Unpleasant, Vibrating Spasm/Thump in Reaction to Sharp Sounds — Is This Hyperacusis?

Hi,

I've had a very strange and traumatic experience with my ear, which started off as an intense vibrating spasm which came out of nowhere in the middle of the day after a sinus infection on 30 January (my theory is that I had some sort of middle ear infection, although my ear didn't really hurt unless I put my finger deep in it).

This came and went while gradually improving over the next month. It lingered for a while as a slight thumping but so far it's been about a month and a half without any thumps/spasms (knock on wood).

However I have this strange, annoying sensation in this ear now in reaction to sharp sounds. Typically things like cutlerly and wrappings but also typing on my keyboard triggers it. It's like a very unpleasant, vibrating spasm/thump which is very difficult to describe, almost like an electric current of sorts. It affects my mood very negatively, and I can't stand eating lunch at work.

It seems more related to a specific pitch or vibration than the actual volume of it.

I've tried searching online but can't find much information, and most seem to describe different experiences than me.

I had about a week or so with it being gone and I hoped I was finally back to normal again but then it returned 2 weeks ago. I was at work event drinking on thursday and strangely the hyperacusis was improved on Friday (I was afraid it'd be worse), but has gotten back to being very bothersome again over the weekend (while just relaxing at home).

Would exposing myself to these sounds help me get better (ie desentivise myself to it)? Does this actually work, or it is just a psychological thing?

 

I have this exact same thing. Crinkling sounds, cutlery and such are the worst. I have SCDS on both ears so I think it might be what's causing it. I have the same thumbing /vibrating feel from doing certain things with my hands, the noise travels via my bones into my inner ear (this is typical with SCDS).

Are you doing any better now @JFred?

 

Hello,

I’m having a very similar situation and wanted to ask if you’re feeling any better now and if exposing yourself to noise helped? I’m having a lot of anxiety around this issue and can’t seem to figure out the cause.