Living with deafness and noise sensitivity in hindsight

There are a variety of things that may be done to reduce the negative effects that noise can have in the house. Headaches are a common sign of noise sensitivity, but they can be treated, and they don’t mean that hearing loss that can’t be fixed has already happened. If you have symptoms of noise sensitivity, you should see a doctor, especially if they come on suddenly or keep happening without a clear reason. This symptom could be an indication of long-term damage to the ears as well as deafness. The following are some ways you can manage your sensitivity to noise:

• Choose a place that is dark and quiet so that you may sleep better without being disturbed by outside sounds.
• You might be able to lessen some of the bad effects of being sensitive to noise if you avoid or cover up loud sounds.
• If headaches cause your sensitivity to noise, try taking either acetaminophen or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin). These drugs are available for purchase without a physician’s prescription.
• Those who get migraines may feel better if they take Excedrin, which is a pain reliever that contains caffeine.
• The effects of a hangover on a person’s sensitivity to noise can be lessened by consuming water throughout the day.

Patients who are sensitive to noise may find that the treatments described here are helpful when done as their doctors tell them to. If you are very sensitive to noise, your primary care doctor will do a full hearing evaluation on both ears, including an examination with an otoscope. This evaluation will focus on both ears.

If you get migraines and are also very sensitive to noise, your doctor may recommend that you take medicine that is made to treat migraines. If you have problems hearing and are very irritated by the noise around you, you may consider getting hearing aids. You can get your hearing back by gradually exposing yourself to louder and louder sounds or by going to behavioural therapy. It’s important to make sure you get the right treatment for being sensitive to noise. To shed some insight into the difficulties that people who are deaf or hard of hearing encounter and how to deal with noise sensitivity, we decided to interview one.

How were you dealing with your deafness?

I have had complete loss of hearing in both ears ever since I was a toddler, two years old. But even though it is initially challenging to deal with, you will eventually become accustomed to it and forget about it after some time. Learning sign language and other forms of communication have become more simple for those who are deaf as a result of advancements in technology.

As a kid, I needed to keep all my appointments with the audiologist and the speech therapist. This is probably the case for everyone who has trouble hearing, regardless of whether they require the assistance of hearing aids or need to learn sign language or read lips to communicate.

My hearing loss has always been a part of who I am, but it has never stopped me from doing fun things, being physically active, or playing sports. Even though I find the noise annoying, I can deal with it, and I think I will be able to for the foreseeable future as well. This holds regardless of whether I am in a noisy bar, restaurant, or baseball stadium. There is a chance that one day we will be able to restore damaged hearing through stem cell therapy, which would make deafness an issue of the past.

When did you discover it?

My hearing has not gotten any worse, even though I went for a very long time without wearing hearing aids. Because of the struggle with the bullies, I was forced to give in and win against them. Because of how they made me feel whenever I wore them, I decided to quit wearing them.

In many respects, putting on my hearing aids was like being given the capacity to hear again. There was noise from the hallways and the air conditioner, and it was feasible to listen to both. At first, hearing aids might make sounds more artificial and highly processed than they are. After a few periods had passed, I was inside my house when I became aware of the sound of water dripping down the pipes. The sound of water running helps me relax and fall asleep because it is soothing and repeats itself.

What did you change in your daily life habits?

I couldn’t care less about the sound of birds singing or any other type of music or sound that certain individuals believe will transport them to heaven before gently bringing them back to earth again. I’m not affected by either of these things. Even if it’s completely quiet, I’m sure I won’t feel lonely because books are some of my best friends.

 The most challenging part of deafness is trying to comprehend spoken English. This is not because I have a hearing impairment; rather, it is because of the psychological impact that listening to speech has on me. Nevertheless, I find that I have a strong desire for human interaction, such as engaging in light-hearted chats daily, being a part of a group in which I understand every joke that is being cracked and can laugh with my friends without having to ask that nice person what the joke is about, or going to a loud bar and having a conversation with people. I also find that I have a strong desire to be able to understand every joke that is being cracked. It isn’t easy to function well when I am not around others. My hearing handicap will not be a problem as long as the people I deal with are aware of it and do not form opinions about me because I can hear less clearly than they can themselves.

What kind of support helped you deal with it?

I’ve discovered that having a smartphone can be helpful. If you don’t already have one, get one and figure out how to make it work! Several smartphone applications have the potential to make human voices easier to understand, even when supplemented by an external amplifier. I pull up an app on my smartphone that lets me take notes, and I ask a store staff member where the cocoa is located. A separate piece of software can translate spoken words exactly, making communication simpler. I decided to buy one because I find that I get more enjoyment out of viewing subtitled television. If you continue in this manner, you won’t miss anything important. If you require assistance in securing specialty license plates that indicate a hearing impairment, you should speak with a trained specialist.

Is it comfortable?

At times, it can be very hard to be deaf in a community where most people can hear. It is easier to manage life when a person uses technology and has friends and a community who understand the dynamics of deafness. It’s possible that the person will completely lose track of the differences between hearing and deafness altogether.