How to Assess the Severity of My Hyperacusis?

[ChrisKl]

Hi all,

I am in need of help to understand what exactly is the severity of my hyperacusis and how to best approach it.

Some background:

- Last summer I went to a concert and was unfortunate to stay for 2 hours next to a loud speaker.

- Next day I had ringing in my ears and my right one (which was closer to the speaker) had burning and fullness sensation.

- I waited a few days hoping this will go away. The ringing disappeared but the burning and fullness sensation remained.

- I went to a doctor and he told me that the eardrum is intact and that the sensation was something normal for a loud concert and gave me some muscle relaxation meds - I guess not the was probably thinking of some form of Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome.

- He told me that in a few weeks the feelings will disappear. And so they did to a point where I was no longer thinking about my ears.

6 months later (a couple of weeks ago):

- I bought a new pair of headset. I tried some rock song on a high volume - probably something comparable to a live concert (I know, not a great idea). After a few minutes I felt a familiar burning sensation in my right ear. I stopped but on the next day I can feel it again along with some fullness. I went to another doctor this time and he told me that I have a slight hyperacusis and gave me some meds for nervous system and told me that I would recover in a month and go on with my life as normal - just to make sure not to go next to excessively loud speakers anymore. As hopeful as I was when I heard the doctor, reading all the cases here I am quite scared that this might be too optimistic. I really have hard time finding definite information on severity of hyperacusis.

- Most of what I found was that common problems (most of which about 85-90 dB) like car engine/riding subway, hairdryer are too painful for mild hyperacusis. However, these actually do NOT bother me even now. I have no problem going outside among city noises. I also do not have tinnitus. Still I know that probably excessive loud noise will hurt my right ear again very quickly.

So is there really a thing such as slight hyperacusis? How should I approach it and what are my odds for living a normal life? To be quite honest I am quite scared that the doctor told me just what I wanted to hear and that it's only going to get worse. Since then I have had real trouble sleeping and am quite anxious day and night. On top of this, I am expecting a child in a few months and I am quite scared of the noises and will I be able to actually handle them.

Please help. Thank you!

 

[Brian Newman]

Don't worry. I'll think you will be ok. Just try to relax and whatever gives you that feeling in your ears, don't do it, the longer you go without setting it off, the better off and more tolerance you will get. I wouldn't even call it hyperacusis, I mean maybe a little, but like you said you don't have any discomfort to any noise really. If you're getting burning, it's like an extremely mild version of pain hyperacusis. Don't read horror stories about it because it will literally make you feel worse. If you're scared enough and don't want to take any chances, I would say be careful with loud music, headphones, clubs, sporting events, and what gave me this condition was airbags from a car accident. Hard to avoid that to be honest, it's out of control most of the time.

Yeah, it's good having the knowledge so you can prevent it from happening.

If you want, read my thread under the Hyperacusis & Ear Pain "For the Love of God, Protect Your Ears." I am a true horror story. It will give you good advice. Just don't let it scare you because getting it this bad is like hitting the lottery 3 times in a row.

Don't let this fear ruin your life like it does some people's. I have seen people's lives ruined when they barely have it. You just need to be cautious and realize it is a serious condition and is not to be messed with. Because trust me, when you get this bad, there's no going back most of the time. You're in the early stages, just be cautious around noise and if you go somewhere noisy, just wear earplugs. If you do that, your only chance of getting this bad is a car accident, or somebody shooting a gun or firework 5 ft from your face. Those two won't happen. And just don't blast music like you said.

 

[Juan]

- I bought a new pair of headset. I tried some rock song on a high volume - probably something comparable to a live concert (I know, not a great idea).

You are playing with fire. The concert that provoked all this was strike 1. Keep playing with sound and soon you will have really bad hyperacusis.

On top of this, I am expecting a child in a few months and I am quite scared of the noises and will I be able to actually handle them.

A child is noisy but our ears are designed to deal with that noise. On the contrary, human ears are not designed to stay near a loud speaker for hours, or to be near power tools or heavy traffic. Our ears are not designed to deal with the loud noises, peak noises and impulse noise produced by tools or products that we created, and that were not part of nature sounds.

 

[ChrisKl]

Don't worry. I'll think you will be ok. Just try to relax and whatever gives you that feeling in your ears, don't do it, the longer you go without setting it off, the better off and more tolerance you will get. I wouldn't even call it hyperacusis, I mean maybe a little, but like you said you don't have any discomfort to any noise really. If you're getting burning, it's like an extremely mild version of pain hyperacusis. Don't read horror stories about it because it will literally make you feel worse. If you're scared enough and don't want to take any chances, I would say be careful with loud music, headphones, clubs, sporting events, and what gave me this condition was airbags from a car accident. Hard to avoid that to be honest, it's out of control most of the time.

Yeah, it's good having the knowledge so you can prevent it from happening.

Thanks a lot for the support, Brian! It really helps that hear some positive outlooks in these stressful days. I read your story - it is much more different but as you said it is good to have the knowledge on the topic from various perspective.

You are playing with fire. The concert that provoked all this was strike 1. Keep playing with sound and soon you will have really bad hyperacusis.

I know now yes - I would never ever do something like that ever again. But when I was doing it I practically did not know what hyperacusis is and I had no ill sensations for months so was not really thinking that I should be taking better care of my ears.

A child is noisy but our ears are designed to deal with that noise. On the contrary, human ears are not designed to stay near a loud speaker for hours, or to be near power tools or heavy traffic. Our ears are not designed to deal with the loud noises, peak noises and impulse noise produced by tools or products that we created, and that were not part of nature sounds.

Great to know this - still I am scared as from what I know a baby can cry for hours sometimes above 100 dB. I am not sure if I should were ear protection at all times and what type (would dB filtering plugs work? - e.g. https://www.alpinehearingprotection.co.uk/earplugs/partyplug/?). Do you have any experience with something similar? Or would you recommend not to wear ear protection at all times around the baby to somehow get accustomed to its cries? Or if you can direct me to a topic/resource for people with hyperacusis that have a baby and how to take care would be great.

Once again thanks guys for the support - I am still to some extend terrified and anxious but It really helps that I am not alone in this!

 

[Juan]

Great to know this - still I am scared as from what I know a baby can cry for hours sometimes above 100 dB. I am not sure if I should were ear protection at all times and what type (would dB filtering plugs work? - e.g. https://www.alpinehearingprotection.co.uk/earplugs/partyplug/?). Do you have any experience with something similar? Or would you recommend not to wear ear protection at all times around the baby to somehow get accustomed to its cries? Or if you can direct me to a topic/resource for people with hyperacusis that have a baby and how to take care would be great.

I think you will need hearing protection if you are holding the baby, as the baby may scream very close to your ears. Other than that, you should be OK.

 

[ChrisKl]

I think you will need hearing protection if you are holding the baby, as the baby may scream very close to your ears. Other than that, you should be OK.

Any advice on particular type of ear protection?

 

[Juan]

Any advice on particular type of ear protection?

Foam earplugs.

If noises around the kitchen bother you too, I recommend earmuffs for that.

 

[num20pencil]

I use Surefire EP4 Sonic Defenders Plus filtered earplugs. It has filter caps to open and close the earplugs.

 

[nogg]

Honestly, you don't sound like you have hyperacusis, or at least it has resolved. But it seems that your ears have become more susceptible to further damage or problems. Stop with the loud music, forever! Also be careful around other loud sounds and start doing what audiologists have been saying forever: use hearing protection in noisy areas where the dB levels are or could be too high. Children can put out an amazingly loud shriek. So be careful there, though I wouldn't use earplugs just to hold a child unless they are crying loudly. If you take reasonable precautions like we all know we should, you will likely not have any more problems. IF!

 

[StoneInFocus]

Any advice on particular type of ear protection?

Haven't read your post yet, but I use the 3M Peltor X5A earmuffs.

I say this a lot on here, but I also strongly advise getting custom earplugs made.

In my own experience, general earplugs are very uncomfortable and tend to shove earwax deep inside the ear canal.

Custom ones are also much easier to insert.

It will make the whole ordeal of wearing hearing protection much less cumbersome.