Noise Bothers Me, However Only at an Emotional Level — Is This Hyperacusis?

When my tinnitus is bad, I get annoyed at certain sounds. No pain or discomfort, just a higher awareness of sound and an annoyance at it but at a 'that's getting on my tits' level... Is this a form of hyperacusis or me just being overly sensitive jerk?

 

Can someone help me out?

I'm confused as to whether or not I have a touch of hyperacusis?

Since my tinnitus went pear shaped in October, thanks to a powerful acoustic piano, I have become acutely conscious that I don't want to cause anymore damage to my hearing and I have consciously taken to protecting my ears during certain events. Please note I do not experience any physical pain or distortion of sound.

I avoid these types of sounds because it annoys me on a personal level. So sounds like:

- Emptying dishwashers and general kitchen sounds like metal on metal or glasses clinking together
- Heavy traffic noise like buses passing close by and their hydraulics letting out that hiss
- Sudden exaggerated sneezes, especially by ladies
- Loud people who you can hear talking from 30 feet away

Most these noises are high pitched and my tinnitus is high pitched too. I'm ok with low frequency hums etc

Is this hyoeracusis, or just me being paranoid? I have to add I have, as far back as I can remember, even before tinnitus, hated the sound of people munching and slurping food.

 

Yes, this is hyperacusis. Certain sounds can be annoying, but not necessarily dangerous and spiking T. I can't stand leaf blowers that are a block away, and need my earplugs to stay outside with that going. Damn annoying!

 

Even just annoying me at personal level?
Surely that means lots of people have it... nails down blackboards, babies crying etc?

It's just an emotional response in some instances?

For me its a dislike of certain noises....is this not more like misophonia?

I've always hated others chewing noises; teeth clunking together and I tend to wear earmuffs if I'm stacking the dishwasher, like I say not because it hurts I'm just worried that high pitched clang frequency is similar to a piano and I don't want to damage my hearing i.e. I'm trying to preserve it.

Plus my hearing test results recently hadnt changed since 2015.

 

Hearing test cannot really measure subtle changes, which is what matters in the long run. ENTs are telling people who are tone-deaf that they have fine hearing.

 

What you describe is hyperacusis, and while it can be direct pain from noise, in other cases it can be more of a discomfort, and even on an emotional level.

I have read other users that have difficulty with clinking glasses, silverware, and dishes, and need hearing protection to do the dishes. I have not experienced this, but have experienced discomfort with more lower frequency sounds, such as loud vehicles, and lawn equipment.

One day it was quite striking as I was outside, with no hearing protection, and enjoying the sun and the sounds. I was fine for almost an hour, and then my neighbor across the street turned on a vacuum to clean his car. I was pretty far away, but that sound instantly annoyed me, and I could not wait to go inside as it was so uncomfortable, although not objectively loud as I was plenty far away. Once I got away, the discomfort stopped instantly, so I know exactly what you are talking about.

 

But when you say discomfort @Digital Doc you're talking emotional discomfort, not physical. Is that correct?

If so, then is Hyperacusis, in this regard, more of a mental thought process affair?

 

Yes, more emotional, and no physical pain.

 

I think I've been developing a bit of phonophobia in that I get anxious if I'm around certain sounds or I know certain sounds can happen like today in a supermarket there was a few toddlers and their high pitched screaming, which made me want to get out the supermarket as fast as possible.

 

So - big question is how do I overcome it, whatever it is?