Will Lockdown Help or Hinder My Pain Hyperacusis Recovery?

My pain hyperacusis onset was June 2019. I’ve stated recently that I’ve felt some improvement in aspects of it. Mainly that cutlery and plates bothered it before and they don’t really any more.

So I’ve been making some progress and I hope this continues. But I wondered if the fact that I am now on lockdown will either help or hinder my progress? Will being at home away from environmental noise be to my detriment? Or will the fact that my ears are rested for more extended periods be beneficial?

I have some periods where I play music in the background while I work, but there are many periods of silence when I need to concentrate. I do also try to avoid the types of sounds that aggravate the hyperacusis. Just wondered what the collective wisdom on this would be?

 

I've personally found the relative peace and quiet to be quite helpful and I think it's actually made me less stressed as I no longer have to worry about excessive traffic noise, for instance, when I go out. I feel kinda weird saying that at a time when people are dying and many people are in great distress...

My hyperacusis has improved by a lot and I honestly find most environmental noise doesn't trigger my hyperacusis even the sound of planes/helicopters flying overhead (I live on a flight path). However, the one thing that still triggers my hyperacusis and TTTS symptoms is audio from my laptop - after about 15 mins I get forehead tingling/a feeling of tightness and pressure that spreads from my ears to my forehead. It's not painful per se but very uncomfortable. So no music, YouTube, Netflix etc. So it seems to be 'artificial' audio sources that aggravate my ears the most instead of 'organic' noise. I'm so relieved to have recovered to the extent that I have but ngl I'm kinda worried about this - idk if this is permanent and I'll not be able to properly listen to music again. I really wonder why this is - could it be linked to damage at certain frequencies? It's honestly very strange.

 

These days of quiet are great to rest ears. I even went out for a walk without earplugs in places where I normally need to wear hearing protection.

Also the air feels fresher and purer, no pollution.

 

I developed tinnitus two and a half months ago, but hyperacusis over the past few days. It's strange because outside noise is fine, but I've become sensitive to switches, cutlery, etc. I don't know if this is to do with being stuck inside all day. It's come on very sudden, since lockdown.

 

Can you listen to music through a higher fidelity/better quality speaker? Tinny speakers bother mine. A bigger speaker might be better for you. Is your tv speaker ok for it?

 

Light switches and plates/cutlery bothered mine before but no longer for some reason. Hopefully you will improve somewhat too.

I’ve been putting sound on in the background to minimise the amount of quiet time. Or at least try to strike a good balance between the two.

 

Maybe because outside there is more "ambient noise" but if you're inside in the quiet, so sounds aren't really buffered.

I notice that if I'm at home and sitting at the table with my dad, his voice sounds uncomfortably loud, but then on the same days, say I'm speaking to a neighbor outside, and I'm about the same distance away, that voice won't sound as loud.

Do you experience pain with those sounds? Or do you find that they just make you jumpy/sound too loud?

 

Many people on hyperacusis forums/support groups suggest that resting the ears is actually the best thing to do. As long as you're not in 100% silence all day long and are exposed to noises, your hyperacusis shouldn't get worse.

Someone linked me a study that was done, "Formby, Gold" study, where they found that even if there was a temporary threshold shift for pain from "overprotecting", it was only 5 - 7 dB or so, and was very very easily reversible. The idea that overprotecting can make you worse doesn't have a ton of scientific backing and in this case you're not even "protecting" just staying in a more quiet environment.

 

I'm going to be totally honest I've been pretty avoidant of all these things but just incidentally I have noticed that my proper speakers do seem to be less taxing on my ears. I still can't tolerate them if they're turned right up or anything but generally they're better than laptop speakers.

 

I suspect you're right. The sounds make me jumpy/sound too loud. They don't necessarily hurt my ears, but they do make them feel sore, sometimes.

 

Same for me, constant loud noises like cars don't hurt me as much as sharp sudden noises, however I do think cars and stuff make my ears burn in the aftermath.

 

I'm dreading the day society goes back to normal and I'm still stuck in my room, staring at the wall.

 

Feels great to read that after reading your subsequent recovery man. Hope life is treating you good.

 

How is your pain hyperacusis now?