Noise (hearing) Sensitivity Increasing With Age

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.