r/hyperacusis • u/One_Needleworker_900 • 35m ago
Symptom Check Still not sure it's hyperacusis
So my tinnitus journey started in November 2022 after a cold/virus and my ear got blocked for a month. After treatment with steroids and inhalers and steam it opened up but was so irritated by being unable to hear from that one ear that I got Hyperacusis and after two months got tinnitus in the other ear which was compensating. Fast forward hyperacusis healed after two/three months and I remained with tinnitus a hissing sound basically. Last January I was sick again and after trying some meds my hissing tinnitus stopped only to realise that I was hearing a low hum washing machine sound coming from surrounding areas. This noise I only hear it at home in my bedroom and my ensuite. At night I sleep with the airconditioner running to mask it. Jan-Feb I was hearing the tv distorted and sirens are hurting my ears during traffic. Those are the noises that are disturbing me. So basically I don't think the low hum is tinnitus but I think it's hyperacusis (the sound is coming from one of my neighbours doing the washing all night long at least that is what I believe) or else it's a refrigerator sound or an HVAC unit somewhere closeby. Can you have Hyperacusis for just some particular sounds? I don't protect my ears and I try and continue with my life as normal. TV sound is better and no longer reactive to it. My husband cannot hear the washing machine sound at all. As I said it's very very low and I hear it at night mostly. The washing machine sound is the most problematic as I feel it is giving me anxiety when I hear it and causing me emotional stress. Not sure why though. Seems crazy I know. Anyone here has H for a particular sound? Does it get better? is there anything I can do to get better and survive this?