Hyperacusis on 20/20 TV In US

I was flipping through channels on when I caught the last ten minutes of 20/20 they did s segment on how hyperacusis was affecting a married couple in Ny city. Very sad to watch, they had the put padding on their walls and windows & wear ear protectors in their apartment, they have to put pads in between dishes or use paper plates to avoid the noise. The husband said he never even goes outside. I was hoping it would have been on longer, but at least the problem is getting out there. Nothing was said about T

I know the show is over but it might available "on demand" on certain cable providers, perhaps in a day or two it might show up on youtube. 20/20 is broadcasted on ACB Network....

 

did they mention any cure in the near future

 

Unfortunately they did not Ken...

 

exploiting people suffering ...the usual prime time news , hey at least I'm not that bad ...knock on wood

 

I look at it from the POV that it gives more recognition to the condition. How many people in your life knew what H was before you got H? In my world - not one, myself included.

I have talked to the woman in the segment on a forum. She got on me one time (actually she kept bringing up the same event) about wearing cheap ear plugs to take slightly dampen noise level... they are NOT ear protection!! you could do further damage!!! I said no, I was just running into the grocery store. I wasn't at a concert. I didn't need to use ear protection, I just needed to make it comfortable enough not to get a negative reaction to the noise. She insisted I didn't educate myself about my condition and I shouldn't just listen to docs.

She also poo-poo'ed TT. Saying people here have T and don't understand H. I didn't mention TT by name, but I said I was on a forum that had been extremely helpful to me.

Seeems to me, they picked someone who is opinionated and doesn't express the sentiments of the community of H sufferers.... just her own.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/everyday-noises-pain-wife-husband-living-ny-22421602

it's online already.

 

Yes, that woman calls herself the grim reaper of Hyperacusis. I left the fb group because of her. She never tried TRT, told me to have no hope as hope doesn't cure anything and to read her scary article on Buzzfeed. Unfortunately I already did that, if your new, don't do it! It will mess you up! Anyways, I didn't bother to even watch the broadcast..what's the point..two hyperacusis sufferers, living in Manhattan?!! Seems a little bizarre they would stay there...Why not move to the country, with no neighbours? at least her poor husband could leave the house! I feel sorry for her husband. The thing is, she acts like she knows, when she doesn't know anything..like everyone else, everyone is different, have H for whatever reason and will respond to different treatment, or NOT. TRT has a high success rate...however I will always remain vigilant about protecting my ears now...I just pray I can get better.

 

She has NO PROOF Hyperacusis is ear damage, let alone, that normal noises can cause damage!

 

The only place you will find the "latest" is check out "Hyperacusis Research" online or FB.

 

All signs point to it not being ear damage. After all, if it was due to irreversible ear damage, than counseling and sound therapy would not work for anyone, but counseling and sound therapy does. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) has excellent results in returning people to normal levels. Even neuromonics has a hyperacusis program, but I would use TRT though.

However, it's easy to get into a negative cycle where hyperacusis and misophonia or phonophobia is reinforced by anxiety. Especially by reading horror stories online.

I would also add that 20/20 should have had someone knowledgeable with TRT on to discuss there is a treatment for people.

Oh, and in case you are wondering about my hyperacusis. Yes, it's improving and I'm not even doing something like TRT or neuromonics. Don't believe the horror.

 

My take on that buzzfeed is that it can be depressing if people treat you like you are crazy instead of offering tips and tricks for improvement.

I've also read where people get better. Where do you think I should focus my energy!

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

I read all the horror, and of course I am scared silly. Are you doing anything at all to improve? I'm not sure what to do/not to do.

 

I also don't have the money for TRT.

 

Hi Sue, thanks for posting the link for others to see. I do not have H just T. Perhaps she has such a bad attitude because she can't handle H. I can see that happening, but then again I do not know a thing about her, except what I saw on 20/20 and read here.

 

I suspect she has over-protected and went in a downward spiral. She doesn't believe docs should perform tests because they will most likely do more damage by performing the tests. She tore into me once when I said I purchased cheap ear plugs to take the edge off when I went to the grocery store. "They aren't ear protection!" she said. I know, I replied... I only needed to reduce sound, not remove it. I did just fine in the grocery store with just slightly plugging my ears.

 

I read TRT is very effective and has a high success rate. I have headaches due to H. I read online that people with H normally have headache along with it. Like 70% of the time. Do some of you experience migraine or tension type headaches with your H? Or am I the only one. I seem to get it very often. If TRT improves ones H does it improve the headaches and tinnitus as well?

 

I was getting tension headaches.

TRT improved my H which in turn helped my headaches. I still have the T.

 

Hi Tom, I get the headaches too...all the time..sadly..Yes, i would imagine as you increase your sound tolerance, your headaches would subside. H is very odd!

 

How much did TRT help you?

 

Okay lol i don't think I have H, altough I have feared it. Honks and sirenes maybe sound a little louder, but I think I just have a emphesized startle response from anxiety caused by T. My loud keyboard doesn't bother me at all anymore, so whatever I have, it has become a lot better in only a few weeks, which doesn't sound like permanent hyperacusis... I do think I have a little phonophobia though, but that can be worked on by changing your attitude towards sounds..

I don't want to sound like a dick but this video made me happy as it means I don't really have this H thing.

I do have very tense muscles in my ears tough. When I'm in a completely silent room, and put my phone on speaker, my ears rumble like crazy from the sounds the phone meakes, like a blown speaker, except the sound isn't distorted. This is TTTS I believe. Hope it goes away. I've heard you can cut the muscles as a last resort anyways, so I'm not too stressed about it.

 

I tought there was a difference on hyperacusis and a direct phobia of sounds.
@Erlend what is ttts?

 

There is a difference between Hyperacusis (collapsed tolerance to sounds) and phonophobia, fear of sounds..usually a person with H develops phonophobia, due to fear of pain from sounds..Both are treated differently.

 

@demi I think the TRT really helped me get out of my bedroom and to do normal things like drive to work and go to the grocery store w/o having that negative response like everyone is screaming or I'm driving a jet engine to work.

I still hear things louder than I should, like someone has crawled into my ear when talking.

@Erlend , I wouldn't go by that video to determine if you have H or not. #1, she's not typical, IMO. and #2 @Street Spirit is right... H can develop into phonophobia, which IMO is what happened to Joyce. One of the first pieces of advice I got, which was from someone here, was to try not to over-protect because that makes things worse. That was the best advice anyone has ever given me about H.

I just got back from the grocery store... no earplugs. It was still loud, but I didn't have the response that I needed to run out. But, I went to a brunch this morning at Gillette Stadium (a special event) and I wore an ear plug in my right ear. I couldn't deal with that level of noise. speakers, clapping....

 

If you want a good explanation of the couple featured in this special read the last post in the thread, by Rob

http://www.chat-hyperacusis.net/post?id=6751845&pid=1281515305#post1281515305

 

SueR, you are a funny lady! (driving jet engine to work) LOLOL Nice to see you still have your humor through this

 

In case more posts come after Rob's, I'll not now that is is #11.

She (Joyce) has admonished me for doing TRT because it told her I hadn't done my hwk and that any sounds have the ability to do damage. Unfortunately, I think this is poisonous advice she is giving and others are listening to her as if she is "the expert".

I'm really glad I found this place first.

 

Things don't sound louder to me, I just get startled easier and muscles in my ear get really tense

TTTS is a spasm in the middle ear muscles

 

Is the treatment the same for H as it is for TTTS?

 

@Erlend please give me a link with a thorough elaboration if you have one, ty

@Street Spirit i see! thats why i had a hard time applying h to them