Does Pain Automatically Mean a Hyperacusis Setback?

[weab00]

I have noxacusis. It prevents me from living most of my life. Despite my best efforts to isolate/protect, my ears continue to get worse. Sometimes after going out with plugs I get a stabbing sensation deep in my ear.

Does pain mean a guaranteed setback/spike, or is it normal with hyperacusis? Setback prevention is by far the hardest aspect of trying to heal.

 

[Contrast]

Two years ago only a handful of people on this forum knew what noxacusis was and they would generically call every type of ear problem "hyperacusis". Now the word "noxacusis" is common vocabulary here.

To answer your question I don't know but back when I had it that was the case.

 

[weab00]

Two years ago only a handful of people on this forum knew what noxacusis was and they would generically call every type of ear problem "hyperacusis". Now the word "noxacusis" is common vocabulary here.

To answer your question I don't know but back when I had it that was the case.

How long did yours take to go away, and what did you do for over vs. under protecting?

 

[TSmith28]

I'm not an expert and have only had H for a month, but from my own experience I believe that pain is not necessarily an indication of a significant setback. In the span of a month, I have had 5-10 minor incidents where I overdid it (listened to music or played guitar at low volume) and had some increased pain for a day or so afterward. But overall I have been improving, so it certainly doesn't feel like I have done further damage. Just one data point, of course

 

[LindaS]

@weab00

I feel for you.

Like you, I too have noxacusis and find it extremely difficult to know what will set off pain/setbacks as it is usually delayed.

Recently, a conversation with one person outside where we had to talk a bit louder, caused me 6 days of burning pain in my head and ears.

Today, i was outside for a while and just heard the wind in the leaves and I could feel it in my ears.

A few days ago for seemingly no reason, I started getting stabbing pain in my GOOD ear! WTF

I have had tinnitus & hyperacusis for six months now and I have definitely had worsening,

Don't know what to do.

 

[100Hz]

I have noxacusis. It prevents me from living most of my life. Despite my best efforts to isolate/protect, my ears continue to get worse. Sometimes after going out with plugs I get a stabbing sensation deep in my ear.

Does pain mean a guaranteed setback/spike, or is it normal with hyperacusis? Setback prevention is by far the hardest aspect of trying to heal.

If I've got facial pain I put that down to being 'in' a setback. When I've slightly recovered and feeling better the best way I can describe knowing I'm heading for a setback again is a feeling I get when I hear the noise that's done it. Its a sharp very quick stab pain that goes away but leaves a feeling in my ear and I just know. It's like when you kick a table with your toe, you get that instant pain that goes away and half of you thinks 'that didn't hurt', but the other half of you knows the real pain is coming.

To go full cycle though if I am currently in setback, I find it easier to have repeat setbacks compounding the pain and recovery time. I escape to silence now every time I know one is on the way, I just don't think there's any other choice and I know the absolutely worst thing I can do is try and push through it.

 

[LindaS]

@100Hz

Your avatar states you have had tinnitus since 2015. Have you had pain hyperacusis since then as well?

Are you able to live a somewhat normal life?

Do normal every day sounds cause setbacks?

(Just wondering if it can improve with time)

 

[100Hz]

@100Hz

Your avatar states you have had tinnitus since 2015. Have you had pain hyperacusis since then as well?

Are you able to live a somewhat normal life?

Do normal every day sounds cause setbacks?

(Just wondering if it can improve with time)

To be honest I've had tinnitus for years but it didn't bother me. Then one day a few years ago after a gig it turned into a different kind of tinnitus, hard to describe but felt so much more intrusive than anything else I'd suffered in the years before. It subsided but then finally after an acoustic shock later in the year that was it and the hyperacsusis and noxacusis started right at that point.

I can't live a normal life at all in terms of noise, I'm in bed most of the time, the best I get is relatively pain free days but any attempt to do anything anywhere near the slightest bit noisy gives me problems again, it's so boring but at least pain free. I can manage to get to the shop and get essential stuff like cleaning, and cooking done but that's it. Music is all gone, instruments, speakers, and music gear, power tools, all sold. Anything that I was at risk of using that could make noise basically I got rid of.

I did recover quite well once but after get over confident with music again I got pushed back to square one again.

How about you, can you live anything like a normal life?

 

[100Hz]

@weab00 are you ever able to play music now or is it a guaranteed setback every time?

 

[weab00]

@weab00 are you ever able to play music now or is it a guaranteed setback every time?

I'm having to take a break because playing bass with ear muffs on and no amp still causes pain/fatigue in the ears. I think it's because of bone conduction. I'm bored shitless as well, can't watch Netflix or go outside.

 

[100Hz]

I'm having to take a break because playing bass with ear muffs on and no amp still causes pain/fatigue in the ears. I think it's because of bone conduction. I'm bored shitless as well, can't watch Netflix or go outside.

Yeh, it doesn't seem to matter how low the volume is anymore it still sets it off. Stay strong.

 

[GBB]

I'm having to take a break because playing bass with ear muffs on and no amp still causes pain/fatigue in the ears. I think it's because of bone conduction. I'm bored shitless as well, can't watch Netflix or go outside.

Watch with captions on.

 

[LindaS]

@100Hz

I am so sorry to hear of your plight.

Like you, I am unable to live a normal life. I am housebound. Inside 98% of the time.
I cannot drive, shop, conversations can cause pain, can't do many of things I loved doing.
Never know what seemingly every day sound will cause me pain. No TV, no music.

Over the last couple of months, I can count on one hand how many pain free days I've had.
I've been put on Gabapentin and the dose is slowly being upped but I don't feel this is going to help.

I just came across the article below. She was a musician and had really bad hyperacusis but got to a better place (not 100% back to where she was but better than where you and I are right now).
Hope the article may help you.


https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/10/a-musician-afraid-of-sound/411367/

 

[weab00]

Watch with captions on.

I do but it's boring.

 

[GoatSheep]

Watch with captions on.

I don't watch much TV, but this is what I do. I hadn't played video games much in years till I developed hyperacusis / noxacusis, but since newer games give you control over the music / sound effects and also some have captions I started playing to keep me entertained. I could usually tolerate speech so I'd just turn the music and effects off or way way down. Also, if possible I would turn off rumble effect on controllers.

 

[TSmith28]

When I've slightly recovered and feeling better the best way I can describe knowing I'm heading for a setback again is a feeling I get when I hear the noise that's done it

It's interesting that you mention this because I also

Yeh, it doesn't seem to matter how low the volume is anymore it still sets it off. Stay strong.

Same here. Mine was caused by playing guitar at low volume but high gain, and I'm quite confident that the high frequency was the problem (not volume)

 

[musicblue]

My neurologist said no in response to this question. He said that the pain you feel is just a signal from the nerves. He used the analogy of touching something like a cold radiator; it causes a sensation of cold but it's not doing actual damage to your hand. The nerves are sending a pain sensation in this instance.

Right or wrong I have no idea though.

 

[100Hz]

@100Hz
I just came across the article below. She was a musician and had really bad hyperacusis but got to a better place (not 100% back to where she was but better than where you and I are right now).
Hope the article may help you.


https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/10/a-musician-afraid-of-sound/411367/

Thanks @LindaS. I remember reading that years ago and being shocked that that sort of musician could get it.

 

[weab00]

My neurologist said no in response to this question. He said that the pain you feel is just a signal from the nerves. He used the analogy of touching something like a cold radiator; it causes a sensation of cold but it's not doing actual damage to your hand. The nerves are sending a pain sensation in this instance.

Right or wrong I have no idea though.

That sounds like it could be true. Sometimes I get random flare ups sitting in complete silence. Could be overall inflammation.

 

[twa]

My neurologist said no in response to this question. He said that the pain you feel is just a signal from the nerves. He used the analogy of touching something like a cold radiator; it causes a sensation of cold but it's not doing actual damage to your hand. The nerves are sending a pain sensation in this instance.

Right or wrong I have no idea though.

So if a sound is painful, it's not causing damage?

 

[Juan]

Does pain mean a guaranteed setback/spike, or is it normal with hyperacusis? Setback prevention is by far the hardest aspect of trying to heal.

No, it is possible to have pain without a lasting / permanent setback.

 

[GoatSheep]

To be honest I've had tinnitus for years but it didn't bother me. Then one day a few years ago after a gig it turned into a different kind of tinnitus, hard to describe but felt so much more intrusive than anything else I'd suffered in the years before. It subsided but then finally after an acoustic shock later in the year that was it and the hyperacsusis and noxacusis started right at that point.

I can't live a normal life at all in terms of noise, I'm in bed most of the time, the best I get is relatively pain free days but any attempt to do anything anywhere near the slightest bit noisy gives me problems again, it's so boring but at least pain free. I can manage to get to the shop and get essential stuff like cleaning, and cooking done but that's it. Music is all gone, instruments, speakers, and music gear, power tools, all sold. Anything that I was at risk of using that could make noise basically I got rid of.

I did recover quite well once but after get over confident with music again I got pushed back to square one again.

How about you, can you live anything like a normal life?

What exactly happened when you say you "got overconfident with music again and got pushed back to square one"?