Hearing sensitivity with Aging

Posted by fpc3 @fpc3, 1 day ago

I’ve posted this in a couple of places at Mayo. The best suggestion seems to be to get this to a group interested in Hyperacusis, so I am trying here. I did see something on this board about a connection between Hyperacusis and COVID. I have had COVID three times and Long Covid once. This is my original post a few days ago:

If this is not the correct board, please forward to the board that is the best option. I am a 72 year old male with increasing sensitivity to noise over the last several years. I have no significant hearing loss, certainly nothing that needs treating. In fact, my hearing appears to be more acute than it was even a few years ago. I am constantly telling people I am in the room or car with that they can speak at a lower volume. I often ask my wife to lower the volume on the TV.

I am becoming intolerant with loud noises, regardless of the nature of the noise. It can be someone’s voice, the volume on a TV, music, etc., etc. Many noises just go right through me causing actual pain. I have not been to a movie theater in over 30 years because I can’t tolerate the high volume at theaters.

I have not brought this up to my primary doctor yet, but plan to do so during our September visit. Is there anything I can read or study about insensitivity to noise before I see the primary? Is this something to discuss with an ENT doc (or maybe a different specialty?).

For background, I am a 40+ year diabetic with no neuropathy and well-controlled sugars. I use a DEXCOM G7 and keep my sugars between 80 and 180 about 80% of the time. I have major gastro issues including IBS (50+ years) and acute pancreatitis (3 years thanks to long Covid). I had ACDF surgery nine years ago with multiple fusions, so spinal stenosis is an issue. The pain is less since the surgery, but still with me daily. At the time of the surgery, an EMG test showed I had carpal tunnel, but I had no symptoms. In the last year or so, I have started losing sensation and grip in the right hand, dropping things, unable to open some jars, etc. A new EMG showed progression of the carpal tunnel. My neurologist has me wearing a wrist brace for 90 days since the carpal tunnel is still not significant. She wants to determine if it might be a pinched nerve causing the issues.

I ran across an older discussion board here at Mayo that spoke to a rare nexus between noise sensitivity and spinal stenosis, with a specific mention of ACDF surgery. That board has not been active in at least three years and I did not receive any answer when I did post there.

The only thing to add is I am retired from the Air Force and served in Desert Storm/Desert Shield. As with anyone who served there, we really don’t know what we were exposed to. I doubt it has anything to do with this hearing issue, but I mention it just in case. My endo doc is convinced I have been exposed to radiation at some point.

Enough for now. If anyone knows, is there a connection between noise sensitivity and spinal stenosis and/or ACDF surgery?

Thanks.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Hearing Loss Support Group.

Julie, Volunteer Mentor | @julieo4 | 1 day ago

You will find some interesting information about this topic at this link. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24320-hyperacusis

Like tinnitus, hyperacusis remains a mystery to researchers. However, there is a greater emphasis on these topics now because people have become more assertive about asking questions and sharing experiences.

One common denominator in hyperacusis, tinnitus and hearing loss is that noise is, or may be a factor in their onset. That noise can be sudden noise such as an explosion, or noise in duration related to constant exposure to noise in recreation, employment, etc. Veterans who have been deployed to combat zones are known to have a high rate of noise induced sensorineural hearing loss. This has been eliminated or minimized with appropriate ear protection.

Ear protection is recommended to anyone, of any age, who is a musician, who attends loud concerts, uses firearms, fireworks, or is exposed to machinery at work.

grrranny | @grrranny | 1 day ago

As to spouse and TV, our problem was solved when hard-of-hearing hubby started using headphones, and more recently -- hearing aids with the TV sound only going into HIS ears -- not mine.

fpc3 | @fpc3 | 1 day ago

I’m laughing. I’ve heard of these solutions before. My wife does not believe she has a hearing problem, so she would never agree to these ideas. Good ideas, but they won’t work here.

Thanks.