I can’t shut out background noise

I feel so much better knowing that I’m not the only one suffering with something like this. But their is something else I have an issue with that I haven’t seen on here, I have an issue with hearing certain sounds or shall I say letters. For example the word snake the ‘sss’ irritates me so I can’t watch a lot of tv or can’t speak to certain people if they pronounce their letter ‘s’ strongly! Also i can’t deal with it when I hear someone else Tv and all I can hear is that sound where it’s like someone is just hissing. 

I don’t know if this makes any sense to any one? 
I finally went to the doctors a year ago and I am seeing audiologist they haven’t done much yet, just lots of testing. I’m wondering if their is anyone one that has this particular issue. I do wear ear buds but their not strong enough to block out all sound. 

I'm curious though to why wearing noise cancelling headphones would affect your gait?   I've always blocked sound completely as I mentioned via hearing aids and I had been diagnosed with balance and co-ordination problems. I wondered why i could walk round the house fine and do exercises when home alone (when I never have the hearing aids in) but when I have to go out I need a stick to help me keep my balance. I figured it was because the ground was more uneven and unpredictable and my brain couldn't compensate quickly enough, whereas in my own home my brain knows its flat.

I never made the connection between whether I had the hearing aids in and all sounds blocked out as I never took them out unless I was home alone where I could control all sounds.

I got a pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones and I bought ten hours of box fan that I listen to.  When I have the noise cancellation on high and the box fan on, I can’t hear a thing and it is heaven!  They are expensive, I had to save up to get them but they are a godsend, especially on public transport!

The Apple Airpods Pro got a lot of recommendations too because they have a mode called 'transparency' where you can allow external noise in but I'm not sure how much you can control this (ie how much sound you 'let in') and of course they can totally block it out so you can hear only whats on your iphone (phone call, white noise  or music)

They aren't cheap though but I might see if I can find a pair anywhere for a better price tomorrow (cyber monday) cos I'm curious, but it depends by how much they were discounted!

I have the same problem, trying to hear people when a radio or television is on in the background.  I can’t understand anything.  There are a few videos on YouTube that show what its like.  I showed them to my ex to try to explain what it is like for me and he just called me a freak.  I can’t be around people for any length of time, it’s draining. It’s just me and my dog and a few brief outings.  I did have it under control before this last relationship, and that has sent me in a tailspin.  I am looking for a job now but have had no luck.  I really want to get back to where I was but I’ve never been this bad before.  It will be a long time before I am back to my “normal”, I will hopefully get there.  It is extremely debilitating and only someone else that has it can understand.  People don’t know how fortunate they are just to be able to block out or ignore sounds.  I am so glad I found this site.  There is a lot of good ideas and information on here and just talking to others like yourself gives me comfort.

I live like that too. I did manage to attend university and work when young while I was using the hearing aids to block everything out, people just thought I was deaf.  After neuro issues left me housebound and in a wheelchair for years I found it harder and more exhausting to cope with going out socially.

I have to use a mobility scooter to walk my dog and can't even cope with the noises coming from that. I can cope with household noises though to a degree The scooter has to be charged in furthest room from my bedroom at night, I put washing machine on just as I'm heading out to walk the dog so it's finished by the time I get back!). I'll go in another room if dryer has to be on (for bedding only got one set so it has to go straight back on the bed) everything else goes over radiators or plug in electric airer that's in the spare room. 

I find it hardest in the car as my family expects me to be able to understand them when they have the radio on loud and I can't seperate their voices from the car noises and the radio!  It's just one noise so end up with hearing aids in switched off and relying on lip-reading. I can't drive myself and due to physical issues would be unable to get into a car myself with the wheelchair without help anyway so I rarely go anywhere other than the local fields with the dog on my scooter!

I don't like people in my personal space either so can't tolerate visitors for long when I do get them!

I would like to get to where I was a few years ago.  I left an abusive marriage, lived in sheltered housing for 8 months and all the work I did to get better went out the window.  I’m worse than I ever was before.  Maybe this will help me integrate back into society.  I’ve become a recluse that can’t handle any kind of stimulation at all.  

I am going to ask my doctor about that.  I think that would help me tremendously as the triggers can have a severe reaction at times.  I almost always have noise cancelling headphones on just to block everything out and get through the day.  Thank you for this!

also I want to add if you read the article on someone using misophonia with hearing aids, they were using the white noise option and told NOT to use them to block the world out.  Back when I was young no-one told me this, there was no internet and no-one realised I was wearing them constantly turned off (unless I was using the T setting to listen to a walkman!) ..so consequently I've got to 50 and my sound phobia is just as bad and I can't leave the house without all external noises blocked off.

Now using hearing aids as white noise maskers for hearing people is seen as more 'acceptable' and used as a treatment method it may help you to see if you can find and follow a treatment plan. The aim is it reduces your sensitivity and lessens your trigger reactions if you do it right.

I wear hearing aids switched off, they have clear glue over the external mic and have cotton stuffed in the end that goes into the ear, It gives the best reduction of sound I've ever found but you need to use your eyes more especially on roads (with cars been really quiet these days) as you really can't hear them until they are on top of you.

I don't know if NHS would give them just for cutting out sound but maybe if could afford to go private you might be able to buy a pair from specsavers. I have seen online mention of hearing aids been used for kids with auditory processing disorder.  Behind the ear Tinnitus maskers may also work the same then you'd have both the 'white noise' option and been able to turn them off and block them off.

You might find this interesting

www.reddit.com/.../

They are available in different levels of 'noise reduction' (not sure how much difference there really is between variants as I've only tried one set) so you should be able to find something that works.

That’s perfect!  I usually wear either noise cancelling headphones or foam earplugs but these look like they would be perfect for a work environment.  Thank you for posting!  This is why I joined the forum because there is so much knowledge between all of us.

I bought these earplugs (child-size 'cos I have tiny ears): https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07842R764/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They really work - they cut the background noise down to a sort of 'distant grumble' while allowing me to hear if people are speaking directly to me.

I can't wear them all day, but when I feel like I'm getting overwhelmed they can buy me a few hours respite...

I think the way you deal with it is a personal decision based on what works for you. However I have music in my headphones, music up loud in the car. I get quite a few ear infections which is a relief in the way as i go 'deaf' briefly. White noise is a huge issue for me especially at night. 

I sympathise with the electrical hums - I dread this time of year when the central heating is in use. Its not the sound of the pump or the water in the pipes that drives me nuts, but the fact that the airing cupboard is in my room and the motorised 3 port valve that switches the hot water can whine at a note that tests my sanity (I did a lot of research to see what was to blame - I'm no plumber!). Whether or not it does this seems to be a combination of whether it was just the hot water tank (rest position, always silent) or just the heating or both. As with all 'small' noises no-one else notices unless I point it out...

NAS64460 said:

Always try to reflect later

NAS64460 said:

slept with a fan

NAS64460 said:

 I can hear things others can’t and I always have to locate the source of the noise. For some reason, it makes me feel better.

(...Wow, I have never been able to do so many Quotes in just one post before! Please Excuse Me...)

...Me again, I quote all of that because I think that it is all TRUE and a GOOD thing to be aware of. I, too, also have/prefer to sleep with a fan on, or with white noise. (I live in London, perhaps the noisest City in the UK...?)

I quote all of that because it seems that You are aware of what to do, but have trouble - like Myself - in doing it. Yet as said, by Others as well, You are not alone with this. I think, as far as I have read and tried Myself, You might like to explore the Avenues of so-called "Meditation". I am not all that good at this, but to start with very basically, find a noise (e.g. the white noise) that is not damaging/stessful...and focus upon that. Do this as if all of the time (try to find a "white noise"), wherever You are. Then build up a sort of Base upon that. From that safe base, work upon accustomising Oneself to other noises, all the time playing it safe & knowing One's own limits of tolerance.

As I said before, I absolutely cannot tolerate screaming or shouting children/adults, so all of that does take time. Just know what is liked... (E.g. try going into parks & listening for birdsong, *then* listen for the bad noises..?) ... and work up from that. Do not be discouraged by stress (or temporary deafening).

...I 'hope this helps' even just a little. (It did for Me, and I still run away at screaming, and plug ears at Sirens, though.) Good Luck!

I’ve tried that several times over the years thinking I could adjust to it if I looked at it differently.  I was better at it when I was younger but I find it very difficult to do now but I like the approach!

I know exactly what you are talking about.  I can hear things others can’t and I always have to locate the source of the noise. For some reason, it makes me feel better.

Greetings... For some reason I only just now thought of trying to Post this perspective...

For sleeping and to rest, yes, noise-cancelling or earplugs or white-noise (Radios, Fans, Recordings, etc.)  is necessary. But while awake, do none of that. Have a go at Focussing upon certain noises, or rather, have a go at just ignoring them all untill a noise *needed* to be heard is heard, or a noise which is not damaging or is liked, is heard (usually birdsong or, um, "children laughing" (...))... Then have a go at focussing upon that.

There is always noise, and block the ears when it is not needed to be heard... Yet noise is as informative and interesting as sight or smell is. Focus upon certain noises to know what is going on, and to predict and see and know what is happening. Have a go/practise using quiet places (Sundays, Parks, or something), and single out the noises which do not cause stress from those which do.

...This post is long enough, now, so I wonder if anyone else knows what I mean...?

(P.S. - For Myself, when People (Children) are SCREAMING, Yes, I do not like that and do leave the immediate area, and I plug My ears at Sirens going past.)

Much the same here. Tiredness and/or stress certainly don't help, but have always found it incredibly difficult to block out or ignore background noise (or other stimuli, such as movement in my field of vision, people fidgeting next to me, etc.) I do also feel that I'm finding it harder to do as I get older.

I've also known for a very long time that I hear things which other people simply don't. Although not confirmed by an audiologist, I am certain that I perceive sounds beyond the range of hearing of most people, even allowing for age differences. I have been driven crazy by supposedly inaudible (to people) ultra-sonic pest repellers, and can often hear high-frequency switched-mode power supplies (or the high-frequencies of the old CRT televisions). The same with very low frequencies - I've often pointed out structural noises, such as fridges, fans, etc. being transmitted through floors and walls, which leave other people wondering what the hell I'm going on about.