Now every sound hurts me, my voice is far too painful, going for a walk outside is too painful. Basically I can't do anything but sit in a silent room and browse the internet.
Pain hyperacusis sucks. I wish I'd been more careful with my hearing.
One of the hardest parts of this disability is that it is invisible and so difficult to explain to a third party. People think you are overly dramatic.
In many cases, hyperacusis does get better on its own with time, so keep hanging in there.
Good luck to you.
I'm sorry to hear you have it (or something worse) in both
Take care of your ears, folks.
I got myself a pair and if nothing else they are decently comfortable to wear.
They're more expensive than something that is off the shelf, but being able to choose the appropriate filter for the venue you're in is really helpful. Also, the filters should give cut down the volume more evenly across the spectrum. If you get cheaper ear plugs, loud music may not be as enjoyable because certain frequencies may be more aggressively filtered than others.
I'm quite happy with mine. I can play with a loud band and still be able to hear enough of my own amp and everyone else to be able to play along, but my ears aren't ringing at the end of the evening.
While obviously this isn’t cheap, it’s well worth paying for if you’re a musician or you go to concerts frequently.
I got mine from Sensaphonics, they’re in Chicago. They also make in-ear monitors for professional musicians using the same molding process.
But recently trying to use some actual ear plugs to help sleep at a noisy location... I thought they weren't helping, and then I learned from my wife that I wasn't using them correctly. It seems the trick was getting them further in the ear (I think further in than my ear molds go), and voila, more of a difference; better than turning off my hearing aids. I've also noticed the difference recently, using ear plugs when using power tools in the garage (dremel, jigsaw).
So I'm curious if the fitted ones are all equivalent to properly inserted earplugs or not. It's also possible the hole for tubing is the culprit of my observations.
Just another anecdote that might be interesting: audiologists have been doing molded ear plugs since at least the 90s. I remember the posters of cool colorful "swim plugs" back then.
...re-reading: I see now your mention of using various filters. I'll have to read up on that too.
The molded plugs to me do feel a lot like a properly inserted ear plug and with the filters in, there should be no gaps. It should be a very snug fit. I've got 10db, 17db and 26db filters. The 17db filters are the sweet spot for me, but it's nice to have options.
With (high power) hearing aids, it's reasonably easy to know if you have a gap in the mold: I'll get a feedback loop (annoying noise, naturally) if one is loose or a poor fit. Interestingly, for the past few molds (a 4-6 year life per pair these days) the left ear definitely has more of a problem with feedback loops when my jaw is opened wide (i.e. eating) - the shape evidently varies more with this movement than the right ear does.
FWIW, I believe these are the filters that I use: https://www.warnertechcare.com/dec-filter-dm-ocean-attenuati...
Tinnitus does interfere with my ability to concentrate from time to time, though. Not great for a job where concentration is required most of the time.
Somehow it never bothered me.
A baby's (or toddler's) voice, the meowing of a newborn kitten, quieter sections of my favorite songs, the sound of a car that's backing my way while I'm not looking in its direction...
I still hear pretty well, I just also hear a constant high pitched sound, but it isn't very loud.
What eventually worked for me ironically was reading a study that the vast majority of people with tinnitus do improve over time, whether it’s an actual reduction in the noise or at least the perception of it. Tinnitus is funny in that it bothers us because the brain sees a sound it is creating itself as a threat, and eventually it learns to longer treat itself that way.
Mine did eventually get better. I don’t know if it actually got better, or if I just stopped caring about it so much. But I do enjoy silence again because for me, this is my new form of silence. It’s still there in some form, and some days like when I’m stressed it is noticeably louder. But it no longer bothers me.
And no, that one Tinnitus trick of thumping the back of your head with your fingers that everyone shares doesn't really work for that, at least not for me. For me it just turns the volume down on the ringing a slight bit, and even then only lasts about 30 seconds, which isn't really worth it.
Would recommend to everyone / have bought as a gift a pair of ear plugs that fit onto your key chain. They are like $10 and are honestly the most useful thing I carry on that ring aside from the actual keys. Plus they can be useful in random situations (Needed them to sleep while camping recently because the wind was so strong)
I realize this is going to sound dumb, but please also consider that we all (almost all) carry natural ear plugs with us in the form of our hands/fingers. When sound gets loud, do not hesitate to plug in quickly. Damage to our hearing apparatus depends on intensity and duration, so the sooner you plug the better.
It may be safer to plug your ears with your fingers quickly than to spend a few seconds looking for your fancy -33 dB ear plugs, as unexpected loud noises tend to surprise us but not last very long (ambulance, fighter jet, honking, etc).
In addition to this, there are lots of sound level measuring apps for our smartphones and it can be helpful to measure long lasting levels at venues (concerts, bars, etc). Airplane cabin noise is surprisingly loud. Noise canceling headphones are a great tool for this scenario.
Finally, remember that hearing damage is cumulative: what many of your peers will tolerate fine may not work for you and vice versa. Watch for "the straw that breaks the camel's back".
If your hearing apparatus has already been insulted, treat it with lots of care. If it hasn't already been insulted, treat it with lots of care.
I think the concert\rave\nightclub sound levels should be revised globally. It is so stupid to blast mostly shitty music that loud. It will not make it better...