Everything feels SO LOUD!

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rhionna

Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Messages
14
Reason
DX FIBRO
Diagnosis
10/1981
Country
US
State
FL
Does anyone else have an issue with things feeling way too loud? I work as an engineer in a manufacturing facility and whenever they open/close the large bay doors it feels like my ear drums are going to vibrate to the point of imploding. For a while, I thought that my sensitive hearing was due to some damage to my ear when I was younger and I had an infection in the tubes that drain. I lost hearing, actually, but even with some hearing loss I feel like loud things are SUPER loud!

I can wear ear plugs at work, but at home it occurs too. My partner will watch TV and if it's at a reasonable volume, I feel like it is too loud. As a result, I will get a headache and sometimes will avoid being around a television when it is on. Does this happen with anyone else? Is that part of fibro/CFS?
 
Yes, noise sensitivity, often combined with light sensitivity, are part of fibromyalgia and CFS. I suffer from noise and light sensitivity as well. Loud noise (for example, by a passing train, or a bunch of talking people around me) can make me feel nauseated, dizzy, and increasingly anxious, if there’s no escape from the situation.

Bright light (either artificial or natural) strikes me sometimes so hard that my vision is blurred by the continuous stream of tears. I just walk around most likely looking like I’m in extreme emotional pain. Because of the light sensitivity I turn on the lights at home only when it’s necessary. I prefer darkness and I'm more comfortable with being surrounded by natural daylight than artificial light, but sometimes all it takes is a few seconds in bright daylight to trigger the terrible reaction in my eyes.
 
Nick - thank you for your input. This makes so much sense to me now! I'll be at the store, and if there are a lot of grocery buggies rattling around, it gives me anxiety. It feels like it's closing in on me. I didn't realize it was part of this, but I knew something wasn't quite right. Even the sounds of plastic bags being rustled can put me on edge. I never say anything because I figured I was just being weird, but it's constant.

Do you ever get symptoms where lights make a 'ceiling fan' type effect? They'll almost strobe a bit for me and irritate me. It makes my eyes water if I'm in direct sunlight, but thankfully at work light is nicely distributed that it doesn't cause me distress.
 
Thank you for your answer, Rhionna. I think you described really well how anxiety can feel like. I feel pretty much the same way during those moments when I’m affected by anxiety. I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only person, who can feel uncomfortable even when hearing some rustling sounds of plastic bags. :)

I think that “ceiling fan” type effect is quite fascinating. It’s good that you asked about it. I hadn’t thought about it for a long time. I have also felt and seen the strobing lights many times in the last couple of years. This phenomenon can occur when I’m really tired, unable to concentrate on anything, and the intensity of the lights around me is just too strong. I may also be partially blinded by the strobing lights, but my vision returns gradually within a few minutes.
 
I am also very sound sensitive. Light sensitive as well, although sunlight even if it is very bright is fine as long as I wear shades and a hat, which I always do. Indoors, though, like a big store that is all brightly lit up will bother me a lot. I recently went into a Bed Bath and so on shop and they had all these very very bright lights and bright shiny colors and music going and about four television screens going at once with advertisements and the combination was like an assault on my senses. I had to turn around immediately and leave.

I do a lot of my shopping on line now because I can't stand to walk into those stores. I still shop for food because I have to pick it out myself, but spend as little time as possible in the supermarket.

I don't get that strobing effect, but if something actually is strobing the light, like say driving past a picket fence with light going through it, I have to look the other way, as it is too irritating.
 
Yes noise is a big issue. I wear earplugs often. I understand your delema, your not alone. I have wanted boss noise reducer headphones, but they are over $300.00. To bad insurance doesnt cover it.
 
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