How Can You Live With Hyperacusis?

[geg1992]

Even my girlfriend speaking hurts my ears. This has come out of nowhere. The only way out seems to be death.

 

[bwspot]

Stay positive. Relax. It might go away. Stress is killing you and is making it worse. I know it is easy to say but this is the only way. We all keep dreaming about old days but it is history and we must live my lifes.

 

[geg1992]

Thank you. I just don't understand where it has come from, it's all totally random.

 

[RB2014]

It happened to me a while back during some stressful times. I didn't realize what was happening at the time though. The key is to stay calm. The more anxious you get over it the worst it will get and the longer it will last. For me it probably lasted 3 to 4 weeks. Once I got rid of all the stress and anxiety in my life it went completely away. In the mean time, keep listening to sounds at a low volume. You don't want to stay in complete quiet. As mentioned it should go away on its own once your body is back to normal. This is just my advice though on my personal experience with it.

 

[geg1992]

Thank you. I am an emotional wreck at the moment which doesn't help. I occasionally have it mildly since T but not to this level. I hope it goes away soon I just keep seeing horror stories

 

[RCP1]

@geg1992

Hey - Hyperacusis is easily treatable - you need to wear some White Noise Generators for about 3 weeks at a really low level.

Don't be worrying about sound sensitivity - This is a joke in comparison to T and will correct itself given time.

I can understand wanting to jump off a cliff with major T but not for hyperacusis - Yes its annoying and scary but it responds well to the broadband treatment.... They give the WNG's for free on the NHS - Go get one and treat yourself...

 

[geg1992]

Phew, maybe I'll see a doctor next week if it persists. I find T nothing compared to H, strange!

 

[RCP1]

Go get those WNG's anyway - Will speed up the process. I had major hyperacusis which was resolved within 3 weeks. I understand it being more annoying than the T. One thing - you will notice the T isn't as bad - Hyperacusis affects T and makes it more reactive. SO is a win win if you get it sorted. It should resolve itself if you dont get the WNG's but will take a lot longer...

Anyway best of luck

 

[geg1992]

What does WNG stand for? Thank you for the help. I have noticed my t is much worse since the h. Even walking for example, I hear my bones click in my ear

 

[Markku]

What does WNG stand for?

White Noise Generator.

 

[geg1992]

White Noise Generator.

Thank you. Sorry, not with it today!

 

[marqualler]

@geg1992 I hear ya--in my case I didn't totally realize I had H until I reflected on it a little bit. The more I "re-introduced" myself to louder sounds, the more it went away. I definitely agree with you that for me, H with T is a more wicked beast. Right now, with "just" T it is a lot easier to manage. Probably worth looking into a doctor or audiologist who can help you with that though because I have heard good things about that methodology (see @Adam007's post about it in the Hyperacusis forum--that is the best explanation for how an audiologist can help with H that I have seen anywhere.)

 

[geg1992]

Thanks! I'm just trying to live life normal at the moment, will it to away if I do that? With normal sounds etc? I'm trying not to use ear plugs unless over say 90db

 

[Zimichael]

@geg1992

Hey - Hyperacusis is easily treatable - you need to wear some White Noise Generators for about 3 weeks at a really low level.

Don't be worrying about sound sensitivity - This is a joke in comparison to T and will correct itself given time.

I can understand wanting to jump off a cliff with major T but not for hyperacusis - Yes its annoying and scary but it responds well to the broadband treatment.... They give the WNG's for free on the NHS - Go get one and treat yourself...

Are you serious??? (Really, I am not trying to be a smart-arse here). However, if you have read my extensive posts in the past about my long term T (4 jumps in volume in my life) and subsequent 'permanent' H after the last two jumps, (see my Profile info inf need refresher)...what you say above is absolutely not the case for me. And I would LOVE to get rid of H, as despite unbelievably loud T, after decades of it at the same tone, even with volume increases it eventually "is my silence" so is something I can adapt to and have a life with. The H. however is a bastard! Which I figure is the driver in the SRT aspect too ("sound reactive T").
Any kind of extended "noise generation" (even masking externally with speakers if not very gentle and soothing) is a disaster for my H. and SRT . It's almost like 'sound itself' is a problem unless there is a lot of silence around to "cool it down". Similar I guess to IWLM's "cotton in the ears" strategy for extended periods, etc., etc.

Anyway, just saying...One size does not fit all with H. Unfortunately. The main amelioration factor for me appears to just be "time", as the H goes down about 10% per year IF I don't get more damage! Which unfortunately has happened in the past. Last jump, I forgot the cardinal rule of: "It's not just volume that causes hearing damage, but also time exposure".
Sigh!

Best, Zimichael

 

[geg1992]

Have you tried white noise generators? They seem to be very effective, something like 80-90% success over 12-18 months.

 

[RCP1]

My experience is I had bad hyperacusis. I couldn't stand to be around my kids or watch tv or much of anything for that matter.

I went to the leading TRT clinician in Harley street. Within 3 weeks of using WNG's at the lowest setting 8 hours a day and the hyperacusis disappeared practically completely. This is a common experience. Maybe not as quick... anyway my H is gone and my T is much more under control. Good experience so far. Who knows what the future has in store... anyway that's my experience. Sorry you're suffering Zimichael.Cheers. R

 

[geg1992]

Would you be able to give me the details of this person please?

 

[Zimichael]

My experience is I had bad hyperacusis. I couldn't stand to be around my kids or watch tv or much of anything for that matter.

I went to the leading TRT clinician in Harley street. Within 3 weeks of using WNG's at the lowest setting 8 hours a day and the hyperacusis disappeared practically completely. This is a common experience. Maybe not as quick... anyway my H is gone and my T is much more under control. Good experience so far. Who knows what the future has in store... anyway that's my experience. Sorry you're suffering Zimichael.Cheers. R

Hey great...I'm really glad they helped you. Like I said, what I seem to have is rare even in T circles and maybe the huge length of time I have had T has a lot to do with it. Like maybe why my darn H went up with Retigabine instead of down! Most have had the opposite happen. We are all different seemingly and T is such an exasperating creature.

By the way, I wanted to see how long you have had T for and it says 122014 - which I presume means December 20th 2014...(indeed not long ago), but you joined TT on September 2oth. so maybe you mean that is when you got your T??? (As usually folks hardly know the meaning of the darn word/thing until getting it!).

Best of British to you...Uhhhhh, well "Irish" sorry. Zimichael

 

[RCP1]

@Zimichael

Sorry that's a typo. Sept 2nd 2014 is when I first noticed the strange noise in my left ear.

Let's hope youre not immune to aut000063. This could be the key to mellow us all out... hoping to get my hands on some soon.

Laters

R

 

[RB2014]

When I had Hyperacusis my T was through the roof. I really thought it was the end. The only thing that helped me was finding some clonazepam I had in the cabinet from a previous issue I had . It helped to calm me down which lowered the T(sometimes immediately and sometimes not) and eventually the H went away. For me it was about getting rid of the anxiety I had over the entire experience and stresses in my life. If you keep your body in a stressed/anxious state none of these issues will get better.

Another thing that has helped are the breathing exercises. Close you eyes sit upright breathe deeply for 15 minutes and concentrate only on your breathing. Vary between exhaling to mouth and nose. To me it sounded stupid, but it has helped me greatly. Anything you can do in your life to get rid of stress will go a long way to helping you out.

There are horror stories, but Eventually most people get these symptoms under control and continue on their normal life, whatever that was before they got H. The important thing is don't give in to negative thoughts, they will just make you worst, more stressed more anxious. You will get better its just a question of when. Keep believing it and it will happen.

 

[Zimichael]

When I had Hyperacusis my T was through the roof. I really thought it was the end. The only thing that helped me was finding some clonazepam I had in the cabinet from a previous issue I had . It helped to calm me down which lowered the T(sometimes immediately and sometimes not) and eventually the H went away. For me it was about getting rid of the anxiety I had over the entire experience and stresses in my life. If you keep your body in a stressed/anxious state none of these issues will get better.

Another thing that has helped are the breathing exercises. Close you eyes sit upright breathe deeply for 15 minutes and concentrate only on your breathing. Vary between exhaling to mouth and nose. To me it sounded stupid, but it has helped me greatly. Anything you can do in your life to get rid of stress will go a long way to helping you out.

There are horror stories, but Eventually most people get these symptoms under control and continue on their normal life, whatever that was before they got H. The important thing is don't give in to negative thoughts, they will just make you worst, more stressed more anxious. You will get better its just a question of when. Keep believing it and it will happen.

RB...Just for the record, none of the above applies in my situation/H.
Indeed I think it is true for the majority of folks as I have come to the conclusion that H is far more "common" than supposed at initial onset of a lot of T cases. (Probably the more classic, sudden acoustic trauma types in particular). That initial fear, angst, regret, panic and so forth are not I think just because one suddenly has T (or a new big jump in volume), but also because they illustrate the "reactivity" of the initial phase. So it's kind of a double whammy. The psychological-emotional drivers and what I believe to be real increased sensitivity to sounds. But how to see that clearly in panic mode!? And sort of irrelevant as all we want is for it to go away and be like we were "before".

It's a fine point, but to me meaningful (seeing as I have had so much darn practice at this c/o four stages of it all in 58 years), and I believe that this "initial H" decreases rapidly after initial onset, so mostly it is ignored due to the already super hyped emotional anxiety prevailing and feeding the furnace. I did not even know I had H on my second "jump up" in 1980, but realized 26 years later that I had. I'd never heard of it until then (after "jump 3").

Anyhow...Just 'notes of interest' to some perhaps. And that H can, and seems to go down on it's own a lot easier (and faster?) than T levels. Generally speaking.

best, Zimichael

 

[RB2014]

When I first got it I didn't know what it was either, but those are some things that helped me. I just know that being an emotional wreck as described in an earlier post only makes things worst.
Zimichael, so you are holding out hope for aut000063? From what I have been reading its a win win, if
it truly does what they say. It brings a smile to my face knowing that there are a bunch of happy rats somewhere that have supposedly been cured of T.

 

[Zimichael]

When I first got it I didn't know what it was either, but those are some things that helped me. I just know that being an emotional wreck as described in an earlier post only makes things worst.
Zimichael, so you are holding out hope for aut000063? From what I have been reading its a win win, if
it truly does what they say. It brings a smile to my face knowing that there are a bunch of happy rats somewhere that have supposedly been cured of T.

RB...Interestingly, I was just having a private conversation about all this above and it seems relevant enough that I decided to copy and paste a minorly altered version. I'm sure my PM'er will not mind, as it's nothing confidential and may help someone in the "sound reactive H/T" camp. Here you go - and indeed, the last line comes to your question above and AUT00063.

Best, Zimichael... [SEE BELOW]

Yeah, I wish the reactive H were not part of my picture as that kills the "noise/masking" potential. Noise + Time = Enemy # 1. A big hassle for everyday functioning out in the world.
The T itself, despite being same "freaking unbelievably loud!" does not bother me at all at home. It's always there and even if I hear it/listen for it/notice it, does not really make much difference. It is what it is. It's been so damn long that no emotion attached to it. Only if it gets zapped does any reaction happen - like: "Shit get the plugs out idiot!" Still no real emotion unless volume spike lasts a long enough time I begin to wonder if it is going to cool off, or not, etc., etc.

Anyway, it blows holes in about all the "techniques", as many rely on getting to a place of "not listening to it" or "not reacting to it"...and all those are totally irrelevant to my situation/type of T. Sure lower volume would be great, but what would change my life more is to be able to be in public or noisier environments "safely" - without need for extended ear protection, that then feeds the 'internal loop' and increases T volume accordingly. Not permanently, but enough to increasingly wipe me out in a progressive time line. "Torture tweaks" by adding to the "Metallica" volume I guess worked pretty good on the Taliban too!

Kind of interesting what is happening to IWLM's T after 40 years or whatever, where his "taking the fear out" seems to be actually eliminating his T volume altogether for periods. I don't understand it. One because I can't quite understand emotional reaction to the T after 40 years (I'm at 58 years and counting) - well unless has had genuine, real, successive, permanent increases, etc. (thus reason to 'fear' when that happens!). And second, that just by having no emotional reaction, the T itself can "physically" stop??? Mind over matter manifested??? Sure has not happened to me anyhow!

Interesting...but I guess I need a bloody "cure".