Learn About 14-Year-Old Cindy, Who Has Hyperacusis, on the TODAY Show!

[Tinnitus Talk]

Last year, Cindy Redmond was blasted with an air horn by her friend's stepfather, who wanted her to put her phone down.

Now Cindy has hyperacusis (as well as mild tinnitus). Cindy had to leave eighth grade because schoolday noises are painful for her. Her life has been altered dramatically. Noise feels like a knife in her ear.

Cindy's story will be featured on the TODAY Show with Megyn Kelly, being broadcast Friday, April 13, at the 9 o'clock hour Eastern Time in the U.S.

Cindy's segment will be available online soon after airing.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

This case makes me so sad... Poor girl. Nobody should have to deal with such a horrible condition at such an early age

If her case does not push researchers to work even harder, then nothing will.

 

[glynis]

Poor girl...

Thank you for letting us know.

Love,
glynis

 

[dingaling]

A very tragic story indeed. Hope she makes a full recovery.

 

[Julien87]

This really breaks my heart. Hang in there Cindy. This condition is hard to cope with, but when you are so young it's even more terrible

 

[Clark]

Ohh man, a girl that age shouldn't be dealing with tinnitus, I hope her tinnitus goes away real soon.

 

[SugarMagnolia]

I read Cindy's story at People magazine last year. Apparently her doctors made her condition even worse. Hopefully the TV special will bring more attention to her plight and to tinnitus and hyperacusis.

 

[Adriel93]

@SugarMagnolia, how did her doctors make it worse?

 

[Taylorslay]

I'm very happy they were able to get media coverage for Cindy.

I'm very sorry for Cindy but I do believe in time she will heal. If knowing when. I got my hyperacusis at 16, but God only knows how one as young as her can even handle it. God bless her.

I'm glad their message is getting out. I think this is a great step in the right direction. Not only for Cindy but also Hyperacusis Research.

 

[jjflyman]

This guy who used an air horn in the house at children is an idiot.

It reminds me of a couple years ago (before my tinnitus started) we were on my friends boat (pretty big boat) with a few other friends.

Well, a few people were out on the front of the boat when one of the guests thought it would be funny to blow the air horn at them.

A triple mounted air horn, possibly the loudest horn I had ever heard in my life.

Well, he gave it a blast, and when all the people in the front yelled about how loud it was, this jerk laughed and blew it again.

Thankfully, no one was injured, but it shows how stupid people can be.

 

[annV]

@SugarMagnolia how did her doctors make it worse?

http://people.com/human-interest/14-year-old-girl-blasted-air-horn-speaks-out/

"Cindy made the rounds of doctors, who were unhelpful. Pain medication had little effect. She tried a sound therapy that employs mild broadband noise but it made her worse and sparked tinnitus, or ringing in the ears."

 

[lymebite]

Here is a YouTube version of the NBC News feature on Cindy. It is the same as the Facebook version I posted earlier but some people do not have Facebook so this version may be preferred.

 

[NormySan]

This is such a sad story, I really do hope her life improves or that somebody comes up with a cure!

 

[xyz]

Does somebody know how Cindy is doing these days?

 

[serendipity1996]

Does somebody know how Cindy is doing these days?

Apparently she is doing a lot better according to @Orions Pain, although still not 100% normal.

 

[Orions Pain]

Apparently she is doing a lot better according to @Orions Pain, although still not 100% normal.

A lot better may not have been the right choice of words. Revising my statement to "improvement". I am not aware of the details of said improvement.

I guess it also all depends on what our definitions are of a lot better. To me a lot better means I can go to work, hang out with friends, go to restaurants and vacations without worrying about burning, pain and spiked tinnitus. To another person a lot better may be that they can eat dinner with family at home and take a shower without ear muffs.

Unfortunately it seems like with this condition we will be walking on eggshells for the rest of our lives. I think it's VERY hard to come out of this without some sort of PTSD and fear of noise.

 

[Calapsodis]

I hope that Cindy is doing well in 2024. My heart goes out to her for enduring this and her family for supporting her. I can't even begin to imagine the thoughts going through her head when it all happened. How inconsiderate (more like insane...) can someone be to blast an AIR HORN directly in someone's face?!?