Hyperacusis Has Faded Over 1.5 Years

Hello

I developed intrusive tinnitus and severe hyperacusis after a long and very loud concert in May 2019, I was 19 at the time.

The hyperacusis was so bad that even the quietest noises boomed in my head and caused stabbing pains. I could barely speak because my own voice was too loud. I also had constant burning pain in my ears.

After about 8 months I could live my life more. I still had hyperacusis, but I could talk and go out to places and felt relatively safe as long as I carried earplugs with me.

Now it's about 1.5 years later, hyperacusis does not affect my life.

I can tolerate pretty much all noises in the normal safe decibel range. I carry ear protection when I go out, but most of the time I don't need it. I even travelled to Cambodia and Tokyo just before COVID-19 struck and did everything I could have ever wanted while I was there! (Excluding loud clubs, which I'm not into anyway!)

I still have tinnitus that has gone from about a 8/10 to a 6/10. I usually don't notice it over daily ambient noise. However being in my quiet room all day during lockdown has definitely made me notice it more! The tinnitus is a separate battle, I believe it will go away one day.

Did I do anything to get rid of hyperacusis?

The only thing I did was slowly introduce everyday noises back into my life. I listened to white noise through a speaker at a low volume at night. At first it would make me dizzy and give me headaches but and over time I adjusted to it. Make sure to remember that everyday noises like people talking will not damage your ears and it's okay to expose yourself to them in order to adjust (even if it's uncomfortable).

I avoid any excessively loud environments like concerts or clubs and carry earplugs with me anywhere I go just in case I need them. I just keep them attached to my wallet. This is mostly just to protect my hearing from now on, which people should do anyway.

A note on anxiety

I have generalised anxiety disorder and hyperacusis was a nightmare for me. I would cry every day and I felt like my entire life was over. I even had some people in my life who told me I was just being weak. No matter how bad you feel, hyperacusis is something that can heal over time. If I could get through hyperacusis so can you.


When my tinnitus is no longer an issue for me I will be sure to share my story.

 

Hey @Alessia, I am glad your hyperacusis is gone now! I have tinnitus and it’s been bugging me for 7 weeks now... Does your tinnitus ever spike from not using your earplugs in normal noise settings?? I have earplugs but I do not know when to use them and when I shouldn’t... noise doesn’t bother me too much but I do get spikes from just going hiking or going to the market...

 

Hi @n_li808

I used to get spikes at times that seemed random to me. It's possible that they were a reaction to daily noises, but even if they were, those noises are not harmful and the spikes are temporary. I get random little spikes sometimes that are definitely not caused by noise.

Noises you would hear while hiking or shopping at the market are not harmful to your hearing so there is no need to be concerned by them. If they are causing spikes it's most likely a stress related reaction.

A general rule is to use ear protection any time the environment is loud enough for people to have to raise their voices, like near a construction site, a loud restaurant, or heavy traffic.

Another thing is that exercise can make my tinnitus seem louder, due to changes in blood pressure I assume.

You have a lot of time to heal so good luck and keep doing things you love xx

 

When you travelled to Tokyo and Cambodia did you wear earplugs and earmuffs on the plane? Did you wear earplugs when you were out on the streets in Tokyo and Cambodia?

 

@Lucifer I wore Earplanes earplugs and my noise cancelling headphones on the planes. The pressure was a little bit uncomfortable but I had no problems with noise.

I didn't have to use any protection when wandering the streets and going to shops and restaurants in both Cambodia and Tokyo

I used my earmuffs for very noisy environments like a roaring subway, a loud Tuk Tuk, or in a classroom with screaming kids (I did teaching in Cambodia). These things are loud even for someone without any H! Even my friends said the kids hurt their ears lol.

 

You must have really mild hyperacusis. Is your hyperacusis pain or loudness?

 

@Lucifer Yes it was pretty mild at the time that I travelled, which was January 2020.

It was extremely severe when first I got it in May 2019, everything was super loud and painful for me for the first 6 months. By the 8 month mark it had become more mild, which is when I travelled.

 

Hi! Thanks for posting your story, happy to hear you are improved! I have a few questions!!

Did your hyperacusis and tinnitus start immediately after the concert or was it a delayed onset? Did you ever experience any Ear fullness?

How long was it before your ear burning went away?

Was the burning only from sound or independent of sound (burning in silence)?

Did your tinnitus ever spike from noise?

 

@Orions Pain

Hey! I noticed the tinnitus as soon as I got home from the concert and the hyperacusis one or two days after.

I had ear fullness for the first few months too. The fullness is gone but it has changed into like a click in my eustachian tube that I control.

My ears burned for the first 6 months or so. They burned all the time but it would get worse with noise and my ears would feel raw and tired by the end of the day. It improved very gradually.

My tinnitus spiked randomly it may or may not have been due to noise I'm not sure.

I've had ups and downs with all my symptoms but they all trend to improve over time.

Hope this helps!

 

Hi,

Can I ask about the burning pains. How did you combat these whilst using white noise? We’re you taking painkillers regularly? Also did you have problems with sharp sounding objects like cutlery etc or was it just louder sounds?

Thanks

 

@musicblue Honestly there wasn't much I could do about the pain, I often used heat packs on my ears to try soothe it. I avoided regular painkillers for health reasons but I did use them sometimes. The pain was the hardest thing to deal with but it does subside over time.

I had problems with any and all sounds at the beginning, every single noise at any volume or frequency was painful to hear. Eventually it reduced to mostly just higher pitched noises like cutlery, or louder ones like someone yelling. Now those sorts of noises don't cause pain. Occasionally sharp or loud noises cause my eardrums to spasm but I barely notice it, and it's also continuing to improve.

 

@Alessia Congratulations on your amazing recovery, and THANK YOU for posting your story! Honestly, I needed to here this so badly today as I’m struggling with severe hyperacusis, and I really needed to hope that it can get better.

I also had a few questions.

When your hyperacusis was at its worst and all sound hurt, did you continue to go to school/work or socialize?

How soon in into your recovery did you start with the white noise? I’m currently in a bad setback where everything is painful.. even my sweet children’s voices and it makes me so sad. I’ve been afraid to even try sound therapy while in constant pain.

Last, can I ask if you use any medication to treat your anxiety? Hyperacusis has caused much anxiety and depression for me, but I fear taking meds could make it worse.

Again, I’m just thrilled to hear about your recovery! So happy for you!

 

Hi @Marin

I'm glad, I remember being so scared that my H could never improve so I thought I should share!

I did go to uni, I wore cotton in my ears as the professor's voice hurt me. I didn't really socialise anywhere other than a quiet place with a friend or two who knew about my condition. I think it's important to speak to your place of work about what you're going through and perhaps have a psychologist or audiologist send them a note, it can be really hard to explain why you might be struggling or acting different in certain situations.

Sound therapy, if used at quiet volumes from an external speaker, will not harm you, but I understand that it can be distressing. I started listening in the weeks following onset and it was uncomfortable at first but got easier. Try listening for just a minute each day or whatever amount of time you can handle, then increase over time.

I personally try to avoid medications and I didn't take any for my mood. I will say though I was in hospital earlier this year and was given several types of painkillers and sedatives which I don't think had an effect on my hearing. Remember your feelings are a normal reaction to such a painful and distressing condition, it's okay to feel that way but remember that things will get better. If you want to take something perhaps consult your doctor about your options.

Thank you for reaching out and good luck xx

 

Thank you for replying, @Alessia! I am impressed that you were able to continue with school while healing with all of this.

Your story has really given me hope. Take care!

 

I'm a mom too and know how hard when you want to be with your children, but it's difficult because their voices are painful. Just know it will get better!

 

Thank you! I sure hope so because everyday is a struggle. Do you have painful hyperacusis, and has it gotten any better?

 

I can relate. Today I am struggling with pain in my temples and headache. I do have hyperacusis. It is slightly better, I could not handle any noise at all initially. I hope you are getting better.

 

That’s great that you can handle a little more noise now. I hope that you continue to improve. I can’t tolerate any sounds right now, and it’s torture.

 

I'm so sorry, I think part of mine was/is the fear of a loud noise. My son is very loud and so is my husband. I've been working with them to let them know what sounds are hurtful. I've only been able to watch tv on sound level 8 or 9, but recently I've been able to move it to 10-12. I am able to control the noise during the day when my kiddo goes to school (just a loud dog at home). Hang in there, the vast majority of people I've read about do progressively get better over time.