I'm willing to travel anywhere in the United States if I can get help for hyperacusis. I live in Omaha, NE and unfortunately specialists here don't seem too familiar with it. Hearing test is normal, but my reaction to sounds are not. It's debilitating and ever more isolating that I'm willing to see anyone that could provide guidance. So far I've only been offered xanax (I declined) and ear plugs, which I have an appt to be fitted for. They aren't a fix, but at this point I'm tired of running out rooms, half the time in tears and so angry trying to calm down for an hour because some put a few plates down, clanking on the counter each time. Or because a phone repeatedly rings.. the triggers are endless.

Edit to say: I can travel outside of the U.S. too if they'd accept me for treatment.

Hey all. Wondering if anyone has any experience with having someone they live with needing to talk more often than is comfortable or safe for my ears. I’m currently being housed by my friend and don’t have an income besides food stamps and am waiting on disability for various things, so I don’t have the option of leaving. For lack of a better term, he is needy. And it seems like he often tries to talk to me more when he feels like I don’t want to talk (which I don’t sometimes, but due to the hyperacusis).

I feel like I’m in a tough spot. I want him to know I care, but I’ve been pushing myself too much. He doesn’t take perceived rejection well and I’m trying to keep the peace but I really just need silence.

Hey guys trying to stay positive and not stress but all my symptoms have just continued to get worse over the last 6 months. I’m not sure what I should be trying to do at this point. I’ve been home for over 2 months due too loud H getting so severe. Started as loud H then T 2 months ago pain got worse in left ear. Now how severe loud H with pain in left ear on worse days,T louder more constant and prone to react, clicking in ears when swallowing or can voluntarily do it flex the muscle in ears has gotten louder and more constant, those muscles seem prone to jump or tense up to sound, ears full and stuffy most of the time. I can hold nose and blow to pop ears but then right back to clicking and not popped in seconds. I mean is this all just hyperacusis at its worst? What else should I be doing or looking in to?

Hi everyone, I’m a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who worked on trucks, helicopters, and the rifle range. Over time, I’ve developed hyperacusis along with extreme sensitivities to electromagnetic fields (EMFs), chemicals, and certain materials. While these challenges have been difficult, I’ve come to see them as a unique "superpower"—a form of superhearing and heightened environmental awareness.

In addition to sensing signals like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, VPN, and cellular networks, I’m highly sensitive or allergic to:

Rust (especially moist rust)

Plastic bags and wrap

Styrofoam

Adhesives like stickers

Galvanized steel (e.g., staples, push pins)

Degraded metal edges or sharp points

Residue from cannabis resin

Interestingly, my sensitivities vary based on the condition of the material. For example, a single used staple feels uncomfortable to me, but a whole, unused clip of staples emits a frequency that feels harmonious. Similarly, when the sharp edge of a metal object becomes degraded, it changes the frequency and becomes irritating.

To manage these sensitivities, I take proactive steps like:

Keeping devices in airplane mode to limit EMF exposure.

Using sound generators and musician-grade earplugs to manage hyperacusis.

Avoiding or cleaning rusted or corroded metals to reduce discomfort.

While some providers have dismissed these experiences as psychological, I’ve extensively documented them and found validation through certain specialists. This unique interplay between hyperacusis, EMF sensitivity, and material allergies has reshaped how I perceive and interact with the world.

I have done a few unofficial blind tests.

Test #1 - at a fast food restaurant, someone put together ten paper sacks with items in them and would hand them across the counter to me and I would say yes or no to whether it was metal or plastic. One of those ten paper sacks, I refuse to accept. Yeah, a 100%, right?

Test #2 - at my dental office, I asked the secretaries to help me out. Each secretary was given both of my android phones and to use the pull down menu, i told them they could push Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS etc. I would turn around close my eyes and tell them if they push the button or not. No accuracy data was taken, just astonished looks on their faces.

Test #3 - scraggly teenager is sitting on the curb at said fast food restaurant, this person participates baduon, the same test as Test #2, but this time I laid down next to this person with my eyes closed and facing the other way. The kid freaked out said I got a 100%, and didn't know how i did it.

I also talked to an electromagnetic physicist and was told they could not help me. Said I was "psychosomatic". So I committed myself for half the week. The VA is pushing for medication and psychological problems without even looking at my research (evidence of not being crazy and not just hearing things)

I can also detect bad grounds at a building because I get shocked in the foot. If a building or place has bad electricity connections, my feet also feel hot and halfway asleep.

Besides now being a natural audio engineer Tools used: Make sure it is not running in the background when not in use

Spectroid Spectrum Analyzer (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.intoorbit.spectrum)

Ultimate EMF Detector (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mreprogramming.ultimateemfdetector)

Decibel X (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.skypaw.decibel)

Hi, so as most of you here I've been suffering from reactive T and severe H for a while now with most physicians not even doing the bare minimum. In one of my deep dives I found a private practice in Hamburg, Germany that stated Somatic Experiencing as their main treatment for both H and T. Has anyone here tried it before or knows anything about it other than the main basics one finds online?

So I’ve been basically housebound for a month and hiding in my room with double protection when my housemate is doing anything. Decided to walk 7 minutes to convenience store with double protection the other night. Now I have a new tinnitus tone in my left ear. Honestly I’m used to tinnitus but this one is crazy high pitched, like over 16,000 Hz and it’s driving me nuts. Other than protecting and avoiding more sound, is there anything I can do about it? Is there a chance it’ll go away over time?

Join us in celebrating Giving Tuesday by making a donation to Hyperacusis Research!

Hyperacusis Research's primary mission is to stop noise-induced pain, and has already made great strides in helping meaningful research get funded.

The most recent grant that was funded researches the KCNQ2/3 potassium channel as it relates sound sensitivity induced by noise trauma. Your donation can help fund more grants that can help us find a way out of this debilitating condition.

You can make a donation by clicking here. Thank you!

Is it a good idea to wear protection ( earmuffs and earplugs) during caries treatment and root canal treatments at the dentist?

Is this hypercusis, I can still listen to music quiet loud on my headphones and I am generally not bothered 95 percent of the time. But if a loud plate drops, or someone is talking really loud it makes be very frustrated or angry. It also startles me too.

I have had to reduce the amount I talk cause sometimes it makes a whooshing in my ear.

That’s why I find it strange if I put in noise cancelling headphones and put the volume 70 percent loud I have 0 problems.

Thanks for your time and hope you can share your experience

Hello, I had always been sensitive to sounds since I was a child, and e.g. need to wear headphones when running the blender or vacuum cleaner because the sounds are untolerably loud.

3 days ago I was exposed to concert-level-ish (100 db?) volume for ~5 min. Afterwards I noticed I was much more sensitive than usual, and after quick googling found this sub and followed /u/trapcap's suggestion here for the post-exposure recovery procedure: wearing ear protection for all high-db activities (showering, dishes) and otherwise trying to be with as much silence as possible. To still provide some signal to the brain for calibration, I'm not wearing ear protection when it's already quiet (< 30 db) or at night, when I have a fan of about 40db in the background which I always used to help me get to sleep.

At what point is it ok to stop protecting? Given that there seems to be both an auditory and neurological component, I worry that there might be a point at which the ear itself is recovered but if I keep protecting then I'm basically training the brain to treat those noises for which I'd been covering as dangerous even when they no longer are. (I also have OCD & anxiety so I'm almost certain if I keep this up for too long I'll end up "hallucinating" issues where none exist).

Does anyone know doctors in the US that will meet for virtual appointments? I’m homebound with severe H. Leaving the home has greatly aggravated symptoms. I need a doctor that can see me virtually so I can prevent set backs leaving the house. I want to continue staying home and protect hearing in quite calm environment to see if I get better with plans to very slowly, reintroducing sound when I’ve stabilized and ready. Does anyone know a good doctor that can meet virtually once a month and would possibly support this route to recovery and report to my disability insurance that my limitations prevent me from working? The disability insurance requires a monthly update from a physician on my condition and limitations from working to continue benefits.

A week in when this started and my loud dysfunctional crazy family keeps giving me setbacks and when it feels bearable and is lowered by the end of the day, some idiot in my house has to scream and no I cannot move out, don't ask me to move out, I'm disabled in other ways and can't move out can't even stay isolated in my room.

Now i am regretting ever buying that stupid low quality high frequency speaker im going to throw it away probably break it into pieces! This condition is causing me anger issues making me go into fight or flight and I'm lashing out on my family for being loud, which is making them upset and makes me feel bad for lashing out on them.

Not to mention already having tinnitus that turned into reactive tinnitus in my right ear now any loud sound makes my right ear ring for hours.

I went to ENT did not have wax buildup or other issues, ontop of all that I have developed misophonia of the worst kind and everything startles me, hyperacusis also triggered chronic migraines and tension headache and photophobia (photophobia which I already had due to migraines for years prior to hyperacusis) I don't know how a tiny speaker did so much damage, It wasn't even loud when I was testing it, why did my ears panic? it's like body just panicked from everywhere!

People gave me advice to rest my ears then slowly introduce sound since I have loudness H, but every sound even slightly loud causes setbacks and you are not supposed to overprotect either? my life was already miserable I have anxiety issues and therefore stress alot over small things, my body is too weak and sensitive from other conditions and now this. The most disabling condition.

I cant even cry i want to listen to music again without going into panic mode. music was literally my coping method from this depressing life. I hate my body going into panic mode! my ears don't bear music especially, I hate living like this.

I also have had nasal polyps for years, which I highly suspect cause me ETD and I suspect ETD related inflammation and acoustic trauma plus excessive stress are all to blame.

Hi all, mostly just venting but also curious if anyone has suggestions or if anyone can relate. Last night I decided to walk 15 minutes round trip to a convenience store down the street with double protection. It was my first time going out in a month. The cars passing by hurt my ears and caused reactive tinnitus.

I also noticed that for like 10 minutes afterwards my brain kept repeating the “ding dong” sound of the door opening and the music that was playing on the loudspeakers. It was somewhere between an auditory hallucination, a sound stuck in my head, and tinnitus, which suggests brain involvement. I’m still flaring pretty hard today and my threshold for reactive tinnitus and inflammation are more sensitive. I know I’ll recover from this setback but it’s really discouraging, because I feel like I need to stay housebound.

Thank you for reading.

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I developed loudness hyperacusis. My GP, of course, checked my ear canal and it was clear.

All the audiology "specialist" did was look in my ears and tell me "See if it gets better."

The internet was far more helpful.

I have been suffering with my ears for 5months. My symptom is that my eardrum is retracted in one ear. What can make the eardrum to be fixed again? My eustachian tube is not working well. The air ckndition blew cold air into my ear.

I cant use steroid nasal spray because it has many side effects.

I took azy antibiotics it did not help.

I have been to politzerizations with a politzer ball more times. I felt worse afterwards.

I feel dizzy sometimes when I turn my head or when I look up or I lean forward. There is a pressure on the top of my head sometimes.

I am sensitive to loud and low noises.

Can someone help?

So i heard a bit about this drug called cinnazirine and how it can cure H… I’m taking it for 4 days now I’m gonna see how much it helps me , my question is has anyone seen Improvement from it ? And is it An Ototoxic ?

Hey everyone!

Here is a link to the new "Hyperacusis social" discord (old one got deleted), a server for people living with hyperacusis looking to virtually meet up with others in the same stage of life.

It's still new, but the community is growing every day. We've already had a movie night hang out, which is going to become a regular thing. We'd love to see you come join!

We're also looking for an admin/mods so if you're interested please let me know, thank you.

https://discord.gg/hngjwwcJTY

I have had scapular tension or a pinched nerve for the past four years, and I developed hyperacusis one year ago. Do you think the scapular tension might be the reason for this?

Well Ig it’s time to say goodbye to rap

well again my name is serge it's been a month I think since the last time today I come to tell you how the last month went for me. Well several things happened at the beginning of the month my dysacusis and hyperacusis became somewhat severe again, as the days went by it improved to the point that in the pink noise I couldn't hear even a hint of distortion, that lasted I think 7 to 10 days I was more worried about the pulsatile tinnitus that I have had since the end of August. Well, by the 20th onwards my left ear became very sensitive there wasn't so much distortion but there was sensitivity to music and another strange thing that happened was that some music I listened to started to have beeps and strange things in the melodies that was new for me yes it happened to me with certain music or anime music scenes I don't know if I'm getting worse or improving especially with the distortion I feel that it has gotten worse the last 2 weeks the fps games the shots have a beep at the end another thing that I have noticed in my ear The left ear is more sensitive, the sensitivity does not go away like before, before it would last for days like that, but it has been 2 weeks now and the ringing in my left ear is still reactive. In the last few days, my left ear has started to have distortion in almost everything, but that is not the worst thing, but that my own ear begins to have many different tones of distortion and how it turns into a multi-tonal hum from a single origin, it becomes so strong that even the static of the PC usually sets it off and it has been by far the most frustrating and annoying thing I have had. I can no longer use pink noise to sleep, so I will see about using brown noise with low frequencies, no more.

I would be grateful for some advice.

Thinking of buying 3m peltor x5a. How do they fit on the head? Would they be tight enough for someone with a small head?

I currently have 3m peltor optime 3, they are not too big but could be tighter. I have a problem with them tho - both pairs i've had have lost the strength in the adjustment place. So it glides down. If you know what I'm saying... anyone else with this issue or just my bad luck?

Also looking for best protecting foam earplugs that fits small ear canals.

Would I have hyperacusis when I can vacuum the house do the dishes, cook, use car wash my vacuums, be in a loud environment which I actually prefer but in quiet environments my ears seem to notice sudden sharp loud noises a little more lately, almost like I'm looking for them more than ever now.

Hi everyone,

I got hyperacusis on the 4th of July this year after a concert with earplugs in. I only went to 2 concerts in my life and basically live like a nun. Never abused my ears, never did drugs, never drank alcohol.

I feel like most of us heal from their hyperacusis and stop posting in this group. Don’t get me wrong, I’m really happy for those people, but it just sucks if you're not one of them.

I’m still extremely sensitive to sound. I can barely talk and can’t talk with hearing protection on. I’m basically mute. I tried talking with hearing protection on a few times, but it causes increased sensitivity and pressure feeling every time due to occlusion. At what point do we just need to accept that this is as good as it gets?

I also have gastroparesis (stomach paralysis, which causes me to be on a almost completely liquid diet (shakes and crackers)), tinnitus and fibromyalgia.
So I’ve never left the house much, but I could still call my family or go to the family christmas party once a year or they would visit me sometimes. Now even that seems impossible.

I feel like it’s related to my nervous system that’s not functioning optimal. No doctor or specialist knows what to do.

I barely lived. All those years I’ve been trying and waiting to get better and instead I got worse.
This can't be it, is it?

Ok so my anxiety is telling me I have hyperacusis after some stressful months, after thinking something sounded loud, so I try to find things that are loud, I hear them and they seem about the same, in the morning my hearing seems sensitive, to small stuff, but I can play my headphones at 80ish decibels with no problem. But I've been obsessing with thinking I have hyperacusis, I was even in a room with screaming kids and just thought do I have it because it seems loud. But everyday sounds, sounds the same level,,,,idk I feel like I'm going crazy? How would I know if I have this...please let me know

Hello,

My story starts with ignorance. I stayed too close(about 8-10 meters) to firecrackers 4 years in a row (around 125 db, although it was at a distance of 8-10 meters), during new years celebration. At that time I didn't know it was too close and too loud. After that I developed mild tinnitus( sounds like hissing, not like a fleshed out tone) but didn't really know what it was and hoped it would go away in time. Only when I went to see a movie at the cinema (100-115 db, measured on my phone), I noticed I had mild pain and I got another tone that disappeared after, in my left ear. I didn't make much of it until a year later, when I had a head scan and they didn't give me headphones. This was about 8 months ago. This caused me a lot of discomfort, mainly in my left ear.

Lately I noticed an increase in left ear discomfort even when listening to low volume music (about 45 to 52 db) on my pc. I work from home and listen to music all day to mask my tinnitus( which is not that bad when I sit down, around a 2 of a scale of 1 to 10) and because I enjoy it greatly. Till recently, only searching through cutlery( around 95 db - yes I started measuring everything like a fanatic), accidentally hitting the metal measuring cup on the metal sink (97-100 db), or the knife slipping on the wood cutting board while chopping up an onion, were causing me discomfort( like the ear muscles were bracing for a loud noise, I call it fluttering, although not sure it is the correct term).

Now I get fluttering in my left ear at low volume too. When I stop and then restart a video that I was previously listening to and caused me no problems. This sometimes happens to certain tones. I was watching The Devil's Advocate few days ago at low volume (40 db) and I had no problems until I reached the scene where Charlize Theron screams in the church and I got discomfort and ear fluttering from that. Weirdly enough, after replaying it a few times, I habituated to it. Even tried it on higher volume and it was still ok. I can also tolerate going up to 100 db while listening to a song if I slowly bump up the volume.

Now trying to think back what spiked my ears fluttering and mild pain(left ear) over the last 2 months. I made a lot more bike trips around the city, sometimes bumping into an ambulance that was passing by. I also went to deposit money at the atm every 2 weeks to 1 month and there's a loud alarm when the "drawer" to put the money opens (around 100 db for a few seconds, which lately makes my tinnitus spike up in my left ear).

Other than that, maybe listening to music all day is not good either, even if it's low volume?

What about high intensity cardio? I noticed the internal carotid artery is very close to the auditory system. Maybe that can make it worse over a few days even if the severe symptoms go down significantly in about 2 hours.

My tinnitus, which is not really a fleshed out tone but hissing, like it's windy or static noise. When I sit in bed, in the morning it's about 0.5 to 1( on a scale of 1 to 10), mainly in my left ear. When I sit down, it's a 2 to 3 sometimes. When I walk around it goes to a 4 and if I do intense exercise like biking fast, it goes up to an 8 and it takes 2-3 hours to drop to a 3. It's like I'm drowning in a storm.

Right now I stopped listening to music and I have earmuffs on when I ride my bike outside. I also stopped doing intense cardio on my stationary bike and my tinnitus is very mild in the morning, probably a 0.5 to 1 out of 10. Stopped eating salty peanuts every day. But over the course of the day if I walk around the room, it goes up. If I then sit down, it goes down again but not to the level it is when I wake up. I think my blood pressure seems to affect it a lot.

Edit: I should also mention that I was extremely stressed in the last 5 months and even more in the last month and a half. Also had an allergy to something, had a feeling of something stuck in my throat so I coughed a lot. Still had that feeling, even after taking allergy medication, but I try not to cough now.

I'm thinking it might actually be TTS (tensor tympany syndrome which I saw some people here mention, that it spikes up with stress and anxiety) rather than hyperacusis? It manifests mainly in the left ear. I will test more in the upcoming days. Or maybe it's a combination of very mild hyperacusis with TTS? I don't think I would be able to listen to 95 db, 3 minute song in my headphones and not have major discomfort, pain or feel it's too loud during or after, if it was hyperacusis. The problem is the start of the song/noise, that's when the ear fluttering happens. When I speak on the phone I feel it between words or when they take a break and speak again.

I also don't know what to think of the hissing spiking up so badly with activity. My resting heart rate is around 80 bpm even though I only weigh 64 kg at 5'11. I guess I'm unhealthy.

Thanks to everyone taking the time to read this huge mess of a post. Advice is welcomed.

Any recommendations for Bluetooth speakers with microphone. How is Bose soundlink portable speaker? I have hyperacusis and reactive tinnitus and cannot tolerate digital sounds.

Brand new video!. Susan Caswell and David Vance, speak about their experiences with cancer, hyperacusis & tinnitus!. They explain from their own personal experiences, how Pain Hyperacusis & tinnitus is far worse for them.

The is the first of two parts. An article with another testimonial on the same topic, will be surfacing next week. Be on the lookout!.

Written by: JD Rider Spoken by: David Vance

Click the link to view, and please share!.

May we all heal one day!.

🙏💖🌍👂💯🕊️✨🌊💎

https://youtu.be/0QCYT8_dwp0?si=gjoCYkkR-qj8Jj9y