Hi Karen, Absolutely YES any type of sound or vibration sends my rsd (full body) through the roof! Being around kids is the worse (and I love kids) but I just can't handle all the sound and jumping around making noise. Kids act so quickly and their movements are quick so I have a hard time keeping up with them.

Even dogs I have to be careful about because of barking and jumping up on me. MOST dogs (if not all except mine) are scared of my canes and esp my wheelchair. They get nervous and anxious around me at first esp if they are not used to such things.

Even people talking to me loudly I have to stop them and ask them to please talk more quietly. THe tv drives me crazy and the people driving by my home that have stereos on in them cause me to have more pain...motorcycles are the worst! It is all about balancing things and watching out for things that cause us more pain. Almost like having an allergy to something...if you are allergic to peanuts you avoid eating anything having peanuts in it.

I stay in my room with a HEPA filter on and the tv on whenever there are holidays with fireworks. Plus, my dog and cat freak out at the noise too so it works well for all of us haha.

Funny thing just to tell you how aware I am of sound...I was at my doctor's office a few weeks ago and she was standing across the room and her cell went off in her pocket by vibrating and I felt it/heard it before she even knew it was even buzzing away. She had no idea it went off! However I felt it across the room!

Our sympathetic nervous systems are messed up and sound/vibration and temperature make our bodies go crazy. You are not going crazy or tensed up...it is the rsd. My sensitivity has gotten worse as the years go by. Good luck to you. You are brave person to sit through a fireworks display!!
kathy d