CFS and dogs barking, the telephone, neighbor's loud music, ect........

[Derek Conklin]

Hi, I was wondering how you feel, deal, and struggle with Sound Intolerance's having your CFS!
I daily really struggle with some sound intolerance issues like dogs barking, the telephone,
my neighbor's loud music, kids yelling in the street, and trains! I'm sure there is more if I thought
about it. Do you suffer with some of these things too? Or does it matter how severe or what level
your CfS is?

For me being 90% bed ridden and very ill with CFS, along with a high anxiety level, just a little
dog that only barks once, or the phone rings, it sends me into a light panic attack! My heart even
starts racing! And even after the loud sound stops, I keep hearing it over and over in my brain!
If these sounds persist for an hour or more, I get really stressed and upset! Especially if the
sound wakes me up at night, or early morning, I get scared and in a instant my heart is racing,
and I get so upset, because a lot of the time I only get 3 hours of sleep at night. And after I'm
jolted awake and feel my intensely squished, trapped and sick feeling that never leaves me,
I can not sleep back again! Grrrrrrrrr........

I've tried ear plugs before, but they really bother my ears and cause me to feel closterfobic!
Please just give us one whole day and night of peace and quiet, and along with a newly
invented most powerful sleeping pill ever, and we would be so very happy and thankful!

 

[minkeygirl]

I have big headphones plugged into my tv when the music gets to loud. And it's not the loud, it's the thumping of the bass that is like torture.

At night, if I'm up I'll use the headphones again but I found an app on my phone that has a Hailstorm. I put that on loud, right by my ear and it stops the crazy thoughts.

It does sound to me like you are on edge almost waiting for something so that sets you up to be more upset. I've been there.

The app is LogicWorks White Noice Ambience. It's free. It has a great Tibetan Bowls that is really relaxing.

 

[Derek Conklin]

I have big headphones plugged into my tv when the music gets to loud. And it's not the loud, it's the thumping of the bass that is like torture.

At night, if I'm up I'll use the headphones again but I found an app on my phone that has a Hailstorm. I put that on loud, right by my ear and it stops the crazy thoughts.

It does sound to me like you are on edge almost waiting for something so that sets you up to be more upset. I've been there.

The app is LogicWorks White Noice Ambience. It's free. It has a great Tibetan Bowls that is really relaxing.

Wow, that sounds wonderful! Thank you!!!

 

[Kati]

i am noise sensitive. What drives me nuts is the elephant-like walking of my neighbor upstairs. The kids screams (like a 5year old girl scream if you know whatI mean) (it goes up and down my spine). People chewing. Traffic noise. Harley's speeding up the hill (I keep my windows shut) i can't talk to someone with the radio on or Tv on.

I do my best to avoid noise but it's not always possible. Earplugs can work, if you focus on relaxing and listening to your breathing ( aim for a regular, slow breathing, use that to calm yourself down). i bought some industrial ear protectors ( construction workers would use them) if i have to be in a public place and can't handle the noise. It's helped me many times

 

[WoolPippi]

I've cut my foam earplugs so they have a rounder backside and don't cut into the sides of my ear.

I also have humongous ear mufflers, bought at the DIY store (store with building supplies). They are for people who work with heavy machinery and drills and saws and what not. Kati mentions the same: industrial ear protectors.

I actually went there and tried them all on until I found a brand that sat comfortable. We are sensitive people and small details matter. Of course they were the expensive ones. They've served me for 7 years now. Worth every penny.
Cheap ones will sit awful. Internet bought ones were terrible too. But order them anyway and see if you send them back if they don't sit right. Or just view the money spend on the bad ones as a means to find the right one. They are very much worth any price! I don't see you going to the store to try them out so order a few expensive ones online from a construction supply company. This is my strong advice. Ear mufflers will save your sanity.

I wear them each day for a bit. And let my body relax. Listen to my heart beating, the blood rushing by like it's the wind in tree tops. In 20 minutes my ears will get squashed or start to get sweaty. But that's 20 minutes of bliss and reminding that upbeat anxiety from noise is not the natural state of my body.

I'm sorry, there is no way you can talk your body into relaxing when there are these noises. You have to shut them out. Especially deep rumbling ones (diesel engines, generators, refridgerator, computer fans, heavy traffic)

I've gotten better healthwise and am more resilient towards noise now. I would not have believed it possible. But it started all with good ear mufflers. (and I still need them daily).

I have started each paragraph of this post with "I". I must be important
hope you get something from this. Noise is terrible. It keeps reinforcing the stress reaction your body is looped in at the moment. Go buy mufflers.

 

[Seven7]

I think u have to control and never rely on plp not to be loud.
1) I am never without confortable earplugs. I always keep a pair w me at all times. Everyday I sleep w them.
2) I always keep an eye blackout mask with me so I control the light too.
3) I keep pillow and blanket in my car so when I get tired I can always lay down no matter where I am.

The point I am trying to make, you have to make sure you control the environment at all times so the environment never affects your energy level.

 

[belize44]

Yes,one of the curses of this illness is the hypersensitivity to noise. Our neighbors hate us because we have had to call the law on them for playing loud bassy music anytime they feel like it. There are also heavy, rumbling construction vehicles that pick our street to roll down early in the morning, shrieking kids in the park across from us, and loud weed whackers, lawn mowers, you name it! We recently signed a petition against this kind of noise because really life is getting far too stressful to be enjoyed. In the meantime I use white noise, earplugs and try listening to soft music.

 

[ahmo]

Thankfully my sensitivity is much less than it was. It never occurred to me to get/use ear muffs. Next time I'm in the vicinity of DIY store, I'll be check them out. Leaf blowers, lawnmowers, whipper snippers, chain saws...

@Derek Conklin when I was at my worst, hypothalamus glandular helped me a lot. It dampened my sensitivity to heat, sound, light. (Nutricology, from iherb)

Here's a current thread re nitric oxide and environmental stresses. I've been following Martin Pall's suggestions to reduce peroxynitrite due to (oxidative) stress: lot's of antioxidants. I've finally discovered that green tea is an excellent antioxidant. I'm also using resveratrol, astaxanthin, + the more familiar A,C, E. My A is in the form of lot's of carrots, strangely. This strategy has been helping < my edginess.

It's taken me a long time to be able to understand Pall's theory, but useful. There's a link to his site and vid in my signature. The site's currently a dead link, weirdly, but the vid has slides, so you can stop/start it. The last 20" lists antioxidant supps.

I have started each paragraph of this post with "I". I must be important

I've found over these years that I is the only thing I can talk about. and I used to accuse my DH of narcisism

 

[Tammy]

It's strange but I am sensitive to some noises and not others..........you would think if one has noise sensitivity it would be to everything. I can hear the train from where I live and that doesn't bother me but if I hear a car idling outside...........it annoys me to no end. Neighbors music drives me crazy........dogs barking drives me crazy. I have called public safety so many times for neighbors music and it finally paid off. I have also called numerous times for dogs barking and have even sent anonomyous letters to neighbors of the barking dogs............they get fined if problem continues. My last neighbor would wake up up around 5:00 in the a.m. go out to his diesel truck and let it run forever before he headed out to work. The parking lot of course was right outside my bedroom window. I finally made up a story and wrote him a note that the fumes of his truck came right through my bedroom window and was making me sick............I didn't think he would take me seriously if I told him it was the noise as of course no one else was bothered by it. A friend of mine gave me one of his nature noises machines but even that drives me nuts. I think I would be comfortable if had my bed and lived in a cave!

 

[minkeygirl]

There are noise canceling headphones. I havent tried them but If you hate earplugs.

The key for me is to find way to cancel out the sound with one i can tolerate.

 

[perchance dreamer]

At night I wear foam earplugs and have a white noise machine going.

These are the softest earplugs I've found:

http://www.amazon.com/Hearos-Ultima...ie=UTF8&qid=1429311767&sr=1-2&keywords=hearos

 

[Oredogg]

My wife, who has a very severe form of this illness, is quite sound sensitive. She constantly wears the highest dB reduction rated ear plugs, in addition to construction grade ear muffs, when it gets really bad. Some of the most annoying noises are pretty much any type of internal combustion lawn motor (mower, weed eater, leaf blower, hedge trimmer, chainsaw). They seem to be a constant this time of year. Motorcycles, wood chippers, barking dogs and the occasional jack hammer are also major annoyances. Neighbors that do a lot of DYI home construction/repair can make quite a bit of noise as well and often take a lot longer to finish projects than if they just hired someone to do it!

 

[WoolPippi]

I wear my ear plugs in the shower (thundering waters). When I'm a passenger in a car. Whenever I walk in a street. Each night as I sleep. When my spouse cooks. Puts dishes away. Grinds coffee beans.

I tried out various types untill I found OKish ones. They are foam, cone shaped. I trim the flat back end so it's more round.

Although it is awfull for you right now I can testify that, as you get better, your body will be able to handle sounds better. For me it helped to get to know a source and develop "a friendship" with it.

Like this: neighbour mows lawn every ten days, it takes him all morning, even though it's a small yard. I imagine his vacuuming his garden and competing in a petty garden competition. And he has a special set of clothes to wear when he sits on his motor mower.

We have trucks parking overnight nearby, with cooled products. Thermoking diesels rumbling all night. My wooden cabin resonates in the sound and there's no escape. I've gone and talked to them and now the machines go on Stop-and-Go modus meaning they rumble ten minutes every 40 minutes.
I can handle these intervals because I know it will stop soon. And sometimes I go and talk to the drivers. Explain my life and also learn about theirs. It's fascinating.

3rd example: when I have to pass construction works when walking. I talk to my body, say: yup, that's there. It's awfull and invasive. But we'll get by it and leave it behind. Hold your brearh, cover your ears. Focus on a small flower growing in the gutter. Let's get to the other side.

 

[Valentijn]

There are noise canceling headphones. I havent tried them but If you hate earplugs.

I've tried them on long flights, and they are wonderful. I think they're supposed to be especially good with constant loud noises, and maybe not so good with sharp sudden noises, but I'm not sure.

They'd also be great when you want to listen to music or watch a video, yet not have the excess noise intruding.

 

[rosie26]

My earlier years of ME were so hard. There was noise everywhere... I had neighbours out the back who had a little room at their back door where they would sit every evening till very late and chat. Another neighbour on my left side liked to not shut doors but slam them. The neighbour on my right side would start singing at about 9.30-10pm. Neighbour across the road had young teenagers who had a set of drums in the garage and they were played all hours of the day and sometimes at 2am It was unbelievable. I had rotten luck in my severe years. The noise intolerance really changed my personality, I became the 'noise control officer', telling everyone to 'quiet down please'!!! So different to my real personality.

Three of those neighbours moved on and the kids across the road with the drums grew up and left home
The neighbours I have now are lovely and quiet mostly. I find the idling cars affecting as well, I feel like going out there and telling them to move on or get going. And I abhor the bass, you can feel it thumping all through your body.

I hope you can find ways to escape as much noise as you can Derek, it's not easy. I found ear plugs would hurt my ears after awhile, so they were not much help. Mostly, I would escape to another room in the house further away from where the noise was coming from, if I could.

 

[Derek Conklin]

I have big headphones plugged into my tv when the music gets to loud. And it's not the loud, it's the thumping of the bass that is like torture.

At night, if I'm up I'll use the headphones again but I found an app on my phone that has a Hailstorm. I put that on loud, right by my ear and it stops the crazy thoughts.

It does sound to me like you are on edge almost waiting for something so that sets you up to be more upset. I've been there.

The app is LogicWorks White Noice Ambience. It's free. It has a great Tibetan Bowls that is really relaxing.

Thank you for your caring reply and help!

 

[Derek Conklin]

My earlier years of ME were so hard. There was noise everywhere... I had neighbours out the back who had a little room at their back door where they would sit every evening till very late and chat. Another neighbour on my left side liked to not shut doors but slam them. The neighbour on my right side would start singing at about 9.30-10pm. Neighbour across the road had young teenagers who had a set of drums in the garage and they were played all hours of the day and sometimes at 2am It was unbelievable. I had rotten luck in my severe years. The noise intolerance really changed my personality, I became the 'noise control officer', telling everyone to 'quiet down please'!!! So different to my real personality.

Three of those neighbours moved on and the kids across the road with the drums grew up and left home
The neighbours I have now are lovely and quiet mostly. I find the idling cars affecting as well, I feel like going out there and telling them to move on or get going. And I abhor the bass, you can feel it thumping all through your body.

I hope you can find ways to escape as much noise as you can Derek, it's not easy. I found ear plugs would hurt my ears after awhile, so they were not much help. Mostly, I would escape to another room in the house further away from where the noise was coming from, if I could.

Thank you Rosie, for your caring reply and help! Blessings.....

 

[Derek Conklin]

I've tried them on long flights, and they are wonderful. I think they're supposed to be especially good with constant loud noises, and maybe not so good with sharp sudden noises, but I'm not sure.

They'd also be great when you want to listen to music or watch a video, yet not have the excess noise intruding.

Thank you for your help!

 

[Derek Conklin]

I wear my ear plugs in the shower (thundering waters). When I'm a passenger in a car. Whenever I walk in a street. Each night as I sleep. When my spouse cooks. Puts dishes away. Grinds coffee beans.

I tried out various types untill I found OKish ones. They are foam, cone shaped. I trim the flat back end so it's more round.

Although it is awfull for you right now I can testify that, as you get better, your body will be able to handle sounds better. For me it helped to get to know a source and develop "a friendship" with it.

Like this: neighbour mows lawn every ten days, it takes him all morning, even though it's a small yard. I imagine his vacuuming his garden and competing in a petty garden competition. And he has a special set of clothes to wear when he sits on his motor mower.

We have trucks parking overnight nearby, with cooled products. Thermoking diesels rumbling all night. My wooden cabin resonates in the sound and there's no escape. I've gone and talked to them and now the machines go on Stop-and-Go modus meaning they rumble ten minutes every 40 minutes.
I can handle these intervals because I know it will stop soon. And sometimes I go and talk to the drivers. Explain my life and also learn about theirs. It's fascinating.

3rd example: when I have to pass construction works when walking. I talk to my body, say: yup, that's there. It's awfull and invasive. But we'll get by it and leave it behind. Hold your brearh, cover your ears. Focus on a small flower growing in the gutter. Let's get to the other side.

Thank you for your caring rely and help!

 

[Derek Conklin]

My wife, who has a very severe form of this illness, is quite sound sensitive. She constantly wears the highest dB reduction rated ear plugs, in addition to construction grade ear muffs, when it gets really bad. Some of the most annoying noises are pretty much any type of internal combustion lawn motor (mower, weed eater, leaf blower, hedge trimmer, chainsaw). They seem to be a constant this time of year. Motorcycles, wood chippers, barking dogs and the occasional jack hammer are also major annoyances. Neighbors that do a lot of DYI home construction/repair can make quite a bit of noise as well and often take a lot longer to finish projects than if they just hired someone to do it!

Thank you for your help!