What Role Do Heat and Cold Play on Your Pain Hyperacusis?

[Dansco8]

I just want to gauge how temperature and heat affects everyone's pain hyperacusis since everyone seems to behave so differently.

My pain hyperacusis reacts terribly to heat and favorably to cold. At its mildest just icing my ears gave me a lot of relief that almost made my symptoms go away very quickly. These days I still get relief from the cold via cold showers and icing but it doesn't last for as long as before.

Heat, on the other hand, makes the pain really bad. I can't even turn on the heater in my car in the winter without immediately feeling my ears being on fire. As the summer comes I can feel the burning in my ears becoming more prominent as well.

Is there a reason for this and could it help explain what's going on with my pain hypercusis?

 

[ECP]

That's a very good question.

When I first got tinnitus and hyperacusis from noise exposure, my right Eustachian tube got blocked, causing fluid to build up in that ear for nearly three months. Heat in the form of a moist washcloth helped reduce the pain. After the Eustachian tube calmed down, I no longer relied on heat for any kind of pain relief. I discovered by accident that cold air feels so much better. How did I find out? Because around Christmas, we got an unexpected cold snap and lots of snow. As soon as I stepped outside, both ears felt so much better. I liked it so much that I stayed outside for an hour. Afterward, when I came back inside, I was a little less sensitive to sound.

I have no explanation for this, but perhaps there are people here who can shed some light on the subject.

 

[Brian Newman]

I just want to gauge how temperature and heat affects everyone's pain hyperacusis since everyone seems to behave so differently.

My pain hyperacusis reacts terribly to heat and favorably to cold. At its mildest just icing my ears gave me a lot of relief that almost made my symptoms go away very quickly. These days I still get relief from the cold via cold showers and icing but it doesn't last for as long as before.

Heat, on the other hand, makes the pain really bad. I can't even turn on the heater in my car in the winter without immediately feeling my ears being on fire. As the summer comes I can feel the burning in my ears becoming more prominent as well.

Is there a reason for this and could it help explain what's going on with my pain hypercusis?

That's interesting! I feel better in the cold too! It is quieter because my A/C is running less. Outside in Florida it's really quiet, almost silent when it's cold, no A/C units, no birds, no crickets. At night I went outside for walks without earplugs a few times. I was like damn, this is nice. I don't necessarily feel worse in the heat but the cold seems to calm down my nerve pain a bit. I ice my bad ear sometimes and it helps a little too.

 

[Bimmerboy]

I always apply cold to my ear. But like you, I feel heat makes my ear worse. Sat in the car, the heat can start irritating my ear. It's the same when I put on the heating at home. Must be a nerve issue.

 

[Strawberryblonde]

Cold weather doesn't affect my tinnitus but it gives me aches and stabbing pains deep down in my ear canals. I went on a walk last night in the cold and I was the only one having issues with my ears. My nerves must be more sensitive now