Updated March 08, 2014.
Janice Ashby has hyperacusis and a hearing loss. Here is her story.
As I could tolerate it much better than the other two aids I tried, they wouldn’t take back my hearing aid.
When I worked in a quiet office years ago and heard a high-pitched radio sometimes I spaced out. If someone sneezed, I literally jumped a few feet off my chair! In one job by the time I even got to work, I was already dipsy, and sometimes I was disoriented all day.
One time when I was wearing my hearing aids I was in a car with the stereo cranked up, with the speakers behind my head. Later, my head felt strange, with a vertigo headache that didn’t go away for weeks.
Finally, I went to a hospital in Toronto to see an ENT in the Audiology Department. I mentioned that I couldn’t bear the noise, and that I felt like I was going to vomit or faint. It felt like the electrons were bursting out of my hearing aid every time a car passed.
They tried adjustments, but nothing worked. I was told I needed to get used to sound, that that it was normal. Two years later, an audiologist said "It sounds a lot like you have severe recruitment." She did a noise sensitivity test and confirmed I had severe recruitment, or sensitivity to noise.
I knew what I had, but until then nobody had listened. What I was complaining about was actually a medical term.
My hearing hasn’t changed much in the last ten years. The only thing that’s changed is that my tolerance level and physical suffering from noise has gotten worse.
The only place I can go for support is the hyperacusis network bulletin board started by Dan Malcore at www.hyperacusis.net. The term recruitment itself is confusing, and so many HOH many affected by noises can't find any support.
Janice Ashby has hyperacusis and a hearing loss. Here is her story.
Before the Hyperacusis Diagnosis
When I wore a hearing aid (I was born HOH and now have a 65% hearing loss), the noise rattled me and made me nauseous. I had acoustic shock because I could not tolerate amplification. I had to try different hearing aid products three times, and the noise was horrifying. After the third hearing aid try I complained.As I could tolerate it much better than the other two aids I tried, they wouldn’t take back my hearing aid.
When I worked in a quiet office years ago and heard a high-pitched radio sometimes I spaced out. If someone sneezed, I literally jumped a few feet off my chair! In one job by the time I even got to work, I was already dipsy, and sometimes I was disoriented all day.
One time when I was wearing my hearing aids I was in a car with the stereo cranked up, with the speakers behind my head. Later, my head felt strange, with a vertigo headache that didn’t go away for weeks.
Finally, I went to a hospital in Toronto to see an ENT in the Audiology Department. I mentioned that I couldn’t bear the noise, and that I felt like I was going to vomit or faint. It felt like the electrons were bursting out of my hearing aid every time a car passed.
They tried adjustments, but nothing worked. I was told I needed to get used to sound, that that it was normal. Two years later, an audiologist said "It sounds a lot like you have severe recruitment." She did a noise sensitivity test and confirmed I had severe recruitment, or sensitivity to noise.
I knew what I had, but until then nobody had listened. What I was complaining about was actually a medical term.
How Does Hyperacusis Develop?
When the auditory system is under-stimulated, or improperly stimulated, it impacts the nerves surrounding the ear that depend on this stimulation to develop correctly. More specifically, the nerves often do not develop properly when a person has hyperacusis. Plus, when noise is too loud, it begins to kill the nerve endings in the inner ear. As the exposure time to loud noise increases, more and more nerve endings are destroyed. As the number of nerve endings decreases, so does your hearing.Suffering from Effects of Hyperacusis
After years of noise sensitivity I got tinnitus and a Meniere’s- like feeling. If I hear screeching, or sudden loud noises I have migraines. Professionals still try to adjust my hearing aid, and tell me I can wear hearing aids, and don’t understand that I can't.My hearing hasn’t changed much in the last ten years. The only thing that’s changed is that my tolerance level and physical suffering from noise has gotten worse.
The only place I can go for support is the hyperacusis network bulletin board started by Dan Malcore at www.hyperacusis.net. The term recruitment itself is confusing, and so many HOH many affected by noises can't find any support.
Hyperacusis Information Resources
I have tons of information, I’ll just put a few references here.- Examination of the Cranial Nerve - Discusses hyperacusis caused by damage to the seventh cranial nerve.
- Björkman, M. Community noise annoyance: Importance of noise levels and the number of noise events. Journal of Sound and Vibration, 151:497-503 (1991).
- Bly, S., Goddard, M., & McLean, J. A review of the effects of noise on the immune system. In M. Vallet (ed.), Noise as a Public Health Problem. Arcueil Cedex, France: INRETS, Vol. 2, pp. 509-512 (1993).
- Charron, S., & Botte, M.-C. Frequency selectivity in loudness adaptation and auditory fatigue. Journal of the Acoutical Society of America, 83:178-187 (1988).
- The Power of Sound: How to Manage Your Personal Soundscape for a Vital, Productive, and Healthy Life - About how sound affects the nervous system. ()
- icarus.med.utoronto.ca is a site about hearing loss, and noise-induced problems!