Pain Hyperacusis: If Your Ear Is Hurting, Do You Always Wear Hearing Protection?

I’ve had a setback and I’ve had intermittent but fairly consistent pain for several days. Cheek, behind ear, in ear canal. Icy numb facial feeling with tingling.

Do you normally protect until the pain stops completely?

Does your ear pain normally last for extended periods?

 

Pretty much. I was at the dentist today and the drill was REALLY loud. I explained to the dentist about my tinnitus so we tried it with and without earplugs, but it was being conducted through the bone. After a minute of this I felt that familiar fullness in my ear. Been keeping a silicon plug in it ever since.

Typically I expect these episodes to last for a few hours up to 1-3 days, easing off at some point during the first or second day. I try to taper off the earplug usage as I feel things improving.

Hope things improve for you quickly.

EDIT: when you say you've had it for several days, are you past three days now? Actually yours does sound like you should get it checked out as soon as possible.

 

Thanks for responding.

I hope you feel better soon as well.

So you only plug one ear? Isn’t there a camp on here that discourages that for some reason? I’m just curious if it’s ok to only plug your hyperacusis ear.

 

Today would be the third day.

 

I've not heard that one, just when I thought I was being good and observing all the dos and don'ts, along comes another one!

My right ear has always been my worse ear so it gets special care from me when it needs it. If I'm in a noisy environment for an extended period, but right now I am in my home study, where my computer speakers are to my right, so I plug my right ear a little so that the music is at a comfortable level for both ears.

 

maybe I’m wrong. You read so much stuff on this forum it begins to blend together. Clonazepam doesn’t help with the memory either unfortunately.

 

Yes it’s ok to plug your hyperacusis ear bro, of course it is. There’s no manual, it's what fits and works for each individual and their unique condition.

Quick comment I deleted earlier on benzos. You have got a lot on your plate right now beside the physical anguish you are suffering.

My advice, lean on the drug, eight months, nine months... then when you are good and ready, go on a slow taper. You may want to continue with the drugs, if you don’t, I am confident you can handle a taper and withdrawals. My personal opinion. Not an MD, but this stuff is way beyond their expertise.

Take care of yourself right now, follow your instincts, tell your kids you love them.
Keep everything simple, being disabled means baby steps for blokes like us...
You have my full support and prayers you find some relief ASAP and have a few laughs and hugs... I have enough tears to fill a river now...

Stay strong, don’t give up... Daniel

 

I have ear pain but I don't know if it's from hyperacusis. How do I know?

I think my tinnitus is sometimes reactive. If it is 8/10 for e.g. and I go outside, I think normal noises and sounds may cause or contribute it going to 9/10 severity. I don't know if that means it is spiking but I can tell it got worse.

As for ear pain, I used to be able to tell it became more severe from a loud noise but now, it seems to increase in severity randomly. I can't recognize a link to a loud noise or sound. It just starts hurting more suddenly.

I have various symptoms including what Selah said. Pain in the ear canal but lately it's often located at the tragus and around it. It's like an ear ache but I have pain just below that part of the ear too. There is a muscle there and bone? I have pain there as well and in the cheek area.

It's usually the left ear but my right ear has been in pain at times. My left ear, however, has a serious issue in terms of pain. It is so frequent that it really discourages me and then I have loud screaming tinnitus with that, too. :-(

 

I use muffs but only sometimes. I think it's difficult to know when to use hearing protection. I used to have pain from wearing plugs. I still have ear pain so I don't know if I should try again.

I want to get custom plugs but now I am. :-(

Also, it will be hell to wear hearing protection when I do because my tinnitus is so loud and screaming. That will be isolated and all I am exposed to as outside noises and sounds are muted or lowered.

I carry muffs with me whenever I go out.

Either way, it's torture.

 

I use hearing protection almost always when I am outside home.

If you have bad H the pain from a single noise expisode may linger for a month or even more.

 

Hi Pete
I have pain in my ear canal and tragus tonight. Wore foam ear plugs for about an hour this morning in a loud environment I couldn't avoid, but I think I put one in a bit squint and it caused pressure leading to the current pain. Going to avoid plugs and stick with ear muffs for the next day or two.

 

Hyperacusis is simply a symptom - it means pain from sound. You know if you have the symptom. What you may or may not know is the cause. There are dozens of possible causes of the symptom of hyperacusis. Quite a few are listed at this link:

https://hyperacusisfocus.org/research/causes/

 

Any improvements?

Sadly this shit takes time... make sure you eat fish... green vegetables, carrots, salmon if you can afford it.

 

The last one had got better. I had my kids last night and my twins got to fighting over a captain america shield pillow and started screaming loudly and now even my right ear is hurting which hasn’t happened like this before. Wasn’t wearing protection. I was cooking dinner and they had been calm playing video games.

thanks for asking. No one around me cares at all.

 

That makes me sad to hear bro... you need care, we all do.
Anticipate the kids wrestling matches, I do and put on ear muffs and then join in sometimes.
Power some magnesium and chill, hopefully it will fade, it should do.
I am sorry you got hurt.

I think it took me a good year to have my hyperacusis chill, I am sure it’s there, I know it’s there, but my thresholds are stronger now... touch wood.

It looks like a lot of advancements are coming and I have profound hearing loss where your symptoms seem to be able to change with neck movements etc., a mechanical component. We both have hope with new modalities being developed.

Stay strong, make sure you find some good folks for your heart.
Post when things change... good news is important to hear...

Give it time... be patient... big hug.

 

you said you have someone massage your ears. I’ve tried massaging my pain areas and that seems to make them hurt worse. Why do you think that is?

 

So sorry to hear that, I hope you feel Ok and like before soon, you know, here we understand what you are already going through, stay strong dude.

Yeah these days I almost plug everyday but I'm afraid of being exposed to outside noises and that's why I do so.

 

I have no idea.

I do know tat with massage you need to be very specific and bossy, in a nice way, what to do and what not to do. There's actually a acupressure video on YouTube which shows some point outside the ear and above the jaw.

Have the person work on your temples, forehead, behind the ear, upper jaw, eyes etc... finish by pulling the earlobes gently and even pressing inside.

I have the lady who does me use her knuckles on my head, really hard. I hold a lot of pain and stress in my head.

Have the person first start on shoulders, neck, then temples head and face. Last 20 to 30 minutes around the ears.

Tell the person where to go, what feels good. To go softer or harder.
Some people have the gift... some don’t.
If the person is gifted, you will feel better and more relaxed... for sure.

if massaging the pain areas hurts... do other areas first... believe me your shoulders and neck and other parts of your body have absorbed lots of stress.
Massage helps.... try different places... stay on it.

 

There are muscles inside the mouth that are connected to the ears and can be massaged by a physiotherapist. Sometimes it is kind of painful but later on feels better.