Not Sure If I Have Hyperacusis. Please Help?

[thebrinkoftime]

Hello everyone, I'm new here. Although I've been following the posts in this forum for the past 6 months or so now.

I probably contracted tinnitus after a minor ear injury - I was cleaning my left ear with a q - tip and pushed some of the ear wax deep inside. Got my ear cleaned using micro suction and that did help with my T, however a few days later I noticed that my left ear has become sensitive to both soft and loud sounds - especially when the source of the sound is very close to my ear. And by sensitive, I mean that I experience a constant mild ear pain/burning sensation in my ear. I do not experience any such pain in my right ear.

The pain hasn't really gotten worse since then, but now a days I seem to be getting that ear pain constantly for hours (it comes and goes) even when there isn't any sound source close to my ears. A few weeks ago the pain was so sharp I had difficulty keeping my head focused. But it didn't seem to be the result of an exposure to any particular type of sound - it just started happening randomly.

So what I am wondering is, do I have hyperacusis? The medical definition states that people with H develop sensitivity to certain sounds and also have difficulty tolerating everyday sounds. However I'm able to tolerate most sounds just fine. Went to a theater recently where the sound was quite loud and although I did feel that mild ear pain from time to time, I had no problems in tolerating the sounds.

 

[thebrinkoftime]

So do I have hyperacusis? Does anyone else have the same symptoms as mine?
Also, I forgot to mention I had mild sinusitis since December 2014 that didn't go away until a few weeks ago. Not sure if that has anything to do with my T/H

 

[Geo]

I dont think its H man.. If you did you will feel it the sounds hurting or ampified.. I also got sinusitis or so my doc said i guess from my ears popping and crackling all the time..

 

[thebrinkoftime]

I dont think its H man.. If you did you will feel it the sounds hurting or ampified.. I also got sinusitis or so my doc said i guess from my ears popping and crackling all the time..

Thank you for the reply Geo. Yeah, I haven't found any specific type of sounds that sound amplified to me, or hurt my ear. The ear pain comes and goes randomly. But yeah, when a sound source very close to my ear (headphones for example) it definitely hurts.

Does anyone have any clue about a term for this condition if it isn't hyperacusis? Is it Tensor Tympani Syndrome or something related?

 

[PaulBe]

I've been in the same boat with thinking I had hyperacusis only to finally find that my symptoms didn't fit what is thought to be the classical presentation. Hyperacusis, the way it is most commonly described seems to be a specific presentation of sound intolerance that is mostly about volume, but there are numerous other ways sound intolerance can present. Unfortunately the talk is all about symptoms, and the treatment model is all about symptoms, and the potential causes remain a mystery. Sadly, orthodoxies rule for the time being, and empires get built around maintaining orthodoxies (see: Neuromonics, particularly Dr Nagler's superb summary on that topic vs TRT).