I Think I May Have Hyperacusis

[Zimichael]

@bill 112... Well "another" term to add to what we all know to be as clear as mud a lot of the time: "Acoustic Shock Syndrome", [and bill I'm absolutely not saying that in any negative way!]...A new one to me, but not aspects of the experience that's for sure. However, it does seem like a sort of obvious tag along to the whole H enchilada...I mean, we have visceral experience of sound being a problem, so it's become a hyped area, etc. for good reason.
But hell, I'm still scratching my head pretty vigorously as to what's really going on with the definitions/experience of this whole Hyperacusis, Reactive Tinnitus, Phonophobia, Stapedius Reflex (where if I make the "clink" sound washing dishes it's OK, but not if someone else does!)...mish mash.
Fun huh?!

To your second point re. "...which was best described to me as over excitable sensory neurons over reacting to a benign stimulous."... This is something I am 'in the meantime' (while waiting for Autofiny and Matt's Retigabine thread to play out a bit more) working on with my doc. In his words, he thinks a lot of T and H has to do with..."an over amped sympathetic nervous system. And I want to get you to a place where I can clap my hands in my office and you just smile back at me without reacting!" YEAH...BRING IT ON DOC!!! However, we are a long way from that point I can assure you.

By the way, he also thinks that why some people get T and some don't with same noise exposure or same ototoxic meds, has to do with "Oxidative Stress" in the auditory/cochlea, etc. But that's for another thread at some point.

Anyway just wanted to let you know that our/my latest tactics (like Procaine as a neural block near spinal ganglia, etc.) are to target exactly this: "over excitable nervous system" in more creative ways than dumping truck-loads of benzos on it.

Best, Zimichael

 

[bill 112]

Agreed which is why I believed it deserved a mention as it is an under discussed symptom and problem on forums such as this but believe it or not its a real thing i.e a phsyiological problem which often accompanies T but isnt widely spoken about.Im sure a lot of people can relate to this and it usually develops after an unexpected noise trauma which in turn has the auditory system on high alert and for whatever reason has the auditory system stuck on high alert.I remember after my noise incident at the beginning of this year lying in bed half asleep,when all of a sudden something fell of the bedside locker and hit the ground,it was in no way loud and my whole body jumped into the air,I even felt a zap down my spine when this happened which points at a CNS cause.Either way I truely believe Autifony will be the cure for such symptoms,after all its their job and goal to calm an overactive auditory system.

 

[cullenbohannon]

Cullen this is my honest opinion here reading and judgeing by your symptoms,you on the face of it have H and what appears to be acoustic shock syndrome(extremely startled by sudden noises)as I have this also and believe me when I say its not down to any anxiety or stress its a real condition and is often accompanied by T or H.I was sitting in a quiet room the other day reading a book nice and calm when the top of my bottle of water popped and I nearly jumped 10 feet in the air and this happens quiet regularly,when I done the B.A.R recently
they could see a huge wave of activity after sudden unexpected noises so its not an anxiety problem its a phsyiological problem which was best described to me as over excitable sensory neurons over reacting to a benign stimulous.Either way I believe autifony will be hugely benefical in this.Best wishes Bill.

Thanks for that Bill seems to describe what I have, I did experience a firework a few weeks ago, thought it increased my T, turned out it did not but the stress of it may have ticked this thing i guess.

Can i ask how yours has progressed? Better or worse then before? I agree that is a physiological problem but i do think anxiety and stress seem to play a role, for me i can listen to a sound that gives me that reaction, then keep listening to it and i can all but disappear. Also when im studying and not stressed but i guess or concentrated on something, and i hear a noise i get a response like you described. Also i get it when movement to, so for me it seems to be visual as well, i was watching a movie and my friend walked in saw him from the corner of my eye and i got hit with it.

I think the stress of sounds and tinnitus and our experiences can give us a trained reaction to sounds, and maybe our bodies both physically and mentally respond in that conditioned way. Anyway just my thoughts but great find Bill truly appreciate it, found some decent articles, not exactly much is know about it but ill post them here.

 

[LadyDi]

Hey, @cullenbohannon: I don't have H (although I see many here have given you good advice)...but I just wanted to say its nice to see you back on the board.
Others may have said this (I haven't ready every post): But from what I have heard, hyperacusis is more likely to resolve than tinnitus.

 

[cullenbohannon]

Thank you @LadyDi , i did plan on coming back i have my t under control for the most part, had a minor setback but i feel good again, Just trying to get a better understanding of these other symptoms. Hope all is well with you and thanks for the reassurance.

 

[bill 112]

Thanks for that Bill seems to describe what I have, I did experience a firework a few weeks ago, thought it increased my T, turned out it did not but the stress of it may have ticked this thing i guess.

Can i ask how yours has progressed? Better or worse then before? I agree that is a physiological problem but i do think anxiety and stress seem to play a role, for me i can listen to a sound that gives me that reaction, then keep listening to it and i can all but disappear. Also when im studying and not stressed but i guess or concentrated on something, and i hear a noise i get a response like you described. Also i get it when movement to, so for me it seems to be visual as well, i was watching a movie and my friend walked in saw him from the corner of my eye and i got hit with it.

I think the stress of sounds and tinnitus and our experiences can give us a trained reaction to sounds, and maybe our bodies both physically and mentally respond in that conditioned way. Anyway just my thoughts but great find Bill truly appreciate it, found some decent articles, not exactly much is know about it but ill post them here.

To be honest Cullen its really hard to say,I know Im not the same as before but Ive just been so busy lately that Im doing my best not to think about it which is hard believe me.I know exactly what you mean by listening to the sound and the reaction disappears after a moment but when that sound happens suddenly it makes you jump then foot in the air.This is text book acoustic shock syndrome and I will admit anxiety can play a role in this.It usually develops after a traumatic event involving an unexpected noise exposure and is widely recognised as a safety issue for people working at call desks when some asshole calls and plays a really loud unexpected noise down the line for fun,I know go figure.This is an acoustic shock,a complete shock to the auditory system which may or may not affect the individual in a phsyiological or phsychological way.Some people are so traumatised they develop phonophobia(fear of sound)and Acoustic shock syndrome(extreme over reaction to sudden noises).Sometimes it can take on a physiological form and leave the individual with an auditory system on constant alert but is usally accompanied by T indicateing a change in the auditory system.Physchological forms of this are said to be abolished with counselling and reassurance.Thats how my audiologist described it and judgeing by the firework exposure you had I would say its more phsychological based and would expect it to pass with a bit of time,the noise probably triggered a bit of anxiety and thats why your experiencing this but thats just merely my opinion.Best wishes Bill.

 

[cullenbohannon]

@here2help

Hope your doing well, I just had a question if you had knowledge about if TTTS , if its acting up can affect T in anyway? Thanks In advance.

 

[Christian_B]

I'm quite sure i have some sort of Hyperacusis, it didn't come with my T, but a 2 weeks after or something..

I am still a newbie in the T and H world, but to my personal experience, you get better if you 'bath' your ears in sound, that way your H will get better and less noticable. Tho, some days is worse than other, maybe because i think about it, i don't know to be honest. But i'm still in a early phase, still haven't had any longer check at my ENT for my T and H, still need to wait 1½ month :/

 

[cullenbohannon]

Hey @Christian_B sorry to hear that, I dont think mine is H anymore. It seems mine had more to do with my TTTS and also the muscles behind my eyes, they would contract and cause lots of pain and strange sensations. Im doing better but the TTTS acts up from time to time causing quite a bit of pain. Not sure where your from but most ENTS are not very good at diagnosing H, so i hope you found a good where you can get some answers. take care.