[Kitty]

I've noticed over the past couple of years that my sense of hearing has gotten much more sensitive - especially to loud or shrill noises.

Pre-MS even the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard didn't phase me. Now, even the vacuum cleaner is too much some days.

My neighbor has a Mustang GT and he starts it everyday about 3 PM before he leaves for work. He lets it idle out in the driveway for a few minutes. That low growl it makes drives me batty. I have to stay away from that side of the house until he leaves. Sounds like that never bothered me before.

I went out to dinner with my boys the night before last and they were getting ready for a large party and were pushing tables together and moving chairs. The sound of the chairs being dragged across the floor was almost too much. I had to put my elbows on the table and put my fingers in my ears until they finished!!

I was in Publix and the alarm on the chicken fryer in the deli went off (just a high pitched beep) and I had to walk over to the other side of the store to get away from it. I actually got dizzy from this noise!!

Seems like everyday there is a new noise I cannot tolerate. Guess I should invest in some earplugs. Maybe I'll just lift the ones they give me for the MRI machine next time I go for one!!! Funny thing is.....all that banging and clanging the MRI machine makes doesn't really bother me!!

[MSacorn]

Oh, I'm extremely sound sensitive and it's really gotten worse the last couple of years. I don't like to go to movies because it's so very loud. I have to keep my tv low because I never know what I'll hear next.

My ears have a quiet ring alot of the time and I don't hear as clearly, but I'm thinking that's just old age.

It's bizarre to say the least. Do we have anymore like us out there, or what?

[Girlie Girl]

Kitty when there is a lot of noise, no sound in particular, I have a hard time focusing. I seem to get very agitated when there are loud noises going on around me. This is all post-ms. I never felt this way before either.

Sorry you are dealing with it too! Sounds like you have a plan though, swiping those earplugs

[BaxterTheBunny]

I don't like the tv loud. Wish someone would invent a tv that will automatically turn the volume down on commercials.

Other things that drive me crazy:

Baby screaming
Dog barking

[Kitty]

OMG - screaming babies are the worst!!! As much as I love them I just can't tolerate the screaming.

[Girlie Girl]

Originally Posted by herekitty1960

OMG - screaming babies are the worst!!! As much as I love them I just can't tolerate the screaming.

How about a screaming 11 yo son I'm tellin' ya he will NOT be the next American Idol

[CayoKay]

Kitty, I just ran into that one yesterday...

our power was flicking on and off all day (the corporation wants an increase in the electricity rates)

and the BLEEPING BEEPING of the UPS drove me outside to seek my husband to shut it off !!

I know how to safely shut down my own equipment, but his is a different kettle o'fish.

and it wasn't the "regular" beeping... it was an ALARM, a full-on howl, due to the brownouts, surges, and constant fluctuations occurring.

so, yeah, I know what you mean... it was the pitch, combined with my inability to DO anything constructive about the noise.

babies crying get me too, and certain dogs, and the sound of brakes screeching.

I don't know if it's a hearing problem connected with my MS, or my advancing age, or my irritability of late due to hot flashes, night sweats, and lost sleep.

[Erin524]

Screaming children.

Not so much the screaming babies, but the little kids who insist on making as much noise as they possibly can. The ones that do the SCREEEEEEAM while they're supposed to be sitting quietly in a nice restaurant. The kids who have never used their Inside Voices while they were inside.

After that, it's loud tv's (my parents must be going deaf!)

and my mother's humming. It's not a normal hum. It's the off-key, tuneless humming of the insane. It never changes and she hums compulsively, as in all the freaking time. (she's had a head injury, so I cant exactly get her to stop it all the time)

I know what that humming SHOULD sound like. The first time I spent any time with my mom's younger sister was about 10yrs ago. My aunt was driving me back to the hotel I was staying at, and she was humming the exact same tune! It sounded great! Apparently compulsive humming is not a feature of my mom's head injury, but must be inherited from a relative or something.

The music is apparently some tune that my mom and aunt's private piano/music teacher taught them (same teacher that taught Faith Hill) I think it's something they were taught to keep them in time or something with the music. It worked with my aunt, not so well with my mom.

[Blessings2You]

I hear you on this one (sorry, couldn't help it)

My hearing issues are something ELSE hard to explain to other people, as if I needed something else. It isn't necessarily loud noises, it's just CERTAIN noises. Sometimes the dial tone on the phone sets off a ruckus in my brain, for example.

The other day I leaned over the edge of the tub and went to scrubbing on the rubber mat with a scrub brush. It was like a little tornado went in each ear and was throwing debris around inside my head. YOW!

Dogs barking, stuff like that, is annoying, but it doesn't do that weird thing inside my head. Just makes me want to go smack the dog owner.

[Noidy]

Sounds have been a pain in my rump for some years now. In college I noticed that concerts didn't go too well for me at all. My ears .. or should I say my nerves just can't take noise. Stores with music are a no no for me because I can't hear and think at the same time alot.. sort of like even when someone tells me something, i have to sit in silence for a second to understand what they just said. I don't even listen to the radio while i'm on the computer. I found that taking ear plugs with me to the mall helps alot. Mine may be caused by another disorder I have known as "aspergers syndrome", but I've noticed it worsened as my MS crept into my life as well.