Real Bad Hyperacusis

Hey guys I'm a 19 year old guy and I have hyperacusis. It all started back in July when I was painting with my dad and a ladder fell down next to my right ear.

From that moment on I was hypersensitive to most sounds and experience them as really loud, some time later my left ear got messed up too, as i was calling someone and the volume of my phone was really loud and I didn't notice until the person spoke. I'm still going to high school and I have a very loud class, which causes my hyperacusis to worsen.

Now several months later the oversensitivity on my right ear has become a lot better but last week someone in my class shouted directly into my left ear and I have the feeling the oversensitivity is ever worse then it was before, this time I'm actually really worried that the shouting next to my ear has caused permanent damage and permanent oversensitivity to sound as it hasn't gotten better and it has been a few days now.

Do you think it's possible that my ear will still heal over time or has it been permanently affected by the shouting next to it?

Thanks!
Glenn

 

Hello @GlennM,
It's really sad to read that a young guy like you has to deal with this situation. Do you have tinnitus as well? In either case you didn't mention if you have been checked & diagnosed by a physician? Keep in mind that i am not an expert, but in this forum there are many people with hyperacusis who have reported emission. In many cases this disorder is reversible and i suppose that being young is a plus; in terms of your body's healing ability. However exposure to loud sounds is not a good idea and believe me you don't want further worsening of this condition. Given that you had this unlucky incident, should you schedule an medical appointment the sooner.
All the best.
V.

 

Hi Glenn, if you went to an ENT, a typical thing they say is "I have known patients who were around noise all their lives and have wonderful hearing, and people who shot a gun once and have a permanent ringing for life". That's what happens with hearing, it is different for everyone.

However, there are decibel scales that you can look at to put things in perspective. Someone shouting in your ears may be loud, but in the scale it would probably be well below any tool that construction workers use daily. I mean, your ears may react bad to some sounds, but your concern should be focused more on the very loud sounds of objective decibel scales rather than on some reaction of your body to sound.

Take into account too that depending on whether you have a cold, or a bad throat, etc etc.. sounds feel different, can feel muffled or amplified..