Living a Normal Life with Noise Sensitivity
Just last week, I mentioned accidentally going grocery shopping during sensory-friendly hours, and what a difference it was.
Noise sensitivity is a frequent symptom of concussion survivors. Something that many don't realize is how it can feel to live with noise sensitivity. It's not just loud places most expect like concerts, a party, or a noisy restaurant. It's everyday places like school, an office, grocery stores, sporting events, and so much more.
The music, carts banging, plus all other sounds in a grocery store, sound 10X louder than they would to someone without noise sensitivity. The overwhelming noise often clouds your ability to think or increases symptoms like a headache. So you suffer through and get your groceries if you can still remember what you went to buy; hopefully, you brought a list. Or the other scenario when you give up halfway through grocery shopping because your brain feels like it's just turning off.
Noise sensitivity often isn't consistent. It's not always a certain level of sound but the frequency or the variety of different sounds. For example, I can usually handle loud music in the car, but a classroom with many different sounds would be overwhelming. It also shows that the level of thinking needed affects my ability to handle noise; anything requiring immense concentration, such as a test, requires silence.
So what do you do?
Say you're in college and want to go to a bar with your friends, but the noise is so overwhelming you can't go out? Or maybe you're a parent whose child plays a sport such as football or hockey, and the cheering hurts your ears. What if your child plays a musical instrument and has to practice often? What if your boss wants to send you to a busy conference, but you're nervous your brain will be overwhelmed from the echoing hall.
You can't walk around with your ears covered, and you can't block out all of the sounds because then you can’t carry on a normal conversation. My solution that I highly recommend is getting a set of Ear Peaces because they are a constant staple to my everyday life! I keep them permanently attached to my purse, so I never leave the house without them, and they're around for an easy grab in any environment. I used to wear them in lectures and at the bar in college. I now wear them at the dirt bike track, outdoor events, loud restaurants, anywhere I want to focus and not be forced to leave from increasing symptoms. My favourite part is that they're discrete. I don't have to constantly explain to people why I'm wearing earplugs, which I don't want to do when enjoying being out carrying on a normal life. They have different filters for various sound levels, meaning I can wear them and carry on a normal conversation in comfort. Now they may not work for you, but if you are sensitive to noise, I strongly recommend checking them out!
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One day at a time,
Bella
