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Serious Sensory Sensitivity to sound...

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Fibromyalgia
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Posted 11/14/2010 6:28 PM (GMT 0)
And a love of alliteration...

I have always been really sensitive to loud sounds, unexpected sounds. Now it is really upsetting to me... and I have noticed that it can bring on a flare when I am overwhelmed by sound. Even when in a situation where there is a lot of background noise, I have trouble hearing people I am trying to talk to, and cannot seem to sort out what I want to listen to out of all the things I can hear.

Like in a grocery store, the murmuring bouncing off the ceilings, the muzak, the carts, the incidental sounds from the cashiers, the buzz of the lights, the sound of the forced air.... I find myself more stressed afterwards.

Anyone else?
Posted 11/14/2010 9:19 PM (GMT 0)
I sometimes have the same problem.  Too much stimulation of any kind is a bad thing for me.  It's very frustrating.  No more rock concerts for me (sorry, Ozzie!), but I can still handle a John Prine show.  Christmas shopping season is upon us, just making the situation worse.  My daughter suggested I take my iPod and tune it out.  I have an app that has soothing sounds, like quiet wind chimes, or ocean waves.  I'll have to test it out.  Otherwise, I'll be in a full body twitch. . . .
Posted 11/14/2010 11:01 PM (GMT 0)
Have you had your hearing checked lately?  The fact that you have trouble hearing people because of background noise might mean you have some hearing loss.  That's one of the symptoms I had when my hearing was dropping off.   When I'm in the grocery store, the music and the air conditioning fans, etc. make it so that I can't understand the cashier.  It seems the background noise is far louder than the person speaking to me. 

 

Loud noises bother me, too.  Things that don't bother others can make me jump!  If you know you will be in a noisy area, perhaps use earplugs for comfort.

 

Sherrine

Posted 11/15/2010 1:05 AM (GMT 0)
Myself,

Oh, absolutely! I'm forever trying to figure out if it's my cellphone or muzac (or someone else's cellphone) that's blaring. I have low frequency hearing loss but can't afford the hearing aids right now - and besides, the feel of the demos drove me nuts, and they didn't make my hearing that much better, anyway.
I also agree that any over-stimulation, good, bad, or indifferent, is hard on us. It's like we're missing a filter or something. (What about the smells at the perfume counter? Talk about a sick headache!)

One of the worst for me is if an object (say, a ball) comes anywhere near my head. My husband says I'm downright scary when that happens. I know I become suddenly outraged and strike out to get it away, and apparently I immediately get an "if looks could kill" face. It's totally involuntary, and I've done it for decades. This is one reason I've never subbed in a PE class....I wouldn't want to scare the children. And the echoing noise would disorient me....and I never could understand the rules of games anyway. Ever.

Debbie

Posted 11/15/2010 10:15 PM (GMT 0)
Tis true. Smells get to me as well... perfumes, the laundry aisle at the grocery.

Never thought about hearing loss, Sherrine. I will have the PCP check my next appointment. I *think* can hear things well enough, just sometimes have trouble sorting out what I want to be listening to from all the other ambient sounds. But it could be hearing loss. I hate it when the TV or radio is turned up loudly.

I teach, and sometimes have trouble hearing a student's question, when there are several side-conversations going on. It is too much input. One of my classes is particularly high spirited, and they talk a lot. Usually about the class, but still!!
Posted 11/15/2010 11:12 PM (GMT 0)
I used to teach and now I can't hear children's voices that well...too high and too soft.  I was complaining to my husband about his mumbling, too.  He wasn't mumbling.  shakehead    It's a good idea to be checked out.  If you have a normal hearing loss, the hearing aids today are fantastic and would most likely bring your hearing up to nearly 100%...if this is what your problem is.  I hope not but there is great help available to you if this is part of your problem.

 

Sherrine

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