@demi, you asked if anyone knows how to deal with hyperacusis. There are many ways to
not deal with hyperacusis, but just one effective way to deal with it. The good news is that dealing with it pays off for most people who have hyperacusis. The bad news is that in some ways it is easier to not deal with hyperacusis than to deal with it.
The only way to deal with hyperacusis is to be properly diagnosed and to get into treatment for it. If you get into treatment, the bad news is there will still be some dark days ahead. You will almost certainly have setbacks and as tough as a setback can be when we're not treating the condition, it is considerably more emotionally difficult when we have a setback during treatment. The good news is that if you stick with it, chances are excellent that you will improve your sound tolerance.
Some people with hyperacusis are invested in not dealing with hyperacusis. Instead, they console themselves with the sort of magical thinking that comes from being scared shitless. They tell themselves they can't be helped, that their case is too extreme, that they are too sensitive to sound, and that they are beyond help and beyond anyone's understanding.
Demi, your choice is a simple one. You can either do nothing or do whatever it takes to find out exactly what you are dealing with and partner with your doctor to find the best course to take for your needs. I have been struggling with the question you asked me a few days ago. I don't know if the doctor you asked me about is right for you or not. For starters, any professional who bristles when told that she is speaking too loud for someone who may have hyperacusis may not be well-suited to treating and gaining the trust of someone who suffers from decreased sound tolerance. I also understand she would like you to do Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, but that she has not taken the TRT coursework with Dr. Jastreboff. Even so, it may be well worth your time to talk to her and ask her to explain in detail the approach she has in mind to help you. At the very least, if you have more information, you can make a more informed decision as to whether she is the right doctor for you. (Ultimately, you are the only one who can answer that question.)
If she isn't the best doctor for you, nothing changes. You still have the option to either do whatever it takes or not. You have every reason to feel boatloads of hope about the auditory problems you face. You just have to decide if you are ready to deal with your challenges head on or not. If you are, then it is immaterial whether this doctor is right for you. If she isn't, another doctor will be.
@Street Spirit, there are two kinds of pain in this context. People with hyperacusis often experience brief, but
immediate pain when exposed to sound that greatly exceeds their tolerance. There is another kind of pain that can last for a day, or for days, weeks, and even months. This pain feels like a nail repeatedly being driven deep into the ear. Both kinds of pain are real and substantial. One may have to do with hyperacusis and one may be indirectly related to it. Both kinds of pain are treatable.
here2help