Thanks for your response Mark!

I'm also dealing with dizziness, nausea, headaches & balance issues. My 40 years of working as an occupational therapist has been very helpful as I now use the strategies I taught others on an everyday basis when showering, dressing, and other ADLs.

Trying not to over-stimulate visually & auditorily and maintain a positive outlook is extremely difficult. People just don't understand that while I don't look different, my brain is now very different. Concerts, religious services, committee meetings & conferences that I previously enjoyed attending are now painful & overwhelming. When I force myself to attend something for socialization purposes, I find that I go into hibernation for a few days afterward until my symptoms dissipate.

I always stay in the back of a room or periphery too to modulate the sound and will use musician ear plugs as long as I don't have to talk. The vibration when speaking with the ear plugs drives me crazy and I am constantly popping the ear plugs in and out.

Thrilled to have found this website and others experiencing these symptoms as most doctors I have seen thru workers comp have so little info to offer.


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I use foam ear plugs in social situations. I can easily carry on a conversation with them. The Mack's brand are high quality.

Many of us plan on a day or two to recover from planned over-stimulation events. I cannot tolerate church auditoriums. Very few have properly designed acoustics and sound systems. Echos that others do not hear are plain as day to me. And, everybody wants the sound to be at 80dB and above. I've brought my sound meter to show how loud it is and the sound board crew do not care. Many seniors without head injuries have the same sensitivities.

If you have friends and family who care enough, the 'You Look Great' video series on YouTube is worth the time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9Xso4qGdlI

Or, learn to explain your injury. I say: I have an auditory processing disorder due to a brain injury. It makes it so my brain cannot filter out the many sounds that a normal brain can filter out. So, my brain hears everything, including the voices across the room and the echos you do not hear.

If they need a better understanding,,, There is a specific part of the brain that takes all the sensory stimulation and filters out most of it so the part that is left does not overwhelm the brain and can be effectively processed and understood. .