Flying, Cinemas, Bars and Other Activities with Hyperacusis/Noxacusis

I got hyperacusis (with pain) after an MRI scan for my spine back in 2022. 1 years 8 months later, to my surprise, the pain seems to have got better and I'm doing quite well. I no longer need the earmuffs and I can enjoy intermediate volume of music from my Marshall speaker.

I just want to check if it is safe to fly with hyperacusis with the air pressure and loud engine noise when taking off/landing?

Do any of you guys still visit cinemas or bars? Are earplugs a must?

After the incident, I have pretty much become a hermit and been refraining myself from the activities I loved and I have really missed them.

 

Hi @Scarecrow.

It’s nice to read you have been healing from your noise event. I hope it continues to improve for you.

I can only share my experience of flying/cinema and bars so it’s not to say you’ll be the same. I would just advise caution and common sense. My ear conditions are tinnitus with noxacusis (I must have some hyperacusis but I don’t really notice).

Cinemas: I used to go and wear earplugs and ear defenders and never had an issue. However, I stopped after an advert showing off the cinema bass/sound system was so loud that I felt the vibrations throughout my whole body. It caused nerve pain in my bad ear and a tinnitus spike and many, many weeks of upset that I decided it wasn’t worth going and I can just wait for the movies on streaming services that I can control the volume of.

Bars: I don’t go very often but I obviously avoid loud ones at all costs. I wear earplugs and use my decibel reader on my phone to check the volume. My friends are really good about leaving a place if I find it too loud.

Flying: I use a sinus spray just before boarding to help with the pressure and wear the flight earplugs specially for equalising pressure the whole flight. I have a bottle of water and chewing gum to continually help with the pressure. Due to the noisy engine being at the back of the plane, try middle or front seats (this was recommended by Tinnitus Talk members).

I hope what I have shared is of some value. I have the opinion we can protect ourselves as much as possible but we cannot control the outside world. For example, I am going through a difficult time with my bad ear after a difficult neighbour’s sudden very loud music outburst which affected me over a week ago. Care and caution are needed but I hope you get back out doing the things you loved.

 

Hello. I have been on a plane several times and have worn earplugs or earmuffs (wore both once). I have not noticed any spike in symptoms as a result. I have hyperacusis and tinnitus (primarily only in one ear). The hyperacusis has slowly improved since I moved forward with my life.

 

Feeling better? Nice. It’s comforting to read realistic stories, not those TRT, positive thinking, retrain your brain crap lol. Glad you got some normalcy back.

I would avoid all loud places in general and just have earplugs in my pocket just in case. It seems most people who get better test the waters and if something is starting to set their noxacusis off, they stop. I recovered from loudness hyperacusis and tinnitus once but I never really improved since I got noxacusis.

You got better tolerance to artificial audio?

 

I have tinnitus and hyperacusis with noxacusis. I am definitely getting better tolerance to artificial audio, but only if they are in intermediate volume and not going all gun blazing like those big speakers in concerts and festivals.

 

Well good for you!