Hyperacusis treatment-- what works?

....oh sorry to read...and wondering if you had any previous ear issues? I have had hyperacusis, self diagnosed for about a year but: I also have moderate hearing loss but dont wear hearing aids; tinnitus, ear pressure, painful eustachian tubes which ent says no tubes because of possible infection; and now musical ear! So I cant hear my husband half the time talking to me; yet can hear a lot of noises in the neighbourhood and even flushing the toilet is like Niagara Falls; the tinnitus has a min of its own whether grinding, thumping, and even clicking.., and now the musical ear as if someone has radio on in next room; watching tv no longer such a pleasure, and if on zoom or speaker phone for half hour, hurts my ears.... not looking for sympathy but what I might do for hyperacusis would affect the tinnitus would affect the....... add a word... so am now in a maze; plus other medical ailments; however... what caused my issues and what caused your could be completely different so I respectfully suggest (as am not a dr.) that you continue as much as possible to seek help and not let it progress .... sorry it was a noise incident...but makes me wonder if there is more going on besides hyperacusis, I just wish I had pushed more years ago... maybe would not have made a difference but could have - even some medications can cause ear issues - so hope you find a solution that works and a good audiologist and ear doctor; best of luck, J.

I'm sorry you're dealing with all of that. Thank you for taking the time to write. Yes, continuing to find help is a must!

I literally just woke up with clogged Eustachian tubes an tintinitis 4 years ago. Hormone therapy got rid of it then came back. Got diagnosed with some hearing loss hearing aids helped some. Now it’s back bad. Anyone take supplements that work?

....am at a loss bug going to ask dr for blood test to find out if lacking any vitamins - a shot in the dark. Will post if find anything causing/curing.... J

Here’s what I’ve read about hyperacusis but I don’t think there’s help out there for those of us who suffer from it: “The tensor tympani is a muscle within the middle ear, located in the bony canal above the bony part of the auditory tube, and connects to the malleus bone. Its role is to dampen loud sounds, such as those produced from chewing, shouting, or thunder. Because its reaction time is not fast enough, the muscle cannot protect against hearing damage caused by sudden loud sounds, like explosions or gunshots.”. When a big truck passes me by I only wish it sounds something like a jet taking off!

ooops, mistake! only wish it didn’t sound like a jet taking off!

I don’t think there is a complete cure for hyperacusis but a tolerable level of sound or noise can be achieved by gradually exposing the person to sound that is just a tiny bit louder than they feel comfortable with. Over time the sufferer builds up,a tolerance for sounds that today might seem to be above their tolerance level.
On a lighter note, we have a new toilet that is a super flusher but, OMG the noise it makes is enough to wake the dead. I have to keep ear muffs on the toilet tank top and clap them on my ears before flushing. Needless to say, it’s in the ensuite bathroom so it awakens my husband or me depending on which one of us is asleep. Why can’t manufacturers of devices find a way to insulate these things?

...maybe not in context, and no "cure" for the toilet flushing noise, I have hyperacusis too, plus tinnitus, bit of hearing loss and eustachian tube pain..but wondered as an ensuite that probably only you and husband use; when our City water is turned off and we cannot flush, we have a nice white pail of water sitting on floor next to toilet bowel and just tip about half pail down to"flush" - I know it would be a pain to have to fill bucket up, but we just do it from bathtub - it just makes a swirling noise, so no crashing water... but as I said only for a day or two while City water turned off, but it might be a solution to the loud flush at night? My daughter has one of those bidet type super duper toilets with warm seat etc. and it barely makes a noise flushing; other daughter a super water saver one at her cottage and it also is much quieter than our old one....my problem is hearing our natural gas furnace for heat which is in basement right under my bedroom .... carpet on bedroom floor but it seems to shake, rattle and roll vibrating the walls too. Absolutely no other place for furnace to go and in our long freezing Canadian winers cant do without.... wakes me up 3 or 4 times a night dont mind the waking me up but its when cant get back to sleep! J.

Do not give up hope!
I struggled for a lifetime, never being diagnosed and basically treated as an idiot or overly sensitive.
Due to current medical issues, I finally found diagnosises and help. And recognition: professionals saying "You must be a zen ninja warrior, able to function with hyperacousis & visual overdependency living in a city" .
Since only a few months, I have been receiving treatment for hyperacousis and it feels like a miracle!
Dr Boedts has developed a system where he places patches on the typhan to relax it. The day after my first patches, I passed a building side with heavy metal sounds.. And I could easily cope. My sleep got instantly better.
The patches dissolve after a few weeks and need to be replaced, until the nervous system comes out of hyperalert and rewires.
He combines it with trascutane electrostimulation of the brain (12 sessions in 5 weeks) and temporary medication (I decline that option, as can handle through meditation & yoga). If necessary, as in my case (severe TMJ problems due to an accident), the clinics orofacial therapist a.o. puts electrostimulation on the trigeminus nerve to relax it. She also showed me more efficient selfmassage techniques to release the masseter muscle.

Additionally, I got diagnosed with visual overdependency, which I feel is linked so doing treatment for this at the same time.
And working with a Feldenkrais & BMC practicioner.

Honestly, it is a miracle.
So I wish for you to find similar treatment near you ( I am based in Europe, Belgium). Or come over for a few months!

I wonder if we have such treatments in the US? Like others I have struggled with Eustachian tube dysfunction , hyperacusis, tinnitus and some hearing loss. It is a difficult balancing act to use hearing aids to help with hearing loss and tinnitus, BUT not make the hyperacusis too much worse. It is frankly impossible. I would travel for treatment but because of my ailments, I cannot fly.
Conundrum for sure.
So far I use the hearing aids on a fairly low setting, and periodically slip them out to give my ears a break.
My situation began six weeks after having Covid. That was two years ago. Like everybody I have seen all sorts of doctors and specialists.