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Temporary hypersensitivity vs. hyperacusis
How long is normal to have sensitivity to sounds after an acoustic trauma? At what point is it considered hyperacusis? I was exposed to very loud noise during a head MRI in which I don’t think the protective earmuffs properly covered one ear. I had been trying to focus on not having a claustrophobic panic attack in the machine, so I was less focused on the noise and didn’t stop the exam. Only when I came out, did I notice my right ear was muffled and full. For over two weeks now, I’ve been very sensitive to noises and moderate ones can make me feel like my ear is getting muffled again. Yet my audiology test a week after the event showed only a 5-10 decibel loss at the 6 and 8 kHz level with the rest in normal ranges. My reflexes were lower in my affected ear, but still in normal ranges, apparently. Sadly, my right ear was “my good ear” so there was likely more damage than the rest indicates. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all!
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Probably the best place to get custom fitted high quality ear plugs is through your audiologist. They will cast a mold of your ear canal, just as they do for hearing aid molds. You will want custom fitted musician's ear plugs.
They don't get asked to do this often because it's unusual for musicians to ask for this kind of help until they start experiencing hearing loss. But all audiologists know how important hearing protection is, and should have the skills to provide these products.
My granddaughters both participated and performed in rock bands when they were in high school. I insisted on these ear plugs. They cost about $200/pair. Not cheap, but very much worth it. They can 'be like grandma' in other ways, but not with hearing loss...please!!! Thankfully, they got that message. In the process, they educated other members of their bands. 🙂
Thank you. Wouldn’t have thought of asking for custom ear molds!
Appreciate the advice.
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1 ReactionHere is my vote for musicians custom ear plugs. I have used them regularly for years and find them to be comfortable and useful at reducing all sounds to a moderate level. I could even hear conversation with them inserted. They may be called musician’s ear plugs but they are great for anyone suffering from hyperacusis. Worth the investment.
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2 ReactionsWillows, I forgot to clarify something in your helpful response to my colonoscopy question. Did you wear earplugs during the procedure?
did yours ever get better? I am suffering so badly
Hi Smcclafferty. I’m sorry to learn that you’re having a tough go of it. How long have you had hyperacusis? Mine has improved modestly. Some sounds that were painful, like the dings of microwave and toaster oven, are now tolerable. Dish clattering is still the worst of the household sounds, so I still must put on earmuffs while loading/unloading the dishwasher or gathering pots/pans/bowls for cooking. I live in NYC, so I use earplugs in the street. I will take them out once I’m in Central Park where I walk daily. Sadly, hyperacusis has changed my life, but I’m managing as best I can. It hasn’t yet been a year since my acoustic trauma, so I’m waiting to see further improvement before commiting to expensive conditioning therapy.
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2 ReactionsThank you so much, mine has just occurred 2 weeks ago due to loud noise exposure and I am so traumatized by it that I can barely talk about it........I wanted to know if there was any hope, I also have hearing loss from like I said I am incredibly traumatized.........thank you so much!
I felt similarly at first, but I have gotten somewhat better emotionally. It took a few weeks to learn what noises I could and could not tolerate. I went to two ENTs who, sorry to say, weren’t very helpful. I hope your doctor(s) are more supportive. I read up on the disorder and continue to educate myself. One of the most important things I learned was how anxiety worsens the problem. It’s likely that you will get some relief once the initial trauma lessens and you start returning to some degree of normal activity. Protect your ears but don’t overdo it. If you have specific concerns, ask questions here, and we’ll do our best to answer from our own experience. You will be OK and are not alone in this.
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3 ReactionsUgh, I am in such despair I can't even write about it much, I cannot believe it is true........the same thing happened to me, I was not well protected during an mri and should have gotten out, actually did 3 times to readjust things but should have gotten out completely.....I can't hear, have hyperacusis and now imbalance.......2 hearing tests and they are trying to say they are normal! I cannot believe this, this completely ruined my life, music sounds tinny, everything sounds different, I am in so much despair!!!
Hello cudabidacontenta, I am in so much despair, I just wanted to know, does music sound different to you? I cannot hear music correctly, some parts totally missing, and others very loud, this is absolutely the worst, can you please let me know if you had that symptom and if it got better, I have no idea how I would live with this (also the tv)