the third doctor and this time I found a specialist who seems to have more experience with acoustic trauma, hearing loss and hyperacusis. But who knows. I am going to ask about hidden hearing loss and pain hyperacusis. Let's see how it goes.