Masking Sound (Crickets) at Night — Can't Hear Higher Pitch Frequencies by the End of the Night

I've been using the "crickets" setting on my sound machine to provide sound enrichment. I can hear high-pitch cricket sounds when I turn the machine on in the evening. When I wake up after sleeping for several hours (with the machine on), the sounds I hear resemble a rustle - I guess I stop hearing any high-pitch components of the original cricket sounds. This has been happening with both my bad ear and my good ear that hasn't been subjected to any acoustic traumas. I am in my early 40s, and the last time I had a hearing test (February) I was told that I don't have any hearing loss.

Is this normal? Could this mean that I am damaging my ears/hearing when I use my sound machine? The machine is set at its quietest setting, and is about a meter (3 feet) away from my head.

 

@Bill Bauer Try not to worry over this. Your auditory system has suffered a noise trauma and it will take time to recover, trust me. I went through a similar thing and much more. For many months my head was completely numb and everything sounded like my head was under water. Very frightening as I thought I'd completely blown my hearing! Take gingko biloba by Avogel, if you can get it. Dosage: 15drops in a little water 3 times a day. Also, take magnesim supplements from a hebalist. Magnesium helps nerve repair. The auditory system is made up of nerves. Carry on using sound enrichment. It takes time but you will get there.

Michael

 

You might want to try another sound. I tried to fall asleep to crickets at a low setting, only to be woken up at 2 and trying to find the car alarm in the neighbourhood - nope, my hearing apparently distorted the crickets into a car alarm. I use other nature sounds now and I don't have this problem. (Birds chirping mixed with soft rain drops is my current preset, I think.)

 

Thank you, Zenyatta.

Birds chirping + soft rain drops sounds nice. What sound machine are you using?

 

I'm using an app from a tablet connected to bedside speakers - I'm not sure we have the same presets available. The app's called Sleepo.

 

I use an app called ReSound that allows you to mix sounds to create exactly what you need. It has a large sound library, advice about managing tinnitus, and was recommended to me by audiologists.

 

I have never owned a cell phone. This is the first time when I wished I had one (a smart phone).

 

You can always just get a cheap second-hand phone, not use the network/phone features at all and use it as a minicomputer for sound generator apps!

 

Can I get those apps working on a laptop?

 

Hmmm... I think myNoise has a web version. Got it:

https://mynoise.net/

Try adjusting the sliders, there's so many settings you can change!

 

It is wonderful! I can already see that I will enjoy listening to the sounds of a cat's purr. Thank you!

 

You're very welcome! It's a good site

 

I used to play soothing sounds softly over the night but found myself unable to hear unless I set a time limit to let my ears adjust to the silence.

 

Thank you Michael Leigh for that information.

You're one of the best people on this Forum.

I had been doing magnesium.

Did not know about the Gingko Biloba


THANK YOU




I'll report back