The Hyperacusis Network Message Board

misophonia causes

Mario — Thur, 11 Mar 2010 00:14:15 GMT

Okay. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say what I suspect about misophonia. There may be a sexual aspect to it. It never bothers me when women i'm attracted to make those sounds. Maybe when it bothers me, it's because I don't want to be reminded of sex or kissing by people I' not attracted to. I don't know. It's just an idea.

Forum: Friendly Chat

Hyperacusis Cured ?

catlady2323 — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:24:56 GMT

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to start a thread for those who are experiencing frustration with their attempts to recover from hyperacusis and/or tinnitus.

Have you been sidelined by an injury to your ears that has left you scrambling for treatment options because now you have a collapsed tolerance for noise ? Are you mad because the treatments you have been using don't seem nearly as effective as you were told they would be, and now you are feeling like somehow you are the one who has failed ? Have you tried multiple treatment protocols and seen several doctors, and experienced some improvement, but your hyperacusis isn't completely gone ? Have you approached your treatment with a positive attitude and what you thought was "great faith", only to be disappointed at the results and now left feeling like it is your fault ? ("If only I had more faith !")

This is the place for those who have wondered "will this ever be cured ?" and if it isn't completely cured, how do I restructure my life ? Is what I am experiencing a "setback" in my treatment, or is it a "kickback effect" from putting too much stress on my fragile auditory pathways?

Feel free to express your feelings and experiences with the different treatment protocols you have tried, and why you think they worked, did not work, or only partially worked for you. Let us know how much money you have spent, how much time and frustration you have invested, what you hope will be true for your current treatment choice, and what you think will actually be true as you continue trying to increase your noise tolerances.

Best regards,

Sharon

Forum: New Messages

Omega 3 and Sensory Overload

DanMalcore — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:22:30 GMT

The Autism Research Institute and our network exchange newsletters. In their most recent publication Stephen Edelson (Director of the Institute and friend of our network) reports:

A new study suggests that omega-2 fatty acids protect against sensory overload, a problem associated with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and other nervous system conditions. Irina Fedorova and colleagues fed different diets to four groups of pregnant mice and their offspring. One diet was high in omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and a-linolenic acid (LNA)...

To test the offspring's response to sensory stimulation, the researchers exposed them to a sudden, loud noise. Animals typically flinch when they hear this type of sound, but they react less strongly if they are exposed to a softer tone beforehand. This adaptive response of the nervous system to future stimuli after a first exposure is called sensorimotor gating.

Fedorova and colleagues say the mice who received DHA and EPA exhibited normal sensorimotor gating, showing a reduced startle response to the loud tone when a softer tone preceded it. The mice in the other three groups, however, were unable to 'downshift' their response to the second tone. Mice in the deficient LNA diets exhibited a substantial deficit in sensorimotor gating, while those in the high LNA diet exhibited a smaller but still significant deficit.

This abnormal response, the researchers say, may cause omega-3 deficient animals to be easily overwhelmed by sensory stimuli. "It only takes a small decrement in brain DHA to produce losses in brain function," study co-author Norman Salem says.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for brain and eye development. The body needs to obtain these nutrients through food or supplements, because it cannot synthesize them from scratch. Salem says, "It is an uphill battle now to reverse the message that fats are bad, and to increase omega-3 fats in our diet."

Dan

Forum: New Messages

Hi everyone, update. For the most part, cured.

BonnieBeth — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:16:39 GMT

Hi folks,

It's been ages I know, since I've posted here. Lots has happened since.

My hyperacusis is pretty much "cured" (although I really believe there is still the possibility for flares).

While I can't go into small areas where music is blasting (wouldn't want to anyway...) my life is pretty much back to normal. I don't hear the screeching "SSSSS" sounds anymore. I can walk on busy streets and boulevards, even main highways and trucks and motorcycles pass by without too much fuss. Yeah, it's bothersome, but there's a big difference between bothersome and agonizing pain. It used to feel like my ears were getting a root canal.

Most important, I never wear the generators anymore to go to my Squaredance class, or any other classes, and the New Year's party went fine without any generators or earplugs. I went to a very loud convention and didn't really notice it much. There are still things I can't do, like loud movies and concerts. But there's so much more I can do now. I'm very satisfied overall with the results. Without TRT I don't think this problem would have gone away on its own. It took years though, alot of patience and alot of help from very understanding people on this board.

As for the law suit, it's all public knowledge now so I can post who it is, since it's become a huge case here in New York with the DA's office. My lawyer was Marc Bernstein, of Bernstein & Bernstein. I was only awarded a small settlement award for the hyperacusis that I got from the MRI. To date, I have only received one third of my reward, the rest was stolen by Bernstein. In fact, Marc Bernstein ripped off many of his clients, to the tune of $2.2 million. Seems he took the award money and either gambled it, invested it, or did whatever he did. We are all part of this lawsuit. I was one of the witnesses and appeared before the grand jury last year. If it does go to trial I guess I'd have to appear again. That would happen if he pleads not guilty, although I don't see how he can since the evidence seems insurmountable and incredibly strong.

He's already been indicted, he's been in jail a couple of times, and we're just waiting to see how his lawyers will plead. His legal team has delayed many times already. I'm used to it. I really do hope I get the rest of the money, but there are many others who were ripped off, too. Anyone can Google "Marc Bernstein" AND "Bernstein & Bernstein" and read the dope on this guy.

I had other health issues - 4 herniated disks in my neck last year. But the physical therapy I received helped alot. BTW, herniated disks can definitely bring back a flare of hyperacusis, it happened to me but it's better since the therapy. Right now I'm dancing and doing my walks, and I'm ok, but the weather's getting better too. These things run in cycles, so I always count my blessings when they're good!

The real problems are money. I won't even go even go into the details. A horror story, that.

Hope all is well. Special hello to Dan and Lynn and Rob. Hope all is going well with both of you, and everyone here...

G-d bless...

Bonnie

Forum: New Messages

TRT did help me before I lost those ear things.

JenMcK — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:36:12 GMT

It took a while, but I noticed that the spoken sounds of P, C and K were not angering me so much. Unfortunately when I moved into my new place in April of 2008, they got lost in the move and obviously I could not wear them anymore. However I am getting a new pair of them to wear, and hopefully nothing will happen to them this time. First I want to use them for a while before I start up again with CBT. Also my insurance does not cover CBT anymore (it doesn't cover anything really). You know, I was reading about misophonia and apparently it results from abnormally strong connections between the autonomic and limbic systems in the brain. It is believed to result from that anyway. That's very interesting. I always figured it was more physical/neurological rather than psychological.

Forum: New Messages

Going to ENT 22/03/10 any advice

SUPERNIGE — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:46:04 GMT

Hi,

I've had Tinnitus for 38 years and Hyperacusis for about 6 months.

Had no treatment from medics, told "it's going to get worse, nothing we can do",

by doctor. Finnaly been refered to ENT at hospital on 22/03.

All I know,and all the help I've received is what I've learnt here,so thanks.

What questions should I ask ?

What treatment should I be asking for ?

What medication should I ask about ?

My firts question will be "do you know what Hyperacusis is ? "

it could all be down hill from there if they say no.Hope not.

Any advice welcome, Thanks.

NIGE

Forum: New Messages

Now This

bartony — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:39:57 GMT

Tensor spasms. The WORST possible upset I could have. Why that's acting up now, I have no idea. My usual for that is maybe one or two after going to bed at night, then maybe one or two after waking up. The left ear has done this 3 or 4 times today, and it never does that in daytime unless I've had a flu shot which causes them or the time I took Centrum Silver, it really put them into spasm.

I had no idea grief could do everything it can to the ears.

Lib & Joe had surgery to fix theirs, but I have pretty severe tinnitus and hyperacusis. I would never make it out of that without hearing loss and far worsening tinnitus.

I wonder if a Vit. D deficiency could cause this? I was found to be slightly low on D, not real low, but a little.

The ENT p.a. wants a ct scan of my temporal bone and sinuses regarding the e-tube clicks. For certain, for a long time, the left temple bone and cheek have been larger than my right, why I don't know.

My own voice continues to be far bassier in that ear than the rt. I think that's a clue "something" isn't right.

Forum: New Messages

My tinnitus is effected by all noise

Graxley — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:10:48 GMT

Can anyone please help me with explaining what is going on with the hyperacusis and tinnitus that I have. If I shut out all external noise the tinnitus will almost completely disappear. Any exposure to sound I then feel as a distorted noise that accompanies the sound and when much more noise is exposed to my ears then a feeling of static builds up within the ears and finally goes to the top of my head where it eventually is felt as pressure and even pain. If I then isolate myself again from sound the static feeling is released as a whole range of tinnitus sounds which can last for an hour or more until quiteness returns.

Forum: New Messages

Noise & Laptop

plimrow — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:11:14 GMT

I recently brought a new laptop. The noise of my dad banging his feet on the floorboards and his elbows on the handels (solid wood) of his chair downstairs caused me last night to hit the keys on the laptop harder than I should (overstimulation? noises affecting my concentration?). I was unhappy about what happened. I am concerned that the components (processor, etc) could be damaged because of the keys on the keypad that is above the components being pressed too hard because of my hypersensitivity to noise. I wonder if should have got a desktop. I am sorry if my posting is difficult to understand but I am not very good at explaining things (this probably due to my Aspergers). Plimrow

Forum: New Messages

disgust

saab1216 — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:50:23 GMT

I am disgusted at my life with this hyperacusis. It is ruining my life and marriage. It is morning and here I am drinking to calm myself. I tried to be with my wife for ten minutes and couldn't deal with her voice. We decided to go shopping and my head immediately started hurting from the sound of her cars blower fan. I got angry and she drove me home.It is absolutely ridiculous as how nobody can help a person who is emotionally redirected about everything and everybody. It all becomes a struggle to just survive.Talking is a task.shopping is a nightmare,doing things that most people take for granted has become a dreaded thing for me. My best bet is that no counselor in the world would believe me if I told them that my hearing is the cause.I hate my life!I had a purpose for my kids and my wife but now I'm a thorn in everyones side. I am not looking for sympathy here. I am about finished with coming on to this site because its not providing answers,just opinions.If anyone was really honest about how they feel they would agree that deep down they know that their lives will never be the same.Faith may buy you some time but it doesn't buy back all of the relationships and opportunities that this has destroyed.If you expect a lot than you will be highly disappointed. Expect little and live as a recluse and you just might make it. I am angry as hell that nothing has really touched base with a cure of scientific explanation for this.It confuses me as to why I ever got this in the first place.No explanations at all.Disgusted...

Forum: New Messages

Sound engineering for a generic sleep levelled sound for Hyperacusis

jirimenzel — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 21:14:36 GMT

The affliction is defined as an intolerance of sound variations. This translates into sleeping problems that can only be cured by drowning out all inconsistencies in sound variation. And yet the medical industry does not have one. It has quite a number of suspiciously overexpensive and relatively useless artifacts like sound generators in the ear, a variation of TRT at 2000 euros a pop, that are neither wholly consistant, don't allow for sleep as they go inside your ears and are flat out not strong enough anyways. Then there are other machines, mostly designed for tinnitus masking, like the Tinnitus Masker (which can be found cracked as a torrent or rapidlibrary etc), or a lumbersome machine with a few delicate attempts at masking which are sold to you at 100 dollars the pop. The Masker, for example, goes to show how the world seems to think only tinnitus exists because it has a rosary of available sounds that don't include a perfectly levelled out sleeping sound. They do include things like waterfalls, variations of winds and only a few get close to an interesting sleeping sound for a hyperacusis sufferer, like the airplane cabin, the air conditioner or the brown sounds. However, as any PC volume indicator will show you, these sounds are not levelled out, whatever a member of the medical profession might say about it being your imagination or you're being used to certain sounds.

This last remark brings me to my task at hand. Having been severely misguided over the years, trusting the wrong people, falling at times fully for profit-motive medicine (with its origin in U.S. healthcare, we can't consider that a coincidence), statistics-driven medicine (poor research allows for better statistics in H, apparently), and other times for vested interests- a euphymism..- of non-hyperacusis sufferers, I have throughout used floor fans for sleep (and upstairs I have an FM on a specific machine with a lot of bass that provides semi-adequate and sufficiently potent brown sound). These drown out most exterior sounds if you put a a shirt over them. But, clearly, my problem is fans wear out in quality over time, and the first thing to go is their own sound quality. Other problems include having to live in uncertainty over eventual sound impoverishment, finding replacements off-season and the fact that the sound was never perfectly levelled. All this time I tried recording it into a loop only once, and using a mic I now see was designed for on-stage sounds. So obviously it didn't work. I didn't think of a more sensitive mic at the time and postponed this for later, quite probably an error now that I rummage through one of my worse sleeping spells in these ten years of H, with impoverished sound quality in my fans, sleeping two or three hours at a time, twice a day, exhausting and very demoralising when we consider H in itself, without added sleep loss, is exhausting, demoralising and against nature, and whereas with the adequate sound drowning and no interference from exterior, I got spells that went easily into the 9 straight hours.

My aim here is threefold, to inquire as to whether any of you is a sound engineer and if you've designed a sound that follows these definitions. Even if I buy a mic online soon, after due research, it'll take months to get something tangible, (and a fan will take weeks to get here, and will only perpetuate previous errors and passivity). If that is not the case, if I get something I believe in, I'll release it. And, well, to get a generic sleep treatment for H, isolate it from T, no more H sufferers falling desperately for fake medicine, but I only care about other people tangentially (all I want is that sound like the philosopher's stone..), this will help H-sufferers get respect (allowing us to define the injury and not non-H sufferers' morality or profit, in fact, rule number 5 of this message board indicates the site may well not be property of H sufferers themselves) and clean, efficient and non-profit oriented treatment.

Forum: New Messages

Pain without loud noise exposure?

hjolli — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:08:12 GMT

Hi
I have been fighting the last few weeks with pain in my right ear which allegedly came from too much noise int that ear.
After a couple of weeks my left ear suddenly got very soar, suddenly like a stitching pain when I spoke on the phone (like Ive done with that ear for many years).

Otherwise I have not had any loud sounds into that ear. At the same time the right ear seems to be better now and less sensitive.

Has any of you with diagnosed hyperacusis had the same experience? (Im still trying to figure out what my problem is)

The best
Hjolli.

Forum: New Messages

New Here

lowerthat3 — Thur, 04 Mar 2010 05:04:35 GMT

Hello everyone. I am so glad to have found this forum. After two years of going to this or that doctor, I was sent to the right doctor and was finally diagnosed with hyperacusis. I also have tinnitus. For now it's just my right ear.

I'm told there's nothing I can do but wear ear plugs. I do have noise reduction ear phones and they are the best! I can still hear but sounds are lowered and all background noise is gone. I'm getting used to the ear plugs.

It's just nice to have the diagnosis and not feel like a crazy person.

Forum: New Messages

Anyone Live in Richmond VA with Hyperacusis?

Beth — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:05:47 GMT

People have such a hard time with my Hyperacusis that my greatest wish right now is to simply have a friend that I could visit with - eat a meal with. I wouldn't wish this on anyone, but I'm hoping that someone here lives near me. I don't have anyone in my life who can handle my need for even minor accomodations.

I miss humans.

Even if you don't, it would be great to connect with someone, one-on-one, online. It's such a lonely disability.

I've asked my Doctors repeatedly, and they don't seem to know anyone else here.

Thanks, Maura (Beth)

Forum: New Messages

A college girl's story

peppermint — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:37:17 GMT

Hi everyone! Wow...I am so happy and surprised there is a NAME for this problem. I'm a 19 year old college student and a very sensitive person in general. Ever since I was a very little kid, I remember being absolutely driven MAD by oral sounds (chewing, sucking, slurping, anything!) My little sister would be drinking her bottle loudly and I remember telling her to stop

My sister is the same way. We are both irritated by sniffling, chewing, gum smacking (the absolute WORST), slurping, sucking and eating. We hate watching people chew...it makes us crazy! We hate the sound of people chewing too, and it's so bad that I have trouble eating with loud eaters. It drives me nuts! Pen clicking, repetitive noises...it makes me feel like I want to punch someone. It GRATES on my nerves!

I am pretty sure it is genetic, as my mother is highly irritated by gum smacking, whistling (she HATES whistling), and any repetitive noise. She never bought us noisy toys because of this!

I've noticed that I can sometimes force myself to not be bothered, but only if I am relaxed and not tired, tense or stressed in any way. I used to have trouble concentrating in school because during tests it would be so quiet you could hear every little sound!

I am so sensitive to noise that I sleep with ear plugs. Every night, even when it is VERY quiet. I cannot fall asleep through talking (it pulls me out of sleep), the TV, music, etc. I can drift off, but I will go in and out if there is outside noise.

I think part of the problem is that I have PERFECT hearing. I was tested years ago and they told me my hearing was exceptional. So clearly, this has something to do with it.

Interestingly, there are some plus-sides to this issue! I love loud and rich music. Music calms me instantly. I love a lot of sounds and I highly appreciate good sound quality. Because of my sensitivity, I can notice the SLIGHTEST differences in mp3 or any kind of digital music quality. I have to wear High-Quality headphones or it bothers me when the music sounds "tinny". I can't use earbuds. I can't use bad quality headphones.

I can't concentrate if people are talking/laughing unless I "zone out", which I have no control over.

The sound of gum smacking (especially the horrible kind where the person CRACKLES the gum) literally induces my gag reflex. Does this happen to anyone else? I am so incredibly annoyed that the mere THOUGHT of this sound makes me gag.

I don't know if this is related, but I often gag at the sight of stray hairs. Except dog hair, that doesn't bother me.

So basically, human noises make me crazy. I find the noises (slurping, sucking, panting) of my dogs endearing. Isn't that odd? Animal noises don't bother me at all. I find them relaxing. But people noises? Irritating. Forget it.

So...any advice? Suggestions? Comments? I am sooo excited to find people like me!

Forum: New Messages