Extremely sensitive hearing

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Hi! Lately, my hearing has been really acute. I can hear my eardrums vibrating, soda fizzing, birds chirping, cats licking themselves... Just make it STOP!! !

So, do any of you guys have hearing like this? If so, how do you cope with it?

I've found that listening to music works for me.

Ive always had sensitive hearing but lately it seems to be getting more sensitive. Ive always loved going to the movies but now i can feel my ears vibrating and buzzing everytime the volume reaches a certain level and the worst of all is my georgous 3 year old daughter, the apple of my eye hurts my ears everytime she opens her mouth

There are "noise cancelling" headphones; some people use them on planes to filter out the noise, but I have no idea how well they might work for this issue.

http://www.noisecancellingheadphones101.com/
http://reviews.cnet.com/best-noise-canc ... eadphones/


I've never tried them myself because I have Tinnitus, so regular headphones with music work okay for me - I'm not as sound sensitive although there are sounds that irritate me.

I have always been very aware of background noise, distant sounds of birds chirping or dogs barking and extremely sensative to any change in the sound of my car's engine. But I also lately have begun to be even more sensative to sound to the point where it hurts physically. I also have strong auditory-sensory synesthesia, so sound registers as a physical sensation as well as auditory. I am trying to figure out why this has intensified lately. I am recovering from a severe PTSD and think maybe that condition was blocking my natural acuity to sound. Or maybe it is a factor of getting older - except it would seem like it would go in the opposite direction. I try to stay in a quiet place, put my fingers in my ears or put on headphones and listen to music or binaural beat sounds to keep from getting stressed by it.

Hypersensitivity is part of AS yeah, best thing to do is have some background music playing. Can I recommend my personal favourite "green onions" be booker.t and the MG's

I get this too but I tend to enjoy it when the sounds are not too loud.

Earplugs can help if your concentration is impaired. Otherwise try to enjoy the sensory experience. I revel in sounds out in the countryside like birdsong or flowing water. Listening to music is a good suggestion also.

Yes, coke fizzing is very apparent for me. Also the noise my fridge makes, people walking about in the flat above, ticking clocks. I put music on.

It sounds like hyperacusis. Sometimes if the hearing is impaired for any length of time (with ear infections, wax or ear plugs) the brain 'turns up' the inner volume. For some people it can be triggered by going to a loud rock concert or something else. I was diagnosed with hyperacusis about 6 years ago. I had white noise treatment where I wear two hearing aid-like devices which hiss in my ears. I have noticed a huge difference although it took a long time to notice this. It doesn't work overnight sadly. The idea is that you put the white noise on really quietly so that you can only just hear it. Eventually the brain says (well not literally) 'What's that weird noise? I'd better turn down the volume!' Over the years of the treatment the device will be turned up and up in volume as your brain re-adjusts to the new stimulus. Any way I am not actually an expert, just an ex sufferer but here is a link to a website which gave me a lot of help and hope when I felt like my life was ruined:

http://www.hyperacusis.net/

_________________
I have HFA, ADHD, OCD & Tourette syndrome. I love animals, especially my bunnies and hamster. I skate in a roller derby team (but I'll try not to bite )

Every day, every hour.

noise cancelling headphones only make the problem worse for me; they indeed take away the fridge and birds, but they replace those sounds with my heartbeat and the blood rushing trough my arteries.
listening to music is indeed one of the only things that really work; cancelling the sound only makes other sounds emerge, so i replace them with something else entirely, but something hat is less annoying/intrusive

For me all noise is distracting bothersome...But there are a few sounds that just shatter my consciousness (Chewing).

Focusing on my interests are the only thing to block out most sounds, it makes the worse sounds more bearable (but still awful).

I get the weirdest looks from people when I'm at the train station and mention that the train is coming. Everyone looks down the tracks, then back at me as if I'm crazy. Sure enough, about five minutes later, it pulls up. Now I do it just to get the reaction. (They give me weird looks again after they realize I was right. Lol.)