Pain hyperacusis: 'Hearing my children's laughter is like torture'

[Nearly Sane]

How brutally sad!


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-68285642

[Maeght]

It is. I have hyperacusis but don't get as much pain as she does (yet?) it would seem. I can't really attend family events as there are young children whose crying, laughing etc hurts. So many 'normal' things hurt. Light switches, cutlery on plates, pulling sellotape off of a roll .... all can hurt. Very limiting and difficult.

[Nearly Sane]

It is. I have hyperacusis but don't get as much pain as she does (yet?) it would seem. I can't really attend family events as there are young children whose crying, laughing etc hurts. So many 'normal' things hurt. Light switches, cutlery on plates, pulling sellotape off of a roll .... all can hurt. Very limiting and difficult.

It must be. My sympathies. I have to admit given the description from both you and the article I would be wondering of it was possible to cause actual deafness.

[Maeght]

It must be. My sympathies. I have to admit given the description from both you and the article I would be wondering of it was possible to cause actual deafness.

Thank you. What I was told was that in the ear there is a membrane operated by muscles which acts as a damper to the sound - the muscles tighten or relax to achieve this - and that I have strained the muscles in the past so they don't dampen sound anymore. I was also told that I am no more at risk from hearing damage/loss than anyone else - but not sure I follow that. Depends on where the membrane is in the system I guess. Have tried to search for more info but not a lot out there.

[Nearly Sane]

Thank you. What I was told was that in the ear there is a membrane operated by muscles which acts as a damper to the sound - the muscles tighten or relax to achieve this - and that I have strained the muscles in the past so they don't dampen sound anymore. I was also told that I am no more at risk from hearing damage/loss than anyone else - but not sure I follow that. Depends on where the membrane is in the system I guess. Have tried to search for more info but not a lot out there.

Ah, apologies, I was unclear. My point was at some stage would it become desirable to request that deafness was medically caused, and whether that would be possible.

[Maeght]

Ah, apologies, I was unclear. My point was at some stage would it become desirable to request that deafness was medically caused, and whether that would be possible.

Ah right. Not for me as it is. Tinnitus and hyperacusis is complicated. People say 'can't you just wear ear plugs' but for me then the tinnitus gets really loud if I do. The tinnitus is partly caused by hearing loss and how the brain tries to compensate and the association of noise with fear/.pain is another problem (anxiety, flight or fight reaction). Stopping the ears working, if possible, doesn't address the brain element so might solve the hyperacusis (not sure if it would) but likely make the tinnitus worse.

[Sriram]

It is. I have hyperacusis but don't get as much pain as she does (yet?) it would seem. I can't really attend family events as there are young children whose crying, laughing etc hurts. So many 'normal' things hurt. Light switches, cutlery on plates, pulling sellotape off of a roll .... all can hurt. Very limiting and difficult.

Try homeopathy. I know...I know! You guys don't believe in it ....nonsense....it is just sugar pills...at best placebo.... etc etc.

Just try it. You have nothing to lose.

[Maeght]

Try homeopathy. I know...I know! You guys don't believe in it ....nonsense....it is just sugar pills...at best placebo.... etc etc.

Just try it. You have nothing to lose.

Thanks for your suggestion. I have tried various herbal remedies or taken supplements which are supposed to help with Tinnitus but none did. Whether these come under the banner of Homeopathy I don't know but I'm open to trying stuff only not keen on wasting money on true Homeopathy (water with memory) when I think it is nonsense. AT the moment I manage things but if it gets even worse .... who knows?

[Sriram]

Homeopathy is good for tinnitus. I know that.  Surely it will help in hyperacusis also......

[Outrider]

Homeopathy is good for tinnitus. I know that.  Surely it will help in hyperacusis also......

Homeopathy is not good for anything except making money who might otherwise try something that could work. Please stop putting people at risk of not seeking the appropriate help in order to prop up demonstrably false claims.

O.

[Maeght]

Homeopathy is good for tinnitus. I know that.  Surely it will help in hyperacusis also......

What have you used for tinnitus? How do you know that? Hyperacusis is a different thing from Tinnitus.

[Sriram]

Outrider...

You are just assuming that. I am not putting anyone at risk. If he has exhausted other options he can try homeopathy. 

Maeght....

I have had tinnitus and got it cured through homeopathy. You could try it for hyperacusis also. It is just a suggestion.

[Maeght]

Outrider...

You are just assuming that. I am not putting anyone at risk. If he has exhausted other options he can try homeopathy. 

Maeght....

I have had tinnitus and got it cured through homeopathy. You could try it for hyperacusis also. It is just a suggestion.

Yes, I appreciate that. What did you use?

[Dicky Underpants]

Ah right. Not for me as it is. Tinnitus and hyperacusis is complicated. People say 'can't you just wear ear plugs' but for me then the tinnitus gets really loud if I do. The tinnitus is partly caused by hearing loss and how the brain tries to compensate and the association of noise with fear/.pain is another problem (anxiety, flight or fight reaction). Stopping the ears working, if possible, doesn't address the brain element so might solve the hyperacusis (not sure if it would) but likely make the tinnitus worse.

Sympathise with the Tinnitus problem. I got it after ear infections about 8 years ago. As you say, wearing ear plugs just amplifies the tinnitus. But I still wear them when I hear the thumping noises of over-amplified rock music in the vicinity. Prefer the tinnitus to horrible booming noises. Or people rabbiting loudly and endlessly on buses. Or turning on the speakers of their bloody mobile phones so that there is a cacophony of tinny "Dalek" noises all around. I could go on....

[Maeght]

Sympathise with the Tinnitus problem. I got it after ear infections about 8 years ago. As you say, wearing ear plugs just amplifies the tinnitus. But I still wear them when I hear the thumping noises of over-amplified rock music in the vicinity. Prefer the tinnitus to horrible booming noises. Or people rabbiting loudly and endlessly on buses. Or turning on the speakers of their bloody mobile phones so that there is a cacophony of tinny "Dalek" noises all around. I could go on....

Thanks. Yes, you realise it is a noisy world when you have ear problems. Went to the Supermarket this morning and they kept making staff announcements over the PA. That combined with the annoying beeping of scanners and the like plus screaming kids (thought they were back at school) it wasn't an enjoyable trip.

[Sriram]

Yes, I appreciate that. What did you use?

I don't know about the UK....but in India the homeo practitioner will give the medicine directly and will not disclose the name of the drug. You just have to take the drug he gives. We have to keep going back with feedback every couple of weeks...and he may change the medicine.

Believe me...it works.  I have been using homeopathy for decades.